Looking for recommendations on bare bottoms:)

orthokardia

orthokardia

New member
I need your recommendations on bare bottom tanks. I really like the look of sand, but I am tired of blowing sand out of my caps (thanks a lot tomato clown). I also like the idea of pointing a powerheat at the bottom to keep the fish poop in suspension. Has anyone ever ever heard of using epoxy to stick sand to the bottom? Other suggestions?

thanks,
-bart
 
Art used epoxy resin mixed with sand to bond the sand to the bottom (before water was added) and had pretty good success with that. awcurl if you want to discuss it with him.
 
orthokardia said:
what is starboard? Bill had mentioned it also. where could one see this starboard?
Click to expand...



http://www.jamestowndistributors.co...ct.do?pid=4144&familyName=King+Starboard+1/2"

Starboard is just marine grade plastic, like a cutting board. I used it in one of my tanks. You have to silicone the edges, or detris will get trapped under it, plus its really expensive.

My old 280 was BB with just glass. I loved it, almost did my new tank that way, wish I would have now. You can have tons of flow.
 
Bart, I dont think it will matter much putting the mirror underneath the tank. I know as soon as I put water in mine before the sand the bottom looked mirrored. just the properties of water in the tank.
 
my tank is barebottom i wanted to try it i figured if i changed my mind it would be easier to put sand in than take it out. i like the look of sand i dont like the algae and other things that get on the glass where the sand meets it. i also thought it would be neat to have coral to grow on the bottom.
 
I've been BB for 7 years or so...wouldn't do it any other way. IMO starboard ( http://www.cuttingboardcompany.com) is a good idea. I use tools like side cutters and a butter knife on occasion to work on things in the tank. I dropped a butter knife once and it cut a softball sized candy cane coral clean in half! If that would have hit the bottom it would have been a long night. I just use white cutting board material...after a year or two you won't even notice it. I have never found it necessary to silicone the material to the bottom. Had my last tank setup 4 years and there was minimal buildup under it when I took it down. The key is cutting the material with a gap around the edges so it sits inside the silicone around the edge and sits flat on the bottom...also you need to use 1/2" material so it doesn't warp.

hth, Chris
 
Last edited:
Over time anything that cannot be stirred will get encrusted. I don't recall specifics, however. PM him, I'm sure he will answer. He just doesn't frequent RC very often but I suspect he has his PM set up to send him an email when he gets a PM.
 
You might want to also look at HDPE. You can get boards from US Plastics is a huge variety of sizes. It is essentially the same thing as starboard.

I used it on my Solana and was going to use it on my 70 gallon but I like the look of a shallow sand bed, even with a few bare spots (thanks female clown).
 
MentalNote said:
You might want to also look at HDPE. You can get boards from US Plastics is a huge variety of sizes. It is essentially the same thing as starboard.

I used it on my Solana and was going to use it on my 70 gallon but I like the look of a shallow sand bed, even with a few bare spots (thanks female clown).
Click to expand...

HDPE is the same thing as the cutting board material referenced above FWIW:)
 
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