I'm going to have 20 gallon display tank that is BB. 6x24 HO T5 SPS reef with a Remora Pro skimmer and 1000 gph flow. I was thinking of running a HOB 2.5 gallon fuge almost completely filled sand with a small pump hooked up to it to run a small amount of water over the top of the sand. I figure it will add some natural benefits to the reef while still having all the BB benefits (very high flow, nutrients suspended, etc.). Would a remote sand bed contradict everything a BB does? Does anyone have any comments about this idea?
Remote Sand Bed and BB Tank
- Thread starter demeyer2
- Start date
skeeter-doc
In Memoriam
I have heard that some people do this, keep a very deep sandbed in an outside fuge area. I am not sure but I would think this could work and have some benefits.
stan zemanek
New member
if you follow the bb husbandry properly there should be no need for a remote dsb you have gone through the trouble of getting rid of all your problems why would you bring it back just to put it some place else
King-Kong
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8742669#post8742669 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stan zemanek
if you follow the bb husbandry properly there should be no need for a remote dsb you have gone through the trouble of getting rid of all your problems why would you bring it back just to put it some place else
This is the honest truth.
RDSB's are working for some BB people because they werent feeding properly/balancing their nutrient export/import when they were pure BB, so by adding the RDSB back in, they get the boost in bacterial processes, and suddenly everything is fixed (colors return, STN goes away)
stan zemanek
New member
here is the mother of all bb forums
http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=164
most of all the bb'ers went here for there marching orders from spanky
http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=164
most of all the bb'ers went here for there marching orders from spanky
SERVO
New member
I have a 400 gallon BB tank with a "light" bioload", however my fish are X-large in size and produce a lot of Poop. I have no nitrates and phenomenal coloration of my SPS. I don't waste any $ any any gimmicy additives, but I do practice religious water changes.
Just don't over feed a tank that size and you'll do fine IMO.
Just don't over feed a tank that size and you'll do fine IMO.
RichConley
New member
This is why I hate the whole BB movement. Any thread thats even remotely related to barebottom gets turned into a question of philosophy, purity, etc, and is totally counter productive.
If you're having nitrate issues, throw in a RDSB. You could probably solve the issue with more siphoning, etc, but sometimes, the easier solution is the best one.
Barebottom is about being able to get detritus off the bottom, and get it to your skimmer. Its about high flow, and high nutrient export. Do that, and if you want to run a RDSB, go right ahead.
If you're having nitrate issues, throw in a RDSB. You could probably solve the issue with more siphoning, etc, but sometimes, the easier solution is the best one.
Barebottom is about being able to get detritus off the bottom, and get it to your skimmer. Its about high flow, and high nutrient export. Do that, and if you want to run a RDSB, go right ahead.
RichConley
New member
And I disagree that it does. You should be thinking about "ideas and philosophies", you should be thinking about what your tank needs.
a RDSB isnt the only way to fix the nitrate problems that some BB tanks have, but it is ONE of the ways.
I don't think I have will nitrate issues considering I will only have 1 small fish in there (some type of goby most likely). I will feed my SPS with zooplankton and oyster eggs but not enough that it will affect my nitrates. I will be doing 25% weekly water changes and with the skimmer and the flow I think I will be fine. I was just wondering if the RDSB had any benefits that I wasn't seeing or if it would add more biological stability. Thanks guys! All the answers have helped!
Dr.FuManchu
In Memoriam
Remote Deep Sand Bed on a BB tank is like bringing sand to the beach.
RichConley
New member
Thats got to be the least logical thing I've ever seen posted on here, and thats saying something.
Dr.FuManchu
In Memoriam
Logic is overrated, especially other people's. And your opinion is like, well, you know, an a-hole, everybody has one.
RichConley
New member
Ok, so please explain how "Remote Deep Sand Bed on a BB tank is like bringing sand to the beach." helped the person asking the question here?
Everyone has an oppinion, but apparantly not everyone is capable of intelligent thought.
King-Kong
New member
There's nothing wrong with disagreing with strict intrepretation of the theory, that's not what im saying. I was just pointing out that the thread didn't get side tracked like you claimed because the OP actually wanted to know the merits related to the theory. Now enough with side tracks
King-Kong
New member
A thing I wanted to point out is that by going true BB, you will in fact have more biological stability in this sense: you will not have an enourmous colony of bacteria sitting in that sandbed waxing and waning as the parameters of your reef change (salinity, temperature, nitrates, phosphates, carbon sources, etc.).
It leads to some interesting results when you arent held hostage to keep every parameter constant by the largest biological process in the tank (the sandbed). Bomber would be first in line to tell you that, I think.
Dr.FuManchu
In Memoriam
[violation]- This is what you consider intelligent thought? I beg to differ. How is throwing one massive problem, (DSB), at the problem of high nitrates gonna fix it? By becoming a nutrient sink? Common [violation] dont be a BB hater.
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