Sand bed depth for new tank

Getting ready to slowly transition my current two tanks, to a larger 60 gallon tank with a sump/fuge setup.
I'd like to keep LR, Coral, fish, inverts, maybe even some Macro Algaes.
Right now I've got two mushrooms, and that's it as far as corals go.

So the question is, should I go with a sand bed less than an inch thick?
Or one that is 3-4 inches thick?

Thank you

 

Fuzzball - if your going to have a sump and possibly macro algae in the sump, then I would say a SSB of less than 1 inch will be a good choice - you can have your DSB on the fuge for Nitrate conversion along with the Macros and free up DT space for water

that would be my preference under the conditions you described

Steve

 

I concur, unless you want to house something that needs the sand to bury itself in and then maybe go 2". One tip? Do not go as deep or hardly at all in the back of the tank, less likely to develop detritus build up back there.

 

Thanks for your thoughts.

I like your suggestions, and I think that's what I'll go with.
3/4" in DT, and 4" in fuge

Thanks again

 

I agree with unclejed. Just because Fuzzball has a sump/refug doesn't mean he can have a 1 inch sandbed. A lot of fish require a minimum of 2 inches (Gobies, Jawfish, Mandarinfish, featherduster worms, etc.). My best bet would get 2-2.5 inches of a sandbed. You never know when you might get the desire to own one of these bottom dwellers.

 

Is minimum 2" the consensus to have gobies, mandarins, etc... I know that pods are important for mandarins but if you have a DSB in your fuge and a good supply of pods, Would you still need 2" of sand in the DT?

 

We have a goby in our barebottom tank and he doesn't seem to be complaining much If you're going to keep jawfish, you need a very deep sand bed and once you start getting into deep sand beds in the display tank, you're opening up another whole can of worms. I have been able to keep just about all kinds of gobies and blennies with only a 1" sandbed.

 

after having a 125 dt with a 4" sandbed i'll never do it again, had a constant nitrate problem and once we got ich, just turned into a huge pain in the butt. have about an inch in there now and a dsb in the fuge and i'm a happy camper. dt stays cleaner (easy to clean w/gravel sucker) and looks better IMHO

 

I thought that was a BAAAAAD idea?

I also thought the general opinion is that your sandbed basically has TWO choices:
less than one inch
or 3-4 inches

or else you'll have issues with your ammonia cycle.