# How much sand for 55 gallon (48 inch) Tank?



## chazeltine (Oct 30, 2019)

Using pool filter sand for my standard 55 gallon Mbuna tank. Should I go with one 50lb bag or go for two 50lb bags?


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Welcome to C-F!!

Check out the following Calculator from the Library and scroll down to the bottom and you should see the Sand Bed depth, just plug in the numbers and get a good guesstimate of what you will need.

How deep a sand bed will vary depending on if your plans are keeping a well planted tank as plants should need a deeper bed to hold the roots of some plants in place, which cichlids you are planning on keeping as some will excavate and move sand continuously and even your preference.

I myself don't really keep many plants so I usually keep an inch depth or to about the top of the plastic trim of rimmed tanks.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I would say much less than a 50LB bag. Hope the Cichlid-forum Calculator agrees.

Don't forget to put the rocks in first, then the substrate. Since you fill the tank with rocks for mbuna, probably not much floor space left for substrate.


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