Sweet, sweet sand, how did I ever live without you.(VIDEO INSIDE)
- Thread starter SunnyX
- Start date
SunnyX
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6842182#post6842182 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TA
SWEEEEEEET! :smokin:
Thats one huge gnarly orange cap!
Your white sand looks alot like my white starboard.
I had Starboard but it quickely became purple from the coraline algae.
Now the starboard is resting under my sand.:rollface:
samsfishnchips
Premium Member
:lol:
looking good, but thats "natural" reaction
I bet you had the same reaction when you first put in the white board, "oh my god, my tank looks so much brighter..."
how about when you first got the Phoenix's
lol, going from one end to the next...total makeover
but looking good nonetheless, just jaw dropping tank, keep up the good work,
sam
looking good, but thats "natural" reaction
I bet you had the same reaction when you first put in the white board, "oh my god, my tank looks so much brighter..."
how about when you first got the Phoenix's
lol, going from one end to the next...total makeover
but looking good nonetheless, just jaw dropping tank, keep up the good work,
sam
minimalist
New member
Anyone able to convert the video for view in Windows Media Player?
samsfishnchips
Premium Member
just download quicktime or Alternative
when you install alternative, windows media will be able to play quicktime vides, hope this helps
http://www.free-codecs.com/QuickTime_Alternative_download.htm
sam
Man that tank looks great, I really like the orange cap and the yellow (green) cap that has that big cupping shape. I also really like all the fish. When I started out with SPS I was very fish adverse as I had a sand bed at the time and at that point I was in the hobby solely for the purpose to grow the biggest, brightest corals as quickly as possible and saw fish only as water-fouling poop machines. However every guest who came over said, "Wow, beautiful fish tank, but wheres the fish for the fish tank" or something along those lines. My girlfriend was part of that camp, and eventually I capitulated on my fish prohibition, in part in an effort to increase my girlfriend's interest in the tank and support me in the hobby. An effort that was successful thank God, as she was (an is occasionally still) jealous of my love and attention I gave the tank.
I currently have a lot of fish for a 90 gallon: maroon clown, niger trigger, yellow tang, six-line wrasse, royal gramma, and flame angel. Now I really care about the fish and am glad I got them, especially the trigger and the clown. They all have their own personalities and add a whole another aspect tank. I have bare-bottom though, and perpetually nutrient free water, I do not think that I could maintain my water quality if I had a shallow sand bed. Even when I had a sand bed, it was perpetually dirty, and whenever I stirred it up the water collume became filled with detritus.
What are your thoughts (since you have a moderate bio-load) about going from barebottom to shallow sand bed. Did you have a lot of flow prior to the sand bed? Did you have to scale it down for the sand bed? What were your nutrients before, and now after ditching the BB.
When I was first toying with the issue of going barebottom, the only thing that really bothered me was the aesthetic of the BB. I called it the 'live rock on the tile floor' look. A shallow sandbed looks far more natural like a reef. If I could have all the benefits of BB, with an aesthetic look of a SSB I would definately do it. However I find all the benefits of BB outweigh the negative aesthetic aspect.
What are your thoughts? Any problems with the sandbed? Any regrets?
I currently have a lot of fish for a 90 gallon: maroon clown, niger trigger, yellow tang, six-line wrasse, royal gramma, and flame angel. Now I really care about the fish and am glad I got them, especially the trigger and the clown. They all have their own personalities and add a whole another aspect tank. I have bare-bottom though, and perpetually nutrient free water, I do not think that I could maintain my water quality if I had a shallow sand bed. Even when I had a sand bed, it was perpetually dirty, and whenever I stirred it up the water collume became filled with detritus.
What are your thoughts (since you have a moderate bio-load) about going from barebottom to shallow sand bed. Did you have a lot of flow prior to the sand bed? Did you have to scale it down for the sand bed? What were your nutrients before, and now after ditching the BB.
When I was first toying with the issue of going barebottom, the only thing that really bothered me was the aesthetic of the BB. I called it the 'live rock on the tile floor' look. A shallow sandbed looks far more natural like a reef. If I could have all the benefits of BB, with an aesthetic look of a SSB I would definately do it. However I find all the benefits of BB outweigh the negative aesthetic aspect.
What are your thoughts? Any problems with the sandbed? Any regrets?
143gadgets
New member
Beautiful as always. Did u take the entire tank down to add the sand?
FibberMcGee
Premium Member
Looks great, I am trying to decide wether or not to go bb on my setup 120 sps. Always was leaning on going bb just so I can get that high flow rate thru the tank. However, seeing your tank a agreeing that it looks more natural you may have made up my mind for me.
SunnyX
New member
Thank you for the nice comments.
My old 120gl had a DSB and the tank remained stable and clean WITHOUT the use of a skimmer. I really don't want to get into a BB Vs DSB, too many fanboys here
. As for the flow it still remains the same, with a few alterations. Took me a while to angle the flow just right to hit corals and not stir up the sand.
As with all aspects of reefkeeping, proper husbandry is a must. If you are diligent about maintenance, water changes and controlled feeding you should never have any problems with the tank.
For me aesthetics far outweigh the benefits of BB. Theres no point in having a tank if it doesn't look good.
Zoom
Premium Member
I had sand in my tank and was very nice for about two three years and then TSHTF i had Hair algae all over the tank it was about a year or more fighting the algae till i got all the sand out.<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6844471#post6844471 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SunnyX
Are you saying it will not look good in a year or two because of the sand?
I may be young, and I may not be an expert but I am fully confidant in my skills as a reefkeeper.
No more HA.
But i hope don't happen to you good luck.
samsfishnchips
Premium Member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6844471#post6844471 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SunnyX
Are you saying it will not look good in a year or two because of the sand?
I may be young, and I may not be an expert but I am fully confidant in my skills as a reefkeeper.
I think he is talking about the sand, not the tank
for the most part sand and the board start nice white, the end result could be different
you can go from nice white to this
sam
SunnyX
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6844794#post6844794 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nunez1980
I think he is talking about the sand, not the tank
for the most part sand and the board start nice white, the end result could be different
you can go from nice white to this
sam
I understand it can become dirty, but any tank can become dirty if not properly maintained. Many people have tanks with sand and years later the tanks still look great.
samsfishnchips
Premium Member
or start with a nice white board and end up with this
and believe I have seem some nastier one
got to agree, the key is "properly" before (setup) and after(maintained)
a friend broke down his DSB and that was so nasty,
them another friend took down his DSB and it was nice and white and smell great
but I think the key in your setup is excellent equipment, good cleaning habit, and thin layer,
no matter what you do DSB in the middle will look nasty,
anyway good luck with your setup and like someone said
" there is more than one way to skim a cat"
while the other said
"how many ways do you really need? "
sam
and believe I have seem some nastier one
got to agree, the key is "properly" before (setup) and after(maintained)
a friend broke down his DSB and that was so nasty,
them another friend took down his DSB and it was nice and white and smell great
but I think the key in your setup is excellent equipment, good cleaning habit, and thin layer,
no matter what you do DSB in the middle will look nasty,
anyway good luck with your setup and like someone said
" there is more than one way to skim a cat"
while the other said
"how many ways do you really need?
"sam
mikeguerrero
New member
Maintaining your tank with good husbandry skills will keep that DSB from becomming disturbing red as we see in those previous pics.
I know because I've maintained mine white sand for 8 months on at 72 gallon bowfront, take a look at when I first placed in my sand back in August and today:
P.S
By the way SunnyX, your tank is absolutely gorgeous, I hope to have a tank your size, that clean in the near future...
I know because I've maintained mine white sand for 8 months on at 72 gallon bowfront, take a look at when I first placed in my sand back in August and today:
P.S
By the way SunnyX, your tank is absolutely gorgeous, I hope to have a tank your size, that clean in the near future...
