Starboard!?

E.intheC

E.intheC

Active member
I am in the planning stages of a 30 gallon cube build, where I'm going to be housing all sorts of lovely corals, fish, and live rock.

I'm entertaining the idea of starboard in the main display because of a few reasons:

-It will be a sturdier base for my rock and allows for better absorption if something falls.
-It's much easier to direct flow all over the tank (using Koralias) with starboard than with sand
-I feel it will look better and brighter over time, and will be easier to clean than a sand bottom, as I can vacuum like a barebottom setup.

I really like the look of a white (sand or starboard) bottom, and really don't want to have the mirrored image (and glass) look of a barebottom tank.

I'll have a DSB in my fuge, so I really don't have to worry about losing that aspect of a sandy substrate (place to grow micro organisms, and calcium buffering capacity..

However, I would like to keep clams and some other corals/fish that may enjoy the sand, and I'm weary of what the starboard will look like after it gets pounded by diatoms/red slime algae/etc. Will the board become stained?

Anyone have any suggestions/pictures?

Thank you!
 
Dunno much about starboard, but i would imagine over time coralline would cover the exposed parts. Would coralline ever grow on starboard? I only mention this b/c you had mentioned you like the look of a white bottom.
 
It is definately going to be covered in coraline, so the white bottom is only temporary. The other benefits are all true and great reasons to use it though.

I don't think the clams necessarily need a sandy bottom, otherwise they couldn't be kept on rocks right?
 
Re: Starboard!?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13944606#post13944606 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by E.intheC
I am in the planning stages of a 30 gallon cube build, where I'm going to be housing all sorts of lovely corals, fish, and live rock.

I'm entertaining the idea of starboard in the main display because of a few reasons:

-It will be a sturdier base for my rock and allows for better absorption if something falls.
-It's much easier to direct flow all over the tank (using Koralias) with starboard than with sand
-I feel it will look better and brighter over time, and will be easier to clean than a sand bottom, as I can vacuum like a barebottom setup.

I really like the look of a white (sand or starboard) bottom, and really don't want to have the mirrored image (and glass) look of a barebottom tank.

I'll have a DSB in my fuge, so I really don't have to worry about losing that aspect of a sandy substrate (place to grow micro organisms, and calcium buffering capacity..

However, I would like to keep clams and some other corals/fish that may enjoy the sand, and I'm weary of what the starboard will look like after it gets pounded by diatoms/red slime algae/etc. Will the board become stained?

Anyone have any suggestions/pictures?

Thank you!
Click to expand...

My 75g sps is BB but I opted to not use starboard just because I can't find it in my area and it's expensive to ship. I just used eggcreat to sit my rocks on. I put a pump at one end and it blows constant under my aquascape to keep it clear of detitrus and such. Coralline will cover the starboard rather quickly though. As for clams and such.. I have seen no adverse effects. My wrasse have all found new homes to sleep.. so it's really not an issue. I'm not really sure how you'll be able to keep the starboard white though.
 
The starboard will cover over with coraline. You may want to go bare bottom and put white reflective material outside under the bottom of the tank to reflect the light. It will stay white.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13945403#post13945403 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MalIII
The starboard will cover over with coraline. You may want to go bare bottom and put white reflective material outside under the bottom of the tank to reflect the light. It will stay white.
Click to expand...

It will stay white, but the glass will still encrust with coralline.

I've been barebottom for years with starboard on the floor, and it looks fine to me.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13945704#post13945704 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by crvz
It will stay white, but the glass will still encrust with coralline.

I've been barebottom for years with starboard on the floor, and it looks fine to me.
Click to expand...

Excellent. Do you happen to have any pictures of your tank? Especially the starboard?

Thank you to everyone else, your posts are greatly appreciated. Very good points. I agree about clams being on the rocks, and how well they do. I also think the egg crate is an interesting idea, and I'll definitely use some on the bottom if I decide to go the sandy substrate route.
I don't mind the coralline look on the starboard though. I love coralline! :)
 
Thanks! I clicked the link and saw your tank! I just posted in your thread as well. It looks great. Very, very nice.

(everyone else who reads: definitely click the link above! It's worth it!)
I'll have to take some more time and read through the rest of the thread.
 
Also, does anyone know where I can buy the starboard? I've been looking for a little bit with no luck.. I'll keep using good ole' Google.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13951661#post13951661 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gman0526
cuttingboardcompany.com

I have always reccomended it they're good to deal with and have fair pricing.
Click to expand...

Now is that like an actual "cutting board" ?? similar (or exactly the same as) the white plastic cutting boards used in the kitchen? If that's the case, I'm unfortunately disappointed. How will that work? I thought it was a bit more.. flexible (malleable maybe is a better word..? it's late).. I guess I thought starboard was almost spongy.. but not quite that way.

Thank you for the link though.. I'll have to check it out
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13951842#post13951842 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MMOORE0324
Its also the stuff that's used in boat flooring...
Click to expand...


OK.. that's what I thought.. In the beginning of my search I thought it was something different. I'll probably be using sand going forward. I'm not 100% but that's what it looks like now.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13954986#post13954986 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by REEF-n-Chicago
I went without it myself and opted to epoxy and drill the rock together...
Click to expand...

you went without Starboard or without sand?

using epoxy and drilling.. that's a method I'll definitely be using
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13951661#post13951661 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gman0526
cuttingboardcompany.com

I have always reccomended it they're good to deal with and have fair pricing.
Click to expand...

I've bought mine here as well. One note on sizing, I left a good inch or more clearance around the perimeter of the tank. Some folks like to but it right against the inside, but you've got to be careful of the silicone line on the floor of the tank. If it doesnt sit FLAT on the bottom pane in the tank, detritus will trap under there and you could have some issues. Some folks have even made a gasket or something similar to "seal" the board to the glass (though in reality, there's no material that seals to both glass and plastics, which is why it's more of a silicone gasket).
 
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