Filtration = DSB/LR/O (Deep Sand Bed / Live Rock / Overflow system):

Deep Sand Bed & Live Rock... This IS your "filter".  (No mechanical/power filters or bio balls needed!)  Any "filter" is a place where good bacteria lives that breaks down all the wastes.  In mechanical/power driven filters the bacteria is provided "housing' on filter pads, "bio wheels", "bio balls" & other "medias".  In a natural system (which simulates what Mother Nature does in our oceans) the vast majority of bacteria resides in & on the surface area of our live rock & sand.
I cannot stress enough how important this section is!  To be successful with my "reef system recipe" you absolutely CANNOT skimp on the amount of live rock & depth of sand bed installed. These 2 areas do 99% of your system's filtration.  Again, filtration is the breakdown of all wastes produced in the total system.  Uneaten foods, fish excrement etc.  It is critically important to have enough of both areas to harbor enough good bacteria to fully breakdown all wastes, producing a complete Nitrogen Cycle.  There are 4 basic "good" bacteria, 3 of which need oxygen to live & the 4th likes low to no oxygen areas.  The inner depths of your rock & lower levels of your sand will provide this anoxic area for this last, but VERY necessary bacteria...which breaks down NitrAtes.

1.  Deep Sand Bed 4 – 6+ inches deep.

I recommend using a combination of 2 different grain sized substrates:  First use 3 - 4 inches of “CaribSea Ocean Direct Live Oolite"  a fine sand used on the bottom.  I use this finer sand because it compact tighter than larger grained sands which takes fewer inches to create a low to no oxygen region.  Because it's very light it tends to blow around & irritate corals so we top the fine sand with 1 - 2 inches "Carib Sea “AragAlive Special Grade".   This sand is a little heavier being a larger grained sand which will hold down the lighter fine sand base but it still fine enough for all sand loving critters to utilize including Gobies, Cucumbers etc.  Note:  It is important to install the deep sand bed in the tank itself because this is where uneaten fish food & fish waste end up.  Very little of that matter gets up to & through your overflow to a sump.  Your tank sand bed is the workhorse of the entire system!  I do NOT recommend doing a sand bed in the sump - ever.

Using these live sand products will speed up the bacteria growing/cycling process.  Nothing else is needed to cycle a tank.  NO Damsels nor need to put food in the tank.  Just let her rip for about 4 weeks.

How Much Sand To Use:

Tanks with a floor dimension of:

48" x 18":
Bottom Sand = 4 Bags of 40 Lb Live Oolite/sugar fine
Top Sand = 3 20Lb bags of AragAlive Special Grade

48" x 24":
Bottom Sand = 5 Bags of 40 Lb Live Oolite/sugar fine
Top Sand = 4 20Lb bags of AragAlive Special Grade

72" x 18":
Bottom Sand = 6 Bags of 40 Lb Live Oolite/sugar fine
Top Sand = 5 20Lb bags of AragAlive Special Grade

72" x 24":
Bottom Sand = 7 Bags of 40 Lb Live Oolite/sugar fine
Top Sand = 6 20Lb bags of AragAlive Special Grade

If you choose dry (not live) sand you will need to rinse it to remove dust particles before placing in your tank or you'll end up with a milkshake in your tank.  I like to fill a 5 gallon pail 1/2 way with sand then overfill the bucket with water.  As the water is overflowing the pail I stir the sand.  This allows only the dust particles to float away with the water.  Rinse only until the water looks like watered down milk.

Do not rinse any live sand product & Do not add your live sand until your tank is up & running with the proper salinity & temperature to keep the bacteria alive.

Choosing the LIVE sands mentioned above is a heck of alot less work & will cycle a tank all by itself with NO additional help necessary.