3/4" Black Starboard? Too thick?

[musicsmaker]

I'm ready to order a piece of starboard for my 40 breeder, and am just wondering if there are any pro's or con's to using a 3/4" piece. My main reason for using it is to elevate the bottom of the tank up to level with the piece of trim that goes around the bottom.

How heavy is this stuff?

 

[mcgyvr]

Thats fine..thick..but wont cause any problems..

 

[musicsmaker]

My biggest problem is that the piece will cost more than my tank did.

Right now, if I'm sitting on my couch, I can't see the corals that are sitting on the bottom in the front of the tank. Those are some of the nicest pieces. I don't want that problem with the new tank, and I've had it with sand. Maybe forever. :uzi:

 

[mcgyvr]

Yeah its not a cheap piece being that thick..
Just go thinner and raise it up with whatever else you have...pvc pipe slices..some starboard squares,etc...

 

[musicsmaker]

I've thought about that, but wouldn't a gap under it just end up being a trap for detritus? A lot of people are reccomending sealing these things with silicon, even with them sitting flat on the bottom, because of the detritus getting under there.

Wish someone had a build thread with a similar setup.

 

[mcgyvr]

Creates a great environment for detritivores
Worms/pods,etc...will love it down there...

But I can say that because I'm not afraid of detritus collecting in areas..I have a good 1/2" or more on the floor of my sump and have trouble maintaining nutrient levels above zero...


Easy enough to simply silicone around it to seal it off if you are worried...

 

[musicsmaker]

You know... I'm not. I have a small tank running right now that I started with a bunch of little half dead montipora chips, a damslefish, and some rock pieces from a tank teardown. I've pretty much neglected it. It has had at least a half inch on the floor of it before, and yet some of those chips are brighter than the larger pieces in my display right now. I would have never guessed that would happen.

I'm definitely not siliconing the starboard to the bottom.