# Deep Sand Beds?



## coppertop128 (Dec 10, 2012)

So I am going to be starting a new 29 gallon tank and I would like to eventually plant it heavily. I have read a few articles regarding sand substrates and have decided that's what I will be using but, would a deep sand bed work well in a freshwater environment and would it be beneficial at all to the plants? I have seen mixed opinions on this and was just wondering what you all thought


----------



## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

you don't want it to be too deep, as it could cause pockets of gas to build up. I keep mine around two inches deep.


----------



## rtmaston (Jul 14, 2012)

i have thought about using it but was not sure how hard it would be to clean while doing water changes.so im setting up aother tank in awhile and still on the fence about sand.


----------



## coppertop128 (Dec 10, 2012)

See that's kinda what I thought was that it should be kept at around 2 inches deep. But this article Deep Sand Beds argues otherwise and has some nifty stuff to say. But I don't want to rush into doing that lol. If you had some sand sifting critters do you think this would work out? I'm kinda worried about all the anaerobic gas pockets that would form.


----------



## oldpunk (Dec 9, 2012)

It really depends on what type of sand you're going to use. Play sand? It's really fine and will go anaerobic if it's too deep. I wouldn't go more than an inch. Stuff like pool filter sand, you can go about 2-3 inches. What type of sand were you thinking about using?


----------



## coppertop128 (Dec 10, 2012)

I was thinking about using something like play sand yeah. The article I read suggested that finer sand is better so that you can build an anaerobic layer for the different types of bacteria that would live there and work to eliminate nitrate and mulm. It also said that you would be fine as long as you seed your DSB with sand churning critters like the California black worm and such.


----------



## oldpunk (Dec 9, 2012)

The article you read either had its facts wrong or you miss read it. A deep layer of fine sand is bad. It will compact over time and starve the compacted places for oxygen. That in turn will ruin your tank. Worms and snails only help so much. I speak these words from experience.


----------



## coppertop128 (Dec 10, 2012)

They must have their facts wrong then because that's definitely what they are saying to do. I'm going to take your advice on it though because it sounded a little sketchy to me from the beginning. There is a link to the article a few posts back if you would like to check it out.


----------

