Reef tanks.
Plan sand around the footprint, flow, and animals. Confirm composition and grain size before treating a material as reef substrate.
What goes where.
Make room for the animal first. Plan the clear floor, secure the heavy pieces, and leave access to clean and inspect the layout.
- Choose texture and size for the animals you actually keep. A broad habitat label does not cover every species.
- Support heavy stone on a suitable base before adding loose substrate. Digging must not undermine a stack.
- Product-specific chemistry, finish, and species claims appear only when confirmed.
Choose the bed for the animals and flow
A reef floor begins with the actual sand composition and measured grain range. The name reef sand is not enough to establish aragonite content, buffering behavior, or suitability for a burrowing animal. Our sand recommendations remain withheld while those facts are awaiting confirmation.
Identify livestock that buries itself, sifts grains, or builds shelters. Use species-specific care guidance for its requirements. A cleanup reputation is not a reason to buy an animal after the substrate is already chosen, and the calculator cannot make that decision from gallons alone.
Plan water movement at the floor
Pump position and hardscape affect where flow concentrates. Very fine material can move differently from a coarser grade, as discussed in BRStv's sand guide. Its practical comparisons do not provide a universal grade for every reef.
Keep equipment within its instructions and preserve necessary circulation. Do not reduce essential flow solely to keep an unsuitable decorative layer flat. In a new setup, observe the actual arrangement before treating the first dry composition as permanent.
Work from the footprint
Decide the bed's purpose and depth, then measure usable internal area. A shallow decorative layer and a deliberately designed sediment system are different choices. Neither depth alone guarantees nutrient control.
The calculator converts volume with an explicitly estimated density. It shows bag combinations and shipping separately. Slope, moisture, grading, and displaced space around hardscape can change the real requirement, so the answer is a planning mass rather than an exact fill promise.
Prepare the actual material
Dry substrate and packaged live sand can have different instructions. Follow the specific label rather than washing every product alike. Keep dust and loose sand away from equipment not designed to receive it, and fill gently to avoid excavating the new bed.
Clear water is not proof of an established biological system. Check the complete setup and appropriate measurements before introducing animals. Read reef sand quantities, grain size and flow, and dry sand rinsing before choosing a material.
Keep out.
- Unconfirmed composition or coatings
- Sand chosen without checking burrowing species
Measure the ground.
Footprint, depth, and density determine the estimated pounds. Start with the dimensions of your actual tank or enclosure.
Open the substrate calculator