My little RDSB project

by **billrob71** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 8:00 pm

Finished this up today, made out of old wet dry filter I had laying around. Just need to get the sand and hook up the drain and return. Running the drain off one of the main drains from the tank and then into the sump. Built the shelves yesterday and move the little tank so I can mone the calcium reactor up on the other side.

First pic before the cutting comensed. :grin:

**Sponsor**

by **IanH** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 3:08 am

Sweet, lets see the action pics!

Website · by **chris&barb** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 6:16 am

Yes, action shots :this:

What tank are you connecting this to?

by **billrob71** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 8:46 am

I ll get some pics of it in action but ran out time. Also need some sand. What type of sand can I use???? Does if half to be marine sand??? I have a friend going to pick me up some but not enough to fill it up. Also how deep should I make the sand bed???

Website · by **chris&barb** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 9:00 am

Sometimes HD and Lowes will have aragonite based sand. Its usually labeled as soft play sand. You can use silica based sand also but supposedly the sharp edges of silica sand is less friendly to the bugs that live in sand. If you use silica sand rinse it very well, if you use fine aragonite sand dont rinse it at all. If your setting this up as a deep sand bed for nitrate reduction then you are going to want to have it at least 6" deep.

by **IanH** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 10:07 am

How tall is that container?

by **roadking1** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 2:13 pm

Do you have a skimmer inline on that ?

by **billrob71** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 2:48 pm

IanH wrote:How tall is that container?

14 inches deep

roadking1 wrote:Do you have a skimmer inline on that ?

My skimmers are in the main sump.

Website · by **chris&barb** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 4:58 pm

So this is a RDSB for your main tank?

What sand are you going with?

by **billrob71** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 5:22 pm

chris&barb wrote:So this is a RDSB for your main tank?

What sand are you going with?

Yeah for my main tank.

I stopped by HD and lowes and found premium play sand but it does not say what it's made of... :confused:

Website · by **chris&barb** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:56 am

Put a little bit on a dish and pour vinegar on it. If the sand starts to bubble and dissolve then its aragonite, if it doesn't then its silica.

by **billrob71** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:57 pm

Thanks Chris for the info

I'll try that, someone told me to hit walmart but the only sand they had was colored play sand from crayola. :doh:

Website · by **chris&barb** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 7:18 pm

That could be interesting :scratch:

Did you already buy some?

by **billrob71** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 7:53 pm

chris&barb wrote:That could be interesting

Did you already buy some?

No Have not got any yet, don't want to get the wrong stuff so still looking. Found some decent stuff on ebay but like to get some local.

Website · by **chris&barb** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 7:58 pm

The calcium based stuff is hard to find but it is out there. Ill give you one bag of south down sand if you want it