Shallow Sand Bed or Bare Bottom?

[rbdesigns]

I can't decide if I should go bare bottom or have a shallow sand bed. The sand that came with the tank ended up in the trash can so I have to spend some money on sand. I'm ready to add fish, but I'm afraid if I add the sand I will start the cycle again and have to wait longer. If I leave it bb, I'm thinking of putting some zoo colonies to let them spread on the acrylic. This is how the tank looks bare bottom:

 

[Yinger]

i've always liked the look of a sand bed... looks more natural.

 

[PHATBEN]

That's some sweet rock work ... imagine how much better it would look with sand...

 

[ScallopKing]

If you're thinking about BB then do it now and add sand later maybe if you really don't like it. But the other way round is a pain to remove first off and then you're rocks will shed forever unless you cook them and you'll have nitrate issues to deal with if not.

 

[littlevietnam]

ageed with scallopking, try BB now and if you don't like it, add sand.

 

[rbdesigns]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7549476#post7549476 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PHATBEN
That's some sweet rock work ... imagine how much better it would look with sand...

Thanks, I know it will stand out more with sand, but in the past I've had problems with gunk building up on the sand.

 

[rbdesigns]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7549560#post7549560 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ScallopKing
If you're thinking about BB then do it now and add sand later maybe if you really don't like it. But the other way round is a pain to remove first off and then you're rocks will shed forever unless you cook them and you'll have nitrate issues to deal with if not.

I've had that happen when I removed the sand, I could never get all of it out of the liverock. I'm thinking of putting some sand in one corner for my watchman gobies.

 

[rppvt]

get some heavy #10 crushed coral and it won't blow around--
that's what I did and I have a a dart through a 4-way and out 5/8 in. jacuzzi jets

 

[Jar*Head]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7549984#post7549984 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rbdesigns
I've had that happen when I removed the sand, I could never get all of it out of the liverock. I'm thinking of putting some sand in one corner for my watchman gobies.

I think it is a good idea to go BB for now and add sand later if you don't like the look. I have a thin layer of sand in my tank, i am sooo regrets now since i want to take them out. I have been siphon them out a little at the time in the last 6 months and i still have lots of sand in my tank. I only add 80lbs in my 150g. Nice rock work though.

 

[Yellow world]

Sand bed looks more natural to me.

 

[Konadog]

Yellow world,
[welcome]

Ron, go BB. Your tanks acrylic and you'll hate yourself in a few years after you scratch it to heck because of sand.
If you want to come by and see what it looks like after it starts to get covered with coralline, your welcome to check out mine. You can visit your clowns at the same time

 

[rbdesigns]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7550160#post7550160 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Konadog
Yellow world,
<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

Ron, go BB. Your tanks acrylic and you'll hate yourself in a few years after you scratch it to heck because of sand.
If you want to come by and see what it looks like after it starts to get covered with coralline, your welcome to check out mine. You can visit your clowns at the same time

I might take u up on the offer in a couple of weeks. I saw some pics of ur rockwork and liked how it wasn't crowded. I tired doing the same for mine, I have about half the liverock that came with the tank in my garage.

Have the clowns grown?

 

[Konadog]

Just let me know. They have grow some, the little one isn't so little anymore.

 

[DRC69]

I vote for sand. Looks better and the fish will thank you.

 

[gcarroll]

If you have a love for gobies, wrasses, pistol shrimp and other sand dwelling creatures, you shoud go with sand. Otherwise it is mostly just a cosmetic personal preference. Both methods have proven to yeild beautiful results.

 

[tacocat]

I agree with Chef. It's mostly cosmetic. Try the BB for a while. If you don't like the look, add some sand. It is much easier to add sand than to remove it. Give it a few weeks.

I added a thin layer of sand for my leopard wrasses and regretted it ever since. I now use and acrylic sandbox in my tank for the leopards.

 

[Texsun]

I vote for shallow sand bed as well.

BTW, Ron, thanks again for the gobies. Apparently, 2nd try was a charm with my Yasha as he/she is now paired with yours. They make a cute couple!

 

[Pelagic1]

Sandbed "might" do the following: help in buffering water as it slowly disolves, reflect light back up at the corals, provide greater surface area for filtration, protect the tank from falling objects, provide plankton to the tank

I would consider these things relative to your other support systems, the planned livestock, and of course your visual preference. (Ultimately, your water changes will probably matter more)

I went with a thin sandbed because I don' t have a refugium to provide additional habitat, filtration, etc.

The rock structure looks great!

 

[rbdesigns]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7552339#post7552339 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Texsun
I vote for shallow sand bed as well.

BTW, Ron, thanks again for the gobies. Apparently, 2nd try was a charm with my Yasha as he/she is now paired with yours. They make a cute couple!

I'm glad they paird up, Good to hear!

 

[rbdesigns]

I'm thinking of adding sand, every person that's seen it says, "oh it's nice, but where's the sand?" I'm getting suggestions to put sea shells, but that isn't going to happen. What size sand does everyone use? I don't want to get it too fine where the tunze 6100s will be blowing it around. I managed to hide both of them in the rockwork and only thing visible is the cords.