gasman059
The OG mad scientist
DITTTTTTTO:dance:
Deep sand bed vs. Bare-bottom?
- Thread starter MarcoPolo
- Start date
DITTTTTTTO:dance:
:lol:
agsansoo
Premium Member
I prefer a BB.
What you are counting on in marine sediments is a large aerobic (top oxygenated) area supported by a smaller more efficient anaerobic area (bottom low oxygen) separated by a anoxic area (middle that leaks a lot).
There is no way for a hobbyist to know what shape that DSB is in until they see hair algae and coral animal problems.
SSB are even more problematic. No separate zones and must be vacuumed often.
What you are counting on in marine sediments is a large aerobic (top oxygenated) area supported by a smaller more efficient anaerobic area (bottom low oxygen) separated by a anoxic area (middle that leaks a lot).
There is no way for a hobbyist to know what shape that DSB is in until they see hair algae and coral animal problems.
SSB are even more problematic. No separate zones and must be vacuumed often.
Thanks everybody for all the feedback. I have seen some good progress in my tank in the past few months, and will stay BB as switching to DSB now would lead me into unchartered territory with potentially bad outcome if I play my cards badly.
A couple of questions.
1) Some of my PSP have nice colorful tips which are growing. But the base of the tips are engulfed with algae. What would the cause of that be?
2) I have a lot of live rock in the sump, and after curing some new live rock, started adding this to the display tank (on a prior thread people suggested I did not have enough live rock in the display to foster a good bacteria population). I never fully understood, are there any adverse effects of keeping large quantity of live rock in sump? My live rock in the sump is doing really well, lots of coraline alge, and nice look. But is it effective to keep good water quality in main display?
A couple of questions.
1) Some of my PSP have nice colorful tips which are growing. But the base of the tips are engulfed with algae. What would the cause of that be?
2) I have a lot of live rock in the sump, and after curing some new live rock, started adding this to the display tank (on a prior thread people suggested I did not have enough live rock in the display to foster a good bacteria population). I never fully understood, are there any adverse effects of keeping large quantity of live rock in sump? My live rock in the sump is doing really well, lots of coraline alge, and nice look. But is it effective to keep good water quality in main display?
cham
New member
I'm a newb to barebottom so anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong here, but I would take the live rock out.
For what I understand about bare bottoms vs sandbed tanks is the bare bottoms your goal is more about getting controlled nutrients in where sand bed tanks you concentrate with getting nutrients out.
I'm not saying to dump a bucket of food in your BB tank, rather that they are low nutrient enviroments and having all that extra live rock isn't really that nessesary. When I had live rock in my sump I noticed they were detritus traps and when I would occasionaly shake them a ton of detritus would come out. IME that's more of a liability than a benefit. When I took all the LR out of my sump I noticed big improvements in my tank.
Hope that helps.
When people refer to "nutrients" what does this actually mean? Can you please clarify because I am not sure , for example "BB require low nutrients"?
Other point, indeed also my live rock in sump - if you shake it - releases some detritus, but would that not be the same wi live rock in the main display? I don't see the difference. Would people strongly recommend I remove LR from sump?
Other point, indeed also my live rock in sump - if you shake it - releases some detritus, but would that not be the same wi live rock in the main display? I don't see the difference. Would people strongly recommend I remove LR from sump?
cham
New member
When I say nutrients I'm talking about N03 and P04.
BB doesn't require low nutrients, it helps create one.
There are hundreds of ways to have a successful reef tank and it also depends on what animals you want in your reef so I'm not giving you advice directly. For me, an SPS lover, I've found detritus to be public enemy #1. I blow my rocks off in my DT twice a week and blow out the bottom of my sump and overflow box once a week.
BB doesn't require low nutrients, it helps create one.
There are hundreds of ways to have a successful reef tank and it also depends on what animals you want in your reef so I'm not giving you advice directly. For me, an SPS lover, I've found detritus to be public enemy #1. I blow my rocks off in my DT twice a week and blow out the bottom of my sump and overflow box once a week.
swanker31
New member
Lol. Thats what i was thinking corals will grow and detruis will still accumilate reguardless of sand or no sand. But with a sand bed the waste can and will stick around longer polluting the water more than with a bare bottom. If you have a HOB filter providing you clean it 1 every 2 weeks for large 3 stage filters not the walmart ones. The cheap ones need to be cleaned every 2 to 3 days due to low grade and low amount of carbon. But the waste on the bare bottom will be better lifted by flow from the bottom more effectivley due to no substrate to get hung on, or stuck in. Then it can be taken out of your water column by the filter and skimmer. Meaning less phos,nitrate ect ect. But bare bottoms can indeed be an eye sore untill the beautiful pink purple coriline covers it then it looks like a beautiful carpet of color.If your lucky it will cover all 3 sides eventually except the view side of course. The funny thing is trying to take live rock out after that happens lol good times.
