sand bed question?

Deep sand bed or shallow? What is everybody using and why? I cant decide what rout I want to go. Thinking shallow in the tank 1"-2" and a DSB in my sump 4"-5"....any thoughts? also fine or coarse?

Personally, I like a shallow sand bed in the display tank. The main reason is because I like to move things around as corals grow out. Disturbing a deep sand bed is dangerous because you will release toxins into the water column that will most likely crash your tank. DSB is better for a fuge where you have slow flow. However, you still don't get much benefit unless you have a sufficient amount of surface area, which is roughly 12" X 20".

Studies have also proved that a mix of fine and course is the best route. The fines are good for your sand sifting tank mates while a bit of course allows you sand bed to breathe.

Just my experience and my research findings!!

i am going with a 1/2 in sand bed right now and i am thinking about taking miore out and going with less

That makes sence. The spot in my fuge that I was thinking about using is 16" x 16.5" That should work.

Articles on WetWebMedia generally suggest less than 1 inch or more than 3 inches. I thought I'd have more than 3 inches in mine... but it's very close. So... I basically went with a deep sand bed. However... after seeing the sand take up a few inches at the bottom of the tank, I wish I had less than 1 inch. I may move some out.

my 120 has 1/2 in the new 120 will go with maybe 1/4 in but i think 1/2 may be a little to thick for my look ..

Disturbing a deep sand bed is dangerous because you will release toxins into the water column that will most likely crash your tank.

Well said BigBlue, Why would you want to harber these toxins in your sand bed? This is why I gave up on deep sand beds years ago, seems that after about a year and a half to two years the deep sand bed looses its ability to contain these toxins and starts leaching everything back into the tank. I know there are a couple of guys on here that will agree their tanks were going down hill until they removed the deep sand bed and went to a shallow bed. I personally only run about 3/4 inches, after all you are using the live rock for filtration not the sand bed.

I have never really been a big supporter on sand beds. I see them as a time bomb. Like a few others said, it becomes a toxic bed and begins releasing the toxins back into the tank.

Just my .02

Just to update... I actually took a lot of my sand bed out. Now I have mostly less than 1 inch... but in some places my clowns like to move it around and it piles up a touch. lol