Can i add a different substrate to my existing substrate?

[TonyOrlando]

I recently figured that my current sand bed is not deep enough. I have always been battling with my nitrates and i am down to my last option as far as why they stay around 20-30. The guy at my LFS said i need a deeper sand bed. Right now i have a 72 gallon bowfront with only 60 pounds of pure white sand made by Carib Sea. I wanted know if it would be ok to add another 60 pounds of Aragamax Grand Bahama Gravel by Carib Sea, which is a very fine gravel which you see in most reef tanks on top of the current sandbed. What do you all think of this idea and do you have any other suggestions that im not thinking of? By the way will 60 pounds be enough? Thanks in advance for your feedback!!

[TonyOrlando]

No suggestions? Im sure someone does!!

[TonyOrlando]

Humpty Bumpty sat on a wall!!

[Zestay]

every now and than my diamnond goby moves all of my " oolitic carriaban live sand " into one corner. and leaves me with some bare glass bottem in areas. so depending on my mood.
if the gobies been being a *****. i knock his house down ( just before lights out so he scrambles to build a new home =P ) or places a few handfuls of " play sand " into the tank over the glass. ive suffered no ill effects aside from the fact that the play sand will scratch the glass if caughts behind a mag float.

[OldmillXxX]

I'm sure you will get many replies, but as a whole it will be of no use. Half of the people will tell you that adding more sand will only trap the nitrate and increase your problem, while the other half will tell you it will indeed solve the issue at hand. It is a debate as old as the hobby.

Adding to what you have will be up to you. I am assuming you are using a skimmer. That being said, I will also state that controling the source of the high nitrates is the only definite key to lowering it. The rest, deep sand, skimming, flitration are good band-aids at best.

Good luck!

[TonyOrlando]

Yes i am using a skimmer and I do regular WCs w/RODI water. Im not sure what else to do. The only other thing i can say is that i have 75 pounds of LR and a 72 gallon tank. Maybe add more rock,but i dont want to add much more.

[Tang Salad]

The deal with sandbeds is that you want either an extremely thin one <1" or else a proper DSB >4". If you have a depth in the middle ground, then the sand is deep enough to trap detritus, but not deep enough to break it down.

[Tang Salad]

Also, stay away from large grained sand, and especially the large crushed coral chunks. It's pretty much agreed upon that large quantities of these will lead to nitrate problems.

[deuce6371]

If you decide to add sand just do it slowly over time. Maybe move some of the existing sand over and then put new in its place.

[Bainic]

You'll have to add slowly, giving your critters time to migrate to the upper surface, you should have less than 1 inch or more than 3 for denitrification.