DSB or SSB for sps tank?

Txboi · Jan 30, 2013

Hi all I'm trying to decide wheather I want a DSB or a SSB and looking to hear from people who have either runned one or has one I know that there are some out there who swear that BB is the way to go but i perfer the look of a sand bed with that said i have a few question that i couldn't find while doing research lets star with SSB

SSB
1.Do you have issues with nitrate do to the lack of denitrification in the sand bed?
2.How often do you have to clean the sand bed?
3.If you add a live sand activator package from www.ipsf.com would i need to clean the sand bed?

DSB
1.Have you had issues with old tank syndrome?
2.Have you had issues with phosphate?
3.How long can you go with a power out before your tank crashes?
4. Do your corals have good coloring?

Thanks in advance

downbeach · Jan 30, 2013

You've opened a real can of bristle worms here. :spin2:

I firmly believe in using a <acronym>[FONT=&quot]DSB[/FONT]</acronym>, it's a major part of biological filtration in an aquarium. But for this to work, you will need the right substrate (aragonite), of the right size (sugar sized oolite), and the right depth (3+"), with the right microfauna (see below). Here is a good article about it, and its use:

Ron Shimek's Website...Deep Sand Beds

Here is the sand I used:

CaribSea Aragamax Aquarium Sand

and activated it with this:

: : : : Indo-Pacific Sea Farms : : : :

If you go this route, as mentioned in the article, you should avoid certain sand sifting animals. This will expand on Dr. Shimek's explanation:

Sandbed Death: Innocent Killers - Marine Engineers | Marine Engineers

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-09/hcs3/index.php

My tank has been up for close to seven years, and I have no problems. I don't stir, siphon or clean it in any way. Although, I do have a couple of Conch's and a number of cerith snails that work on the sand bed.

DNA · Jan 30, 2013

I have a shallow sand bed that needs to be siphoned monthly since sand traps and holds enormous amounts of detritus.
It takes me less than 20 minutes to finish the job in my 320g show tank

A friend with much larger tank than mine has a deep sand bed and has never touched it.
If we could prove the sand bed to be the reason for their success DSB is the way to go.
Of course we can't so my last words will be that there are pros and cons with everything.

FranktheTankTx · Jan 30, 2013

DNA said:
I have a shallow sand bed that needs to be siphoned monthly since sand traps and holds enormous amounts of detritus.
It takes me less than 20 minutes to finish the job in my 320g show tank

A friend with much larger tank than mine has a deep sand bed and has never touched it.
If we could prove the sand bed to be the reason for their success DSB is the way to go.
Of course we can't so my last words will be that there are pros and cons with everything.

How do you siphon the sand bed w/o it sucking the sand right thru to the bucket?

DNA · Jan 30, 2013

I made my own tube suitable for my tank size, making the job a fast one.

cnguyenl · Jan 30, 2013

Very usefuly information - Thanks!

FranktheTankTx · Jan 30, 2013

Cool.

Nate_Bro · Jan 30, 2013

downbeach said:
You've opened a real can of bristle worms here. :spin2:

now thats the truth! :headwalls:

I have ran a couple SSB in the past, the larger the grain the better for be (easier to clean), the fine sand just got everything covered. but the last couple years I have switched to running bare bottomed (SPS tank) and have not looked back, no NO3 or PO4 issues and just as much growth as I wanted.

I'm a BB reefer now! :beer:

but not all BB tanks have to have a glass bottom, the last tank I have a sand/cement mix, and before that I had an epoxy/sand mix. the look was real nice, I never had to clean it, and I could run 80-100+ turn over rate in the tank with no sand issues, the flow right now is so strong I can throw in empty snail shells and small rocks and have them pushed around in the tank, and in some places even blown into the water column.

Txboi · Jan 30, 2013

Downbeach I thought you had to have 4" to be a deep sand bed

downbeach · Jan 30, 2013

Txboi said:
Downbeach I thought you had to have 4" to be a deep sand bed

4 would be better, mine is 5+, but I think that it has to be over 3 to have enough depth for an anaerobic zone, otherwise it is mostly aerobic, and won't give you a complete nitrogen cycle.

trueblackpercula · Jan 31, 2013

The information downbeach gave you is the best advice anyone could have gave you on this subject. I have 4 1/2 in DSB and a remote sand bed in my sump and I do stir it occasionally and have hade no issues.....if I could find a conch I would add one.

Dexters Reef · Jan 31, 2013

I have a 4" DSB on my 75, but its only been running for just under a year. I wouldnt run a tank without one. My MP40 keeps the top inch or so well stirred, but other than that I dont touch it. I went 6-7 days without power during hurricane sandy and the dsb did not cause a crash. It was my only tank with no losses of fish or coral, and I keep sps.

I also have a 6+ year old 46g non sps reef with a 4" dsb, that tank has never crashed either. I clean it once a year, maybe twice. Did lose a fish during the hurricane power outage, but that was because the tank got the coldest because it was right by a window. Other fish and coral survived so it was not a crash

The key is to use sugar fine powdery sand

I have no measurable nitrates or phosphates on my 75 with salifert test kits, great sps color, and overall a very healthy system. My 46g with a dsb has nitrates that I could never get below 20, but I blame the canister filter.

dankreef · Jan 31, 2013

Just setting up a new 180 bb sps reef. I had it going last night but the faking stand started to break this morning when I woke up, one day after I got everything up and running last night. It was a long day. I've always had dsb before and dsb in sump. After seeing so many tanks that were AMAZING on youtube barebottom sps, and being tired of my high flow rate always blowing sand on something was enough to convince me. Plus once bare bottom tanks look awesome once the bottom gets encrusted over.

trueblackpercula · Jan 31, 2013

dankreef said:
Just setting up a new 180 bb sps reef. I had it going last night but the faking stand started to break this morning when I woke up, one day after I got everything up and running last night. It was a long day. I've always had dsb before and dsb in sump. After seeing so many tanks that were AMAZING on youtube barebottom sps, and being tired of my high flow rate always blowing sand on something was enough to convince me. Plus once bare bottom tanks look awesome once the bottom gets encrusted over.

I did this type of set up and it sure looks great but believe it or not they are much harder to keep going. Also most bare bottom tanks run a rdsb.

Txboi · Jan 31, 2013

Ok I'm gonna go with a DSB should I do a 4" bed or would a 3" be ok

Dan Thrash · Jan 31, 2013

i'm trying to plan my next tank and personally, i'm planning a RDSB in a bucket and SSB in the display for looks and i'd like a sand shifting goby to keep it stirred up.

i don't like the look of a DSB in the display, but i like the benefits of it, so i'll do it remotely. i tried BB in my last tank and actually was not a fan of it.

downbeach · Jan 31, 2013

Txboi said:
Ok I'm gonna go with a DSB should I do a 4" bed or would a 3" be ok

I'd do the 4".

Humu Humu · Feb 1, 2013

I currently run a DSB in my main display. It's about 4 to 5 inches in depth. It's about a year old. NO3 nd PO4 are 0. It works, as I feed moderate to heavy. A couple of comments:

- I have sugar fine aragonite mixed with lake michigan beach sand (very fine). I do vacuum the top inch of it once in a while, and when I do, I remove maybe a 1/4 inch. I don't worry about it because I have plenty more. If it gets to be close to 3 inches remaining, then I'll top it off again.

- I dose Kaulk and I noticed the surface of the sandbed really gets crusty now and then. It forces me to remove part of it so my wrasse can get to the softer sand at night.

- Putting a lot of circulation in the tank, results in fine dust all over the live rock.

- For my next tank, I am going to put a 1/2 inch layer of course aragonite in the DT, and use a RDSB in the sump. I just think it will be easier to maintain, keep the DT looking nice, and still get the benefits of a DSB. Also if I don't like it, it can be easily removed.

These are just my thoughts. Sometimes I like my DSB, sometimes I wish I didn't put it there.

Dexters Reef · Feb 1, 2013

I would reccomend 4" That is enough to get the benefits, and anything larger looks unnatural to me

tripdad · Feb 1, 2013

SSB and no RDSB, Nitrates 0 and Po4 less than .1, yes it has to be vacuumed to keep it clean.

DSB or SSB for sps tank?

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

Member

New member

In Memoriam

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

New member

lost in the pelagic zone

New member

Frustrated Stick Gardener

Similar threads