Sand Bed Calculator

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A handy tool for accurately estimating the quantity of sand required for your aquarium setup. Simply input your aquariums dimensions, plus the desired depth of the sand bed and the calculator will swiftly compute the amount of sand required, saving you time and effort.

Tank Specs

Sand Bed

Sand beds are extremely beneficial for your aquarium as they will provide a large amount of surface area for beneficial bacteria to grow. The sand bed will also house beneficial microorganisms such as copepods, snails and various other creatures that work to keep the tank clean.

If you’re unsure about whether or not to use sand in your tank, keep in mind that aquariums with sand will experience a faster, more stable cycle presumably because of more robust biofiltration.

We recommend a sand bed depth of 2-3 centimetres in a majority of reef tanks to maintain a natural appearance, support the biofilter, and remain easy to clean without trapping a lot of waste.

We would only recommend a deeper sand bed if you are planning on housing livestock that requires it. Some species of Wrasse and Gobies will benefit from deeper sand beds, sometimes up to 6 centimetres or more.

We recommend lightly cleaning your sand bed with a siphon and gravel vacuum to remove detritus weekly.