Lets see them DSB tanks!!!!

[Alysiak00]

Like the title says. show em off and tell what size tank as well as how deep of a dsb!

 

[jasonrp104]

I just realised I don't have a recent front shot of mine but here's a side shot:


45 gallon, 4-5 inch DSB. with bristle and spaghetti worms, 40 nass snails, 3 big turbos, and a few hermits.

Occupants are 2 maroon clowns, 12" crispa, and a Scooter

 

[Alysiak00]

Looks nice from the side

I'm upgrading to a bigger tank and started up my 45 FINALLY and heard good things with the dsb. So i gave it a whirl and can't wait for it to cycle so i can transfer the livestock.

O goodness i can't believe i started a post on dsb tanks and didn't even include mine lol.

45gal with 6" sand bed (soon to be a full build thread)

 

[Alysiak00]

Anymore?

 

[pbnj]

Sorry, they all crashed.

 

[afernandez]

Sorry, they all crashed.

Haha Haha :lmao:

 

[Alysiak00]

R u serious! How come

 

[mullinsd2]

I did have one a while back. Biggest mistake I made. I didnt like the look of it, and it was a pita

 

[jasonrp104]

R u serious! How come

There are some who think that DSBs fail due to nutrient and gas buildup. They (IMO) do require a bit more than just critters stirring them around to last. Once a month, I jab a third of my sandbed right to the bottom glass with a baster. This prevents the death zones

 

[Alysiak00]

Now u have me worried

 

[James404]

From what I remember reading DSB's are only good for about 5 years, then they inevitably crash. Thats just what I read though, I have no experience with them.

 

[jasonrp104]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1652103

Read that,then decide. You're at a perfect point on your 45 to take the sand out if you decide against it. The next tank I set up will have a shallow sandbed but that's because my waterchanges will be easily done and I'll have a 30 gallon fuge in the system as well.

 

[sneeyatch]

Yup - I had a dsb on my hex and after a little while everything started looking bad. I took it down to transfer it somewhere else and when I started removing rock I unleashed a nasty smelling sulphur pocket... tank looks better without any sand in it now.

 

[Alysiak00]

Well looks like I'm gonna take about 3 inches out and go with a 2-3" sb

 

[pbnj]

Well looks like I'm gonna take about 3 inches out and go with a 2-3" sb

Less than 2" would be even better.

 

[Alysiak00]

Y is that

 

[pbnj]

Y is that

When I set-up my 75g two years ago, I wasn't a very big fan of DSBs, so I only added about 2 inches.

A year into it, I started battling cyano and bryopsis. The dirty clouds that were released with even the slightest shifting of sand left little doubt in my mind that nothing good was coming from that sandbed.

So, a few months ago, I started siphoning it out slowly with every waterchange. Now I only have enough to cover the bottom glass. Oh, by the way, no more cyano/bryopsis and SPS coloring has improved significantly.

This was the first bucket of sand I removed.....any questions?

 

[jasonrp104]

You never siphoned your sand? AND you've never even had a DSB?

edit: I can't believe you are giving DSB advice and you've never even had one.

 

[Volturi21]

I hated my DSB. Regardless of flow, tons of nutrient buildup. My tank was slowly going downhill. The next tank I did had no sand in it and the growth and colors was unbelievably better. won't go anymore then an inch of sand nowadays.

 

[p stegmaier]

This is a really good topic, I hope someone can come through with some outstanding tank shots to show the positives of DSB.