Question about setting up a bare bottom tank?

[phillipj2]

I am going to set up a dominant sps tank and am going with very high flow. Does anyone know were and what to get for the bottom of the tank. I was thinking about black egg crate but that would probally look terrible. But at least nothing can get trapped underneath. Any ideas and were to get it would be appreciated.:rollface:

 

[coralreef321]

stuff can still get trapped under egg crate. egg crate would not look very good in a nice display tank, it would look a bit tacky. plus onece everything starts growing and you decide you dont like the egg crate in will be a pain in the a$$ to get it out. I would go completely bare bottom or some small rock rubble to cover the glass/acrylic. If it were my tank i would put rock rubble but that id just me.

 

[phillipj2]

This if what the setup is 120rr acrylic 2 mp40, 8 bulb Tek light.

 

[porthios]

when i set up my last bb tank i used black starboard purchased from here. it was not expensive and i was quite happy with it.

 

[Rebel]

Second the starboard. I used white and in 6 months it was so covered in coralline and such you couldn't see it.

When the almighty "they" say to cook your rock, I would heed their advice. Get ALL the gunk, loose stuff, etc out of it you can. I used rock formerly from a DSB tank and thought I cleaned it up well. I was siphoning the bottom for months.

 

[phillipj2]

I checked that site the cutting boards aren't called starboard. Is there another name. Do I elevate it just lay straight on the bottom.

 

[Rebel]

They will work just fine. And no, you don't want to elevate it. Just cut it to fit around your overflows and lay it in.

 

[phillipj2]

Second the starboard. I used white and in 6 months it was so covered in coralline and such you couldn't see it.

When the almighty "they" say to cook your rock, I would heed their advice. Get ALL the gunk, loose stuff, etc out of it you can. I used rock formerly from a DSB tank and thought I cleaned it up well. I was siphoning the bottom for months.

So they way to go is cook my rock in a trash can 2weeks then put it in the tank. That's to eliminate dye off in the tank makes sense.

 

[Rebel]

I would go more than two weeks, but that's just me. It is not just to cure it, like normal, to eliminate die-off. It is to get out detritus, sand, gunk, etc from the cavities in the rock. You want to get it all out because you do not have any substrate to absorb it or collect it. It will sit on the bottom or blow around because you will (typically) have higher flow.

You want to do more than just let the rock sit in a can for two weeks. I would use two trash cans Put the rock in one and let it go a few days with some good circulation. Then, I would use another can to swish, rinse, blast with a strong powerhead, and otherwise force the loose stuff out. Then back into fresh/new water. Repeat about 4-5 times or until no more detritus etc can come out. You want the rinse water to be clean.

I know if sounds a pain and a lot of work, but a lot of work now will help keep that stuff out of the tank, which is the primary reason to run BB in the first place.

 

[phillipj2]

Hey hate to say something stupid it just seems like a lot of salt wasted but neccessary should I still use heaters or will too much live within the rock.

 

[Rebel]

Yes, you want to heat it. Run a skimmer, too, if you can.

 

[phillipj2]

Thanks rebel for all this great info. I am getting back in the hobby promising myself that I would do it right this time no half $ss it. So I will use all of the info I can get.