Best Sand for Saltwater Tank/ Review of Different Products

Saltwater Aquarium Sand?

Best Sand for Saltwater Tank is not just any old sand. It generally comprises what is commonly known as live sand. Live sand is a substrate that has been sourced from a coral reef, or alternatively, it is cultured from non-living Sand for Saltwater sand. The term live refers to the micro and macro-organisms that are naturally present within the substrate. Live sand provides your underwater ecosystem with beneficial bacteria aiding in water purification and general stability. The microorganisms within your aquarium sand will assist in consuming organic waste within the substrate layer in addition to providing a natural source of food for many of the inhabitants

Regular types of sand such as beach or builders’ sand must be avoided at all costs. Not are many of them unsightly in an aquarium, but they commonly contain silicates which will almost guarantee algae problems in your aquarium that you will find impossible to rectify. Saltwater aquarium sand must consist of live sand or aragonite material.

1-Natures Best Bio-Active Live Aragonite Aquarium Sand

Both attractive and practical. – Really adds realism to your aquarium decoration. Getting the required Nitrogen cycle bacteria with the sand is a step ahead in saltwater aquarium basics.

Check Price on Amazon

2- Best Carib Sea ACS00940 Ocean Direct Natural Live Sand for Aquarium, 40-Pound

Best Saltwater Aquarium Sand Doesn’t blow around on the bottom. – Overall a good buy, much better than store prices. The sand is of nice quality and there were even little complete shells in it that look good. A good quality product doesn’t blow around on the bottom. Looks great

Check Price on Amazon

3-Best Caribsea Super Naturals Aquarium Sand

This beautiful sand – Looks fantastic. In the bag, it looks sort of beige, but once rinsed and in the tank with the light on, it’s a bright white. It’s got a nice texture and was super easy to rinse. Helps if you rinse about 5 pounds at a time. Only took 15-20m to do 25 pounds of it. So much easier than pool filter sand.

Check Price on Amazon

4- Best Coarse Aragonite 10lb Sand for Reef, Saltwater, and Marine Aquariums

Beautiful sand that helps the reefs! – Perfect size, very clean, just as nice as Fiji, and ethically sourced to help support coral reefs, am very happy with this purchase!

Check Price on Amazon

Where to Buy Live Sand? Best Sand for Saltwater Tank

It is recommended that saltwater aquarium sand be purchased from reputable dealers specializing in reef aquariums. You should source live sand from suppliers who obtain it directly from the ocean or specialize in cultured live sand.

Best Saltwater Aquarium Sand

As a general rule of thumb, enough saltwater aquarium sand should be added to the tank to provide a 1-3/4 to 2 to 2-inch substrate layer. For a more accurate measurement, you should be using approximately 1.45 pounds of saltwater aquarium sand per gallon. Therefore for a 55-gallon tank, you will require 80 pounds of substrate.

How to Add Saltwater Aquarium Sand?

Essentially when it comes to adding your aquarium there are three different setup options available. When setting up your aquarium you can choose to have 100% live sand, however, this can be very costly. Sometimes this can be detrimental due to the large biological load added to the tank at once and can strain your filtration equipment

Best Sand for Saltwater Tank Alternatively, a combination of live sand can be mixed with another suitable substrate. Mixing the two will allow the conversion of the non-living part into live sand as the bacteria and microorganisms multiply and colonize through the entire mix. This is much more cost-effective and will only require a slight increase in cycling time. Aragonite is a common type of substrate used to mix with live sand and is much cheaper at approximately $1 per pound.

If you are on a tight budget, the final option is to use 100% non-live sand. The non-live substrate will convert to live sand over time with the increase of bacteria and microorganisms in the tank naturally, alternatively, there are additives to speed up the process. Generally, however, this method will increase your overall cycling time greatly. This is not recommended if you are impatient!

When adding the Best Sand for Saltwater Tank it should be done at a slow pace to avoid disturbance to the water and clouding. Do not pour the substrate directly over any live rock as this will suffocate them causing oxygen depletion and possible death. don’t forget Best Saltwater Aquarium Sand

Maintenance of Saltwater Aquarium Sand

Your substrate layer will also require cleaning as part of your ongoing saltwater aquarium maintenance. Essentially regular siphoning of the saltwater aquarium sand may be required to remove any excess waste or uneaten food matter. However, the secret to this task is the addition of janitors or cleaners to your tank

Your aquarium should incorporate inhabitants that will stir or turn over the live sand. This will ensure excess food matter and waste is filtered and keeps the saltwater aquarium sand in a continual cleaning cycle. There are a variety of crustaceans, fish, and invertebrates from hermit crabs to starfish that will not only turn over the substrate but also recycle waste matter and excess food, making your job easier. Just like adding any inhabitant to your tank, it is important to do your research and ensure that they are compatible with your existing creatures. We hope you have enjoyed this Best Saltwater Aquarium Sand review

best sand for saltwater tank

Further Reading

Below are the few amazing products that will enhance your Aquarium

Read These For Your Aquatic Friends:

👉 Trending

👉 Species Introduction

👉 Aquarium Guide

👉 Water Heating Products And Info

👉 Water Pump Products And Info

👉 Aquarium Filter And Info

👉 Turtle Guides

👉 Water Plants

👉 Fresh Water Aquarium Guides

👉 Marine Aquarium Guides

👉 Other Essential Products

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *