how much sand?

i am just starting a sw tank and want a shallow sand bed and was wonderin how much sand to purchase and can i mix live sand with rinsed dead sand to save cash....also with little sand are there any recommendations on preventing tank damage from rock cave in.

 

i like a inch or less sand bed makes life easier in long run.
yes you can mix the sands. idont really consider live sand important if you get liverock, you can skip the live sand all together. besides whats really alive in a sealed unheated bag after a year, maybe some anerobic bacteria. i bet atleast half of that dies when adding it to your tank because of the rapid environment change.
you could put white polyboard(cutting board) on the bottom under the sand.

 

when settin up the new aquarium will i be able to add 5lbs or so of live rock at the same time i add the sand

 

yes, i would recommend you add all the live rock at once when you set up, as new liverock its self will cause a cycle, because of the die from transport.

the only rock i recommend you add when it has fish in is base rock.

 

Normally for a 1 inch sand bed I use about a pound a gallon. Now this doesnt work with extra tall or extra shallow tangs but its a rough rule of thumb. As for setting up a new tank just add the rock first and then fill in around it with the sand. That way the rock is solid on the base of the tank and you dont have to worry about some super cool goby causing a rock slide when it digs out its home under a rock.

 

Is there a good source to buy the cutting board material from? And does it need to be placed only under the rock or under the whole sand bed?