SSB Guys, Talk To Me
- Thread starter wrassie86
- Start date
got 4 inches in many different systems...yes 100's of acros...
Been that deep for over 6 years in the oldest...
1 key thing....tons of circulation! If not hydrogen sulfide WILL develope...
I do nothing else other than stir up all sand 1 time per year....may not even be nessisary...
I have 40-80 ppm nitrates untill I added a DSB...went away in a few days to near zero ppm nitrates! I was sold!
Oh and get TONS of extra life with a deep sand bed!
Doc
Been that deep for over 6 years in the oldest...
1 key thing....tons of circulation! If not hydrogen sulfide WILL develope...
I do nothing else other than stir up all sand 1 time per year....may not even be nessisary...
I have 40-80 ppm nitrates untill I added a DSB...went away in a few days to near zero ppm nitrates! I was sold!
Oh and get TONS of extra life with a deep sand bed!
Doc
wrassie86
Premium Member
Doc.do you add any recharge kits to your sand beds at all?I run a pretty succesfull bare bottom tank for the most part.and dont think i would ever add a DSB to another one of my tanks (been there done that).But a couple inches of sand has always intrested me.After running BB for some time now, i see the amount of waste that a tank can create.
Also i have noticed that alot of past TOTM's have a SSB but no mention of cleaning and matinece.
Also i have noticed that alot of past TOTM's have a SSB but no mention of cleaning and matinece.
E-A-G-L-E-S
New member
what i don't understand is.....you don't get any benefits from DSB or any benefits of BB with a SSB......you can't go nuts with flow to keep everything suspended like in a BB, and you don't get any denitrification or any benefits of a DSB.
So why do you want it? Seems like a problem waiting to happen, and by the way you said it it seems the DSB attempt you made turned bad, well a SSB will give you less chance of a healthy long term reef.
-jmo
So why do you want it? Seems like a problem waiting to happen, and by the way you said it it seems the DSB attempt you made turned bad, well a SSB will give you less chance of a healthy long term reef.
-jmo
dreaminmel
New member
My guess is he would like the visual effect just as I would...
Rob, I'll be watching this thread as I also am curious of maintenance habits of those w/ long time SSB's. Many people successfully use them so where there is a will there IS a way.
Rob, I'll be watching this thread as I also am curious of maintenance habits of those w/ long time SSB's. Many people successfully use them so where there is a will there IS a way.
wrassie86
Premium Member
Not sure i follow you.But My attempt at DSB was pretty good.My first tank ran for about 5 yrs before the sand was full.That seems to be the normal life span for most.Altho i cant say any attempts after that were good.Nor do i ever want to have to remove a DSB again
I'm not saying i want a SSB but i've thought about it since i like the look of sand.Hence the post wondering how people take care of theres.Theres some great looking tanks here running them.
dvanacker
DID I SOUNDS SMRT??
I just got rid of my SSB of 2-1". I didnt do anything to it till the 1 year mark and i noticed more algae growth in my tank. Also I noticed detrituis building up in the sand. So I started stiring the sand bed up but it was a downhill battle. Eventualy I just removed it. I think I will be happier with a BB tank.
dreaminmel
New member
dvanacker,
What size grains were you using? Oolitic or something larger? Just wondering as I would think it'd be harder for stuff to buildup under/within the bed if the grains were oolitic size and therefore limiting the space vs. something like crushed coral.
What size grains were you using? Oolitic or something larger? Just wondering as I would think it'd be harder for stuff to buildup under/within the bed if the grains were oolitic size and therefore limiting the space vs. something like crushed coral.
Shooter7
New member
Wondering too, like the original question, if something could have been done from the start maintenance-wise that would have preserved the SSB? I have a 120 gal with a SSB that I am just getting started with SPS. I have had to do some creative positioning to keep my pumps from blowing sand dunes around, but from what I've been seeing, so far I don't see a buildup of detritus anywhere. I have several ceriths that burrow in the sand and one fighting conch, thinking of adding another. My tank's about 6 months in now and I'd be interested on if anyone knows of specific things I could do to preserve my SSB long term as well.
Hello reefer! No offense but this statement you made is very incorrect.....
De-nitrafication is one of the best benifits of a DSB.....Please don't try to tell people DSB are no good....I have had a 4 inch sand bed for over 6 years on up to 8 total tanks at one time!
Why can't you go nuts with the flow? I have MEGA flow in my DSB acro tank, and the others as well.....if you use sugar sand ya sand will blow...so solution don't use all sugar sized sand...mix in course crushed coral and sugar sand....
I'm not anti-barebottom.....they look nice....but don't try to say one is superior than the other, because thats false....
I bet my DSB has at least 100x the life the BB do....even some BB's run a DSB in their sumps.....
Never need recharge kits...with a good DSB its never nessisary....
Why do you think this 'waste' from reef tanks is bad? Take away the waste and you cut out a vital part on the bottom of the food chain....you need waste...just like the oceans...
Never seen 1 single BB nateral reef in the world....the sandbed is VERY imortant part of the ecosystem.....Alot of BB lose alot of sps color as well.....
Now I do like and appriciate BB tanks....but I prefer DSB's all the way....
Smaller shovel..... smaller hole!
Doc
poknsnok
New member
I have half my tank with about 2-2.5" of sand and the rest bare. I stir the sand every week at water change time. all I have are SPS. my nitrates and phosphates are zero and I have no nuisance growth. the key like mentioned before is flow, husbandry, cleaning etc. mine has been running for 18 months.
Shooter7
New member
See, I did something kind of like this when I set mine up. I placed the rock on the bottom of the tank, built my structure, then filled in around the front of the rock with sand. My rocks are very open underneath and I have powerheads blowing into them to try and help keep stuff from collecting. A little sand has migrated back there, but not much. So I'm kind of half BB and half SSB, I suppose.
My motto is over 3 inches or under 1 inch.....anything in the middle serves little benifit...have to be 3 and over to get get de-nitrafication....
I have posted pics of my acros yesterday called "Docs set up" thread....look there if you think long term (over 6 years) DSB are trouble...and I do literally nothing with the sand to upkeep on it...except stir the top layer up to feed corals every now and then...and stir all sand up 1 time per year....I use to get mega hydrogen sulfide years ago...Simple remedy increase flow across the sandbed...NO more sulfer in my bed anymore....but you MUST have good flow....
Did I mention near 20 fish in my 180 acro tank (4 inch bed)...I feed frozen and flake very heavily 3 times a day...sometimes more...several of the fish are nice fat tangs....I dump mega food in this reef...get mega acro colors as well! Now if I took out the sand theres absolutly no way my system could withstand my currant heavy feedings.....another advantage to a DSB...process waste more efficiantly...
Doc
I have posted pics of my acros yesterday called "Docs set up" thread....look there if you think long term (over 6 years) DSB are trouble...and I do literally nothing with the sand to upkeep on it...except stir the top layer up to feed corals every now and then...and stir all sand up 1 time per year....I use to get mega hydrogen sulfide years ago...Simple remedy increase flow across the sandbed...NO more sulfer in my bed anymore....but you MUST have good flow....
Did I mention near 20 fish in my 180 acro tank (4 inch bed)...I feed frozen and flake very heavily 3 times a day...sometimes more...several of the fish are nice fat tangs....I dump mega food in this reef...get mega acro colors as well! Now if I took out the sand theres absolutly no way my system could withstand my currant heavy feedings.....another advantage to a DSB...process waste more efficiantly...
Doc
E-A-G-L-E-S
New member
need to read before typing
E-A-G-L-E-S
New member
attn: DOC
Hello reefer! Nice to meet you!
Yes I understand...in my weird long drawn out way this is exactly what I'm saying as well.....I agree with your statement....SSB's are little to no benifit...
And to further this stament SSB's can auctually cause trouble...extra algea and waste with no depth to properly convery it all out into nitrogen gas....
Doc
E-A-G-L-E-S
New member
???
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