question about doing a remote DSB.

rbnice1

New member
Looks like im setting up a 90 gallon and I really only want a 1/2 inch of sand in it or so. I am going to run this tank against a wall that goes to the utilities room. So in the utilities room I will have a 55gal sump with a bunch of rubble and my skimmer. from there it will pump back to the tank and a second pump will pump it up to my remote dsb then it will run from that tank to my cheato tank.

So here are my questions. I was planning on having my DSB tank a 10-20 gallon and filling it with sand to 8-10 inches then enclosing it with ply wood.

Is there any drawbacks to enclosing it so it isnt getting a lot of light?

What should your flow rate be into a DSB tank and what should it be into the refugium with cheto? I am hoping it will be the same.

I was planning on doing a 3-4 inch sand bed in the refugium as well and adding the cheto and a bunch of cleaner clams. Basically I want to make the main display tank as stable as possible I want to do a nice SPS/LPS tank.

any issues or suggestions with this?
 
one 1 last questions. what should I add to my DSB and my refugium as far as snails and stuff? I know the object is to not stir up the DSB so that would take snails out right? so what should I add to these to make it run correctly?
 
I don't see any advantages to it not getting any light vs it getting a little there than poss slightly less algae growth, but hopefully that wouldn't be an issue anyways. The sides of the tank are clear anyways, so why not just make the top too. I doubt it matters. As far as snails, I wouldn't put anything but sand in a RDB. Flow should be just enough to not stir up the sand. I personally don't see the point in adding a 3" sand bed to the fuge if you have a RDB. I prefer bare bottom fuge's so the chaeto never stirs anything up or gets stuck on anything. You can also up the flow without the worry or a sandstorm in the fuge.
 
I think the idea of a 'fuge is to give critters a chance to proliferate without predation. Copepods, mysis shrimp, etc. which will thrive with some sand, some live rubble, some chaeto. I have a fuge with about 6" DSB, and chaeto, rubble, etc, moderate flow, and it is a hatchery for tiny critters that ultimately get drawn into the main tank as live food. It's self-sustaining, and the chaeto will act as phosphate sponge to keep hair and other algaes from getting started. It works, and there should be no problems.
 
To me, A RDSB sounds like you didn't think a DSB would work in the DT to begin with. Easy removal. BB might be a better option. A DT without fish is a refuge.
 
In the advanced forum are stickies which include RDSB. The reason one keeps them dark is so algae will not grow. Basically it is one form of nitrate removal.
 
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