Bare-bottom Before/After Photos...

[PITSTOP]

With Southdown...

After removal of the DSB...

 

[SeanT]

Nice,
Show us a full tank pic.
We know you have algae still but you will be able to track it going away so long as you remember to siphon R-E-G-U-L-A-R-L-Y.

Sean

 

[Sindjin]

What a difference.

So did you cook your rocks?

 

[arconom]

More pics.

 

[drock59]

is that tank in a classroom?

 

[GregM779]

just curious, do you honestly think it was your shallow sandbed that caused all of that algae growth??

 

[PITSTOP]

Yes, it is in my science lab for 7th graders, middle school in Connecticut. I did the research, wrote the grant to Toshiba, built the system and have been running it for 2 years.

More pix soon...

 

[PITSTOP]

GregM779 - To answer your question, no. I do not blame my sand bed, I blame my approach to running a system with a sand bed. The sand bed became to labor intensive/complicated/expensive (critters) for me to maintain. For me, it is far easier running the barebottom; all I do is routine maintenance, I no longer wrestle with unending problems/issues with waste removal and water quality.

I, like all of us, have seen amazing systems with sand and without. Due to the tank being in my classroom, I opted for the easiest approach for my situation.

 

[GregM779]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6248733#post6248733 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PITSTOP
GregM779 - To answer your question, no. I do not blame my sand bed, I blame my approach to running a system with a sand bed. The sand bed became to labor intensive/complicated/expensive (critters) for me to maintain. For me, it is far easier running the barebottom; all I do is routine maintenance, I no longer wrestle with unending problems/issues with waste removal and water quality.

I, like all of us, have seen amazing systems with sand and without. Due to the tank being in my classroom, I opted for the easiest approach for my situation.

That's good, do whatever works and is easiest to maintain for you. I just see a lot of threads nowadays where it shows a dirty algae overgrown tank with sand for the before pic and the after pic is clean, pruned of algae and corals and fish are added giving all of the credit to the removal of the sandbed which makes it somewhat misleading to new reefers out there browsing our forums for advice.

BTW, the tank looks very nice now.

 

[PITSTOP]

UPDATED PIX!

UPDATED PIX!

UPDATED PIX!

Again, this is the system I built in the back of my 7th grade Biology lab/classroom. It has been in operation for 2 1/2 years.

 

[rizkeeper]

Sidjin - does your name mean "cooking" in latin?

Tank looks GREAT??? Did you upgrade any equipment wen you went BB? If so what?

 

[PUGroyale]

Anybody ever think using Southdown or like sand versus using aquarium specific [like CaribSea] sand might cause more algea problems? Maybe it's just me but it seems a great deal of the DSB/algea problem threads involve home store sand...

Sorry for the sidetrack it just struck me again seeing that algea

 

[PITSTOP]

The major changed I made when I went bare bottom was upping the flow in the tank significantly especially along the bottom - big huge green tang poo's get blasted apart almost instantly and then get blasted out of the water by my AquaC EV 180 overdriven by a MAG 9.5 - lots of wet skimming.

I use a GEO 612 calcium recator with Pinpoint pH controller too.

I added the 3 SEIO Superflow 1500's when I went barebottom.

 

[Theace50]

WOW thats amazing

 

[jay24k]

Not sure about the sand. Looks like you are getting your tank to a good start regardless of sand. I do notice in the first pics, I see very few corals. The next set appears to be you stocking it and completely cleaning/curing/cooking the rocks.

I think whatever works for you and if it requires less maitenance, then stick with it especially in a classroom where you aren't around it all day per se.

 

[xtrstangx]

Looks sweet. Kinda makes me want to go BB on my next tank.

 

[Orangeman]

Looks nice! The downside is now you're gonna have to buy fishfood...

 

[REEF-DADDY]

Nice!

 

[Samala]

Well.. you had some very nice examples of macros that are not so often seen in the hobby. I happen to like macros unless they are really taking over.. but the before/after shots are great for this system. A serious overhaul and change for stocking, scaping and all else. I guess this particular recipe works well for serious reef tanks.

>Sarah

 

[cougaran]

Any problems with the yellow and hippo tang? I'm getting a yellow and was thinking of eventually getting a hippo, but read not to do it.