bare bottom with cutting board

[ChiiBear]

I'm going to try bare bottom with a white cutting board at the bottom.
I went to TapPlastics, they carry:

Smooth HDPE (Rigid High-Density Polyethylene) 1/8", 1/4", 3/8"
or
Textured HDPE 1/2", 3/4", 1"

For those of you who had tried it, should I go with Smooth or Textured? Thickness doesn't matter too much to me.

Thanks!

 

[sbeason]

Smooth. Easier to clean with power heads cause no pockets to settle in.

 

[Lateralus]

I seen a tank not long ago with cutting board and is definitely something I'd do if I ever went bare bottom.

 

[James77]

Either or is not going to really matter. That HDPE will be covered in coralline fast enough.

I use smooth on mine, but I cover it with an inch or two of coarse sand that I vacuum.

 

[ChiiBear]

Thank you guys!! I'll probably pick 3/8" smooth then.

 

[lastduke]

Anyone can upload a picture of the tank with cutboard?

 

[Lateralus]

The one I seen had encrusting montis and I think chalices growing on it, pretty cool.

 

[sean2sean]

I had textured before and I would rather go with smooth...l easier to clean.

 

[BradR]

Just FYI the my board warped a little a couple months after installation despite trying to tack it down with silicone. Some detritus can get under the board so maybe really tack it down well?

 

[das75]

if going BB never understood why the cutting board.

btw I'm bare BB and rocks haven't broke through the bottom of the tank yet

 

[bowfront]

if going BB never understood why the cutting board.

btw I'm bare BB and rocks haven't broke through the bottom of the tank yet

I'm with you on this. I've run both BB and light sand and I just don't see the concern about rock cracking the bottom. Most of the tanks now are tempered bottom and should sustain a rock fall IME.

 

[ChiiBear]

lastduke:

Check this one,

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=292233&highlight=cuttingboard

 

[James77]

if going BB never understood why the cutting board.

btw I'm bare BB and rocks haven't broke through the bottom of the tank yet

Just risk of a rock falling or being dropped. One of the worst noises I have ever heard in my life was when I dropped a large(15-ish pound) rock from near the water line and it fell dead center on the bottom of a 175 gallon tank. I still have nightmares . It was one of those cases where you shut your eyes, and open them 5 seconds later to see what ahs happened...

But no, rock sitting on the glass poses no risk of breaking through. I only use the HDPE to prevent falling rocks, and more so if my layer of sand blows away there is still something white there.

 

[stan zemanek]

Star board is a total waste of time and money. Been there got the t'shirt. First off in a months time you will have gobs of detrius under the board which defeats the purpose of going bare bottom. Just take your time and stack your rocks carefully keeping the rocks up off the glass as much as possible so you get flow under them and you'll be fine.

 

[James77]

After my tank has been setup up for years, there is almost no detritus under my board....I have looked with a flashlight. Even were there...it is still far, far less than what can be stuck in rocks.