Dsb

[ang_99]

Hey Anthony, just a quick question about DSB's. I currently have a sugar size grain sand bed of about 5 to 6 inches. I'd like to put about another inch layer of a courser sand on top to prevent the sand from blowing around and creating large hills with shallow spots and deep spots. Also I have a clown fish who likes to kick the sand up and create large craters. My question is will I keep all the benefits of the fine sand bed (de-nitrification, worms and such) with the course layer on top? I'd like to increase circulation along the bottom layer of the tank to prevent detritis and nutrient build up on the sand bed but this isn't possible without blowing the sand around and creating large hills. Do you see any problems with this.

Thanks
Angelo

[Anthony Calfo]

Greeting Angelo,

My apologies for the delay in reply... I was out of town visiting a wonderful aquarium club and friends in the SF Bay area (SeaBAY.org).

Regarding the addition of coarse sand atop the fine bed... I feel that at best it is uneccesary. The problem is not that the sand is too fine, but rather that the flow is not beng directed or finessed properly. Toop opfetn we use/employ powerheads or pumpo returns from the sump to create most or all of our water flow which leads to longterm problems with coral growth for the unnatural laminar nature of the delivery... and short term nuisances like the disturbing of sand.

I recently wrote a short article for advanced aquarist e-zine (reefs.org) on building a closed loop manifold to avoid just such problems from powerheads. It can in fact be fed by a power head in the trank or from the sump return pump. Please do take the time to read over that for perspectve first (Sept or Oct 2003 issue).

I would not recommend the mixing of sand grains.

with kind regards,

Anthony