Display tank - sand or no sand?

[marcor12]

Setting up my 90 gallon....sand or bare bottom?....just finished "cooking" my LR today, so I have a fresh startup....If I go bare bottom, I wanted to paint the underside of the tank before setting up the aquascaping....

comments?...suggestions?......thxs everyone

sry for the stupid questions...but you guys are very helpful !!!!

 

[Veganbrian]

i like shallow sand beds. Ive had DSB and BB and shallow is best in my opinion. everyone will have different views on it though.

 

[DEEP BLUE SIX]

It all depends on what you want to do in managing a reef aquarium. Different methods. These days DSB in the DT is old school for many hobbyists. It had (has) it's benefits and overall functions. Some burrowing fish would like the deeper substrate as well. Some require it. But if your not keeping those.. then it's just down to biological functionality in having a DSB. In the older days it was considered a must have. Not so much now. Though in certain applications in can still have benefits.

Personally, I'd do a BB. OR a BB with just a "dusting of sand" to cover sight of the glass if you don't like looking at it.
Depending on how much glass shows- the spread of your rockwork, corals etc..

Overtime besides it's many benefits, people found that eventually deep sand beds built up enough toxins after the first inch or more deep that it made various things difficult. Leaching out in the tank and change outs could become disasters. So, a lot of people turned to an even heavier emphasis on increased Skimming (even though it was done in many situations even with DSb's) combined with a "cleaner", so to speak shallow bed or No sand at all- BB.

Some people have opted to have BB DT's and still keep a "Remote DSB". One that though plumbed into the system, can be cut off from the DT for DSB teardowns- so the DT is not exposed during such occurances.
They are useful for beneficial bacteria, home for various lifeforms especially clean up crews and in a "remote" situation- even a healthier nutrient richer area for growing pods or making it into a refugium to grow Algae or plants. Supplying your system a healthy zone for such things.

But whether you have a Remote DSB or not, I'd go for a BB in the DT or with just a dusting of sand for visually pleasing cover of the glass only.

But that's my opinion. I've had all 3 (DSB, BB and the dusting) I also have had a DSB style refugium on another system in the past that worked really well for me. Lots of pod production from it. Currently, I have a dusting in my DT and NO sand at all in the sump of the current tank. No refugium on this particular system.

 

[tmz]

Personally, I like shallow beds ,an inch or less for the beachy look and the surface area for bacteria sand provides. I also like bare bottom tanks. They will encrust over time with coraline, monitpora,zoanthids and so on .
Painting the bottom might be a good transition strategy and if you paint it white it will reflect the light.

Shallow sand beds are easy to clean via puffing with a turkey baster from time to time. Deeper pools of sand are used in my system for those animals that need it. I don't think remote dsbs have much value.
I do like remote cryptic refugia with extra live rock and room for filter feeders sponges bacteria ,etc.

 

[DEEP BLUE SIX]

I've yet to try a completely 100% cryptic zone.
Believe it definitely has benefits.
It's on my reefkeeping bucket list for some day.

 

[tycoakley]

I would def go shallow. Im in the process of removing my DSB. In another month or so of removing sand ill have the look i want.

 

[EllieSuz]

I like the look of a shallow sand bed over bare bottom, so it's really a matter of aesthetics, Lee. What look do you prefer is the question.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

definitely no DSB in the DT unless there's a specific reason for it.

SSB or BB is best for most reef aquariums IMO/IME.

No need to paint the bottom, either. Looking into my reef aquarium you can't see through the bottom and any light that makes it into the aquarium stand can be used to your advantage.

 

[Capt_Cully]

I like SSB for aesthetics. Easily siphoned and or replaced as needed, though adding puts silicates into the water leaving you susceptible to cyanoalgae.

I topped off my tank about a month ago to fill in some bare spot that developed over time. As I typed this I realized its likely why I had a little cyano outbreak.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

I've done "the gary method" in my last three tanks - mostly barebottom with some mounds of sand near the rocks to provide an environment for critters that like or need sand. To me, this is the best of both worlds. For the most part you get the ease of cleaning a barebottom (it's unusually rewarding to be able to scrub the bottom of the tank) but you also get the natural look and habitat of sand.

I'm thinking about growing a GSP "lawn" in one particular patch of bare bottom...

 

[scaz]

I would do one of those star cutting boards too.