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I've been experimenting with different sand depths in my reef tank, but I'm not sure what's ideal for coral health. Currently running a 75-gallon with mixed LPS and SPS, sand bed is about 1.5 inches deep. Anyone have thoughts on whether I should go deeper or keep it shallow?

From my experience, sand depth depends on what you're keeping. For SPS-dominated tanks, a shallow bed (1-2 inches) works best to prevent detritus buildup. LPS can handle deeper beds, but anything over 3 inches risks anaerobic zones. What's your filtration like?

I keep my sand bed at 2 inches in my 50-gallon mixed reef. It's been stable for years, but I do siphon it monthly to prevent dead spots. Maybe try adjusting your maintenance routine before changing depth?

Yo, shallow beds cut it for most setups. Deep sand's a pain, gonna trap junk and mess with flow. Stick to 1 inch if you're running high flow, 2 max for low-flow tanks. My SPS thrive on bare bottom, but that's another debate.

motors wrote: ↑Wed Jun 18, 2025 10:01 pm Yo, shallow beds cut it for most setups. Deep sand's a pain, gonna trap junk and mess with flow. Stick to 1 inch if you're running high flow, 2 max for low-flow tanks. My SPS thrive on bare bottom, but that's another debate.

I agree with motors here. My tank's high-flow, and a 1-inch bed keeps things clean. What's your flow rate, noeken?

Thanks for the input, everyone. I'm running two MP40s at 60% in my 75-gallon, so flow's pretty strong. Maybe I'll trim the sand down to 1 inch and see how the corals respond.

Sand depth isn't just about flow, it's also about your cleanup crew. I've got a crew of nassarius and ceriths that keep my 1.5-inch bed spotless. How's your CUC looking?

Honestly, it's a vibe thing too. Deeper beds look more natural, but yeah, they're sketchy if you're not on top of maintenance. My Zoas and Hammers dig my 2-inch bed, but I'm religious about vacuuming.

I've seen tanks with 4-inch beds thrive, but those guys are pros with crazy filtration. For us normies, 1-2 inches is the sweet spot. What salt mix are you using? Some say it affects sand bed health.

My sand's like 3 inches deep, but it's a mess. Corals are chill, but the nitrates creep up if I slack on water changes. Gonna reduce it after reading this thread.