Setup DSB with live sand

[Chefri]

DEar All reefers,

I setup DSB with all is live sand two days ago. and add it in once time with 10cm in depth ?

I am afraid my dsb will be going rotten in few weeks. what is the negative effect with what I do ?

is it important add Sand Sifting like GOby and sea stars ?

Please give me response....feel free to your reply to me.

Your sincerely,

chefri

[nim75sg]

Since you add live sand as your DSB then why should it goes "Rotten" in a few weeks.

Have you turn on the skimmer? If not, you can do it now.

If the water parameters are ok then you can place one or two livestocks ie goby

[Chefri]

Because I ever had experience with all live sand as DSB in my sump but i used more coarse Live sand before dan went rotten. now I am using very fine Live sand as DSB.

I already turn on my skimmer now.

is it important add goby to sifting my DSB ? how if not ?

[nim75sg]

It helps to shift the sand especially the Golden Head Goby otherwise you got to do it manually occasionally

[Gripshoppe]

Theres a difference between sand "shifter" and sand "stirrer"

Primary function of dsb is to double up as a biological filter...

You want your bacterial colony in the low oxygen zone to do its job.

Critters living in the normal oxygen zone ie top 1-2 inches of the dsb is to help prevent dead zone and deritus from rotting.

The biochemistry of dsb is rather complex and "manual" or gobies/sea stars action of messing up sandbed rather screws up this system, many a time killing or eating up the infaunas and causing unprocessed toxin to escape into the water channel.

Get some N.snails instead of gobies...

[Chefri]

Yesterday I saw dead layer at the bottom. the color was black. what will I do ?

is this cause no sand shifting ?

[Gripshoppe]

Are the sand in your 55 gallon tank?

If so you can forget about using dsb.

Most of your sand's surface is being covered by rocks thus making it ineffective.

If its black, i suggest you get rid of them. However it might be cyanobacterial if its a little greeenish which is ok.

[Chefri]

Are the sand in your 55 gallon tank?

If so you can forget about using dsb.

Most of your sand's surface is being covered by rocks thus making it ineffective.

why you said ineffective ? if the sand's surface is being covered by rocks ?