What size sand / gravel? Plenum or no?

I am getting ready to start a new reef tank and I wandering if The Argonite Gravel was ok? I have a TON of it...

If not I have Seaflor by Caribsea which is argonite as well and I have a little bit of sugar sized argonite sand too...

I have the most of the gravel which is about half the size of a pea on average.

It looks like, from what I've read on the forums, mosst people prefer the Sea Floor... How much should I use for a 90 Gallon tank?

Right now I am getting ready to buy my live rock, but I'm not going to do that until I have my sand ready... What about a Plenum? Do I have to make a Plenum? I'd ratehr just put the sand or gravel CC whatever in there and let the hermit crabs deal with it...

Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks

Also don't rinse the sand??? Won't it be cloudy for a while?

TYIA

 

I have always used the fine Argonite sand. Stay away from the crushed coral. I like to have only 1.5"-2" sand bed and let the sand shifting stars take care of it.

 

You mean the "sugar sized" argonite sand? Would it be ok if I mixed that and the sea floor sand which is not sigar sized...

I thought the crushed shells looked good, but from what I'm reading stuff can get trapped down in there and cause problems.

 

The finer the better(IMO)

 

Hm.. im using 80# caribsea aragonite seafloor special w/ 25# caribsea live sand

 

Hmmmm

How much should I have for a 90 gallon?
I might mix the sugar sized argonite with the sea floor sized...

 

1-1.5lbs per gallon is a good rule of thumb, some prefer a thicker sand bed since some say that the thicker sand beds help to control nitrate levels better

 

My two cents, stay away from the crushed coral. I had it and man did I have nitrate problems. Dumped it and it put regular arragonite sand and the tank did much better.

 

i was told that the sand shifting stars consume copapods? otherwise what is it the star eating the sand bed?

sorry i know its off topic, but to go back...
the plenum has to go under the sand, but for that you need two different sized sands. that is what i am running, but mine is still newish and i am perfecting it. IMO i go super deep fine sand bed, my 29 has 45-50 lbs live sand, its a little more work with that much, but i like the look.

 

My 2 cents

"Live sand" is a ripoff too. Mix of argo and crushed coral, sold wet so 60# in my 29 gal is only 3".

Next time! Live and learn.