New sand bed-DSB?

I just bought 80lbs of live sand for my 55g tank. the sand depth ranges from 3 inches to 4-5 in some places. I placed the sand around my 51 lbs of live rock. would this be a deep sand bed?

 

hmmm ok thanx

 

If you are trying to set up a DSB then 4" is not near enough and 5 to 6" is supposed to be optimum , But I'd ask why set up a future problem ? I have never heard or experienced one doing well long term about 3 yrs average the fail and this usually starts at about 18 month they tend to go into a constant decline..

There was a lot of Hype about then a few yrs ago but the little glass box of water is not a ocean and the bio sludge can't percolate past the bottom glass and it will just build up and sooner or late it will roll up.. Never add any sand sifter and watch out for the sand fusing up like a rock or concrete. And replenish the sand fauna yearly

 

i wasnt going for a DSB, but i bought 80lbs of sand and it just looked way deeper then i thought. if i leave this amount in there do you think i will run into problems?

 

Yes its to deep for a non sand bed and not deep enough for a sand bed . I'd get it back to about 1.5 to 2 inches on average level on the bottom . What you have now will pocket and sooner or later will fuse up like concrete in places as the acids build up and the sand starts to go into dissolution

 

Tangster what would be a good sifter for a 72 gallon with a 1-2" bed?

 

a dragon aka Bar goby but not really needed for tha little amount of sand good circulation will keep it cleaned and you have plenty of that..
How did the test look ?

 

Oh wow really damn any one seles have input on this?

 

If someone has a DSB in an established tank, how would they go about changing it out with out completely screwing up the tank?