What best white substrate for nano?

RyvBoy · 05/26/2019, 06:44 AM

I would like to put a little layer of white sand in my 25g nano.

What kind of substrate would you suggest?

Sugar Magnolia · 05/26/2019, 07:54 AM

CaribSea special grade sand. https://www.marinedepot.com/CaribSea...CS0020-vi.html

RyvBoy · 05/26/2019, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sugar Magnolia

CaribSea special grade sand. https://www.marinedepot.com/CaribSea...CS0020-vi.html

thank you! what a bout fiji pink?

billdogg · 05/26/2019, 11:17 AM

any aragonite of about that grain size will work well. IMHO, the extra you pay for Fiji "pink" isn't really worth it - at least to my eye, it's not very pink!

RyvBoy · 05/26/2019, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billdogg

any aragonite of about that grain size will work well. IMHO, the extra you pay for Fiji "pink" isn't really worth it - at least to my eye, it's not very pink!

i see.. so you vote for special grade too?

thanks

billdogg · 05/26/2019, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyvBoy

i see.. so you vote for special grade too?

thanks

Sure. I started my 120DT with sugar fine and really liked it but it was difficult to keep clean if with a good CUC. It also got blown around considerably due to the flow requirements of a SPS reef. I switched out to special grade about a year ago and am very happy with it so far.

RyvBoy · 05/27/2019, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billdogg

Sure. I started my 120DT with sugar fine and really liked it but it was difficult to keep clean if with a good CUC. It also got blown around considerably due to the flow requirements of a SPS reef. I switched out to special grade about a year ago and am very happy with it so far.

thank you. at the moment I only have a Tunze 6040.

Do you have an image of your tank with that sand?

what about the Ocean Direct Live?

billdogg · 05/27/2019, 06:50 AM

This is from a few years ago. The sugar fine sand moved itself around so that in the front it was almost bare while in the back it was over 4"

j.falk · 05/27/2019, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyvBoy

thank you! what a bout fiji pink?

Fiji pink is cheap and you get what you pay for.

If you decide to use it my advice to you would be to thoroughly rinse it before putting it in your tank. I have it in my newest setup and didn't rinse it beforehand and regretted that decision very quickly.

- My tank stayed cloudy for almost a week.

- The water pumps blow the sand all over the place with ease creating bare spots in the corners.

- I had a huge diatom bloom a few weeks ago from all of the silicates in the sand.

If I had to do it over, I would not use Fiji pink again...I was trying to go cheap with this setup and I've had more headaches with this tank start up than any saltwater aquarium I've had in the past.

rkpetersen · 05/27/2019, 05:47 PM

Special grade, all the way. Perfect size at 1-2 mm for most sand dwellers, and don't blow around.

RyvBoy · 05/28/2019, 04:09 AM

Thank you, I'm checking for availability of Special Grade here in Italy, but it's not easy to find it....

if I don't get to find it what do you think of the Ocean Direct Live that is the only one available (at the moment)?

j.falk · 05/28/2019, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyvBoy

Thank you, I'm checking for availability of Special Grade here in Italy, but it's not easy to find it....

if I don't get to find it what do you think of the Ocean Direct Live that is the only one available (at the moment)?

I had Ocean's Direct live sand in my last saltwater aquarium. I really liked it but I would recommend that you rinse it thoroughly to remove all the fine silt before adding it to your tank.

RyvBoy · 05/28/2019, 06:18 AM

i succeded to find the Special Grade

05/26/2019, 06:44 AM	#1
RyvBoy Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Italy Posts: 104	What best white substrate for nano? I would like to put a little layer of white sand in my 25g nano. What kind of substrate would you suggest?

05/26/2019, 07:54 AM	#2
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	CaribSea special grade sand. https://www.marinedepot.com/CaribSea...CS0020-vi.html __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

05/26/2019, 11:17 AM	#4
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	any aragonite of about that grain size will work well. IMHO, the extra you pay for Fiji "pink" isn't really worth it - at least to my eye, it's not very pink! __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

05/27/2019, 06:50 AM	#8
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	This is from a few years ago. The sugar fine sand moved itself around so that in the front it was almost bare while in the back it was over 4" __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

05/27/2019, 05:47 PM	#10
rkpetersen Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2017 Posts: 19	Special grade, all the way. Perfect size at 1-2 mm for most sand dwellers, and don't blow around.

05/28/2019, 04:09 AM	#11
RyvBoy Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Italy Posts: 104	Thank you, I'm checking for availability of Special Grade here in Italy, but it's not easy to find it.... if I don't get to find it what do you think of the Ocean Direct Live that is the only one available (at the moment)?

05/28/2019, 06:18 AM	#13
RyvBoy Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Italy Posts: 104	i succeded to find the Special Grade