Tell me about your success running a DSB. .

Teremei

Teremei

New member
Hey guys. I'm getting closer to my 125 upgrade. I got my tank and stand coming in from Jeff and I am fully loaded with enough SOUTHDOWN to run TWO deep sand beds :D.

I already know about your success running a DSB Derrick. Is there anybody here in CMAS who has run a DSB successfully? I'm going to go with probably 5" of southdown and a little bit of Fiji Pink and some "live sand" to seed it to start off.

I'm going to keep my 55 gallon running for about 6 months as I cycle that 125 and let the DSB mature. I'll start moving in a few fish after about 3 months of cycling. The Mandarin will be the last to make the move. And I'll have all NEW live rock to display in the 125 so I can keep my 55 fully running with my old LR for my mandarin.

Now I know this is a good plan, and a good way to do it. But I'd like to hear from anyone else around here who has run a DSB and how long have you been running it successfully?
 
Well, I only run a 37g (30x12 footprint). I started my tank 5 years ago and put in a 4 inch sandbed. Dr Ron once told me it may not be viable in such a small tank. I don't typically test my parameters except for salinity and often get neglectful with water changes. I'm over stocked with corals and have 3 fish. Tank is running well!

With all the talk about BB, SSB and DSB last year or so, I was contemplating removing most of the sand and going SSB.

I recently bought an sps colony on line and it bleached / coral flesh started coming off after 2 days. I've never lost an sps frag and usually load up at the CMAS swap meets. I had my params tested and they came back nitrate=5 and phosphate=0.

This made me a believer in my DSB.
 
6" dsb in my 125 since 11-01, nitrates 0, phosphates 0. High bio-load, heavy feeding. 2 tunzes, no sand storms.
Always ran with 3' sandbeds before that with plenums.
 
55g tank, 5" DSB, no nitrates, no hair algae (assuming no phosphates then), high bioload, tons of corals--heavy feeding.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6901740#post6901740 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Pufferpunk
55g tank, 5" DSB, no nitrates, no hair algae (assuming no phosphates then), high bioload, tons of corals--heavy feeding.
Click to expand...

Including you 2 in this thread, that makes 3 DSB I've heard of with High Bioload and heavy feeding. Nice to hear, but I was lead to beleive you'd have to keep it simple. With tiny bioload, less feedings, no crabs, ect. . .
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6899212#post6899212 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rod Buehler
Ive been running DSB sicne the mid-late 90s.. What do you want to hear?
Click to expand...

Well here's what I know/plan. .

- Not too heavy of a bioload
- Very Large Skimmer
- Very good flow
- keeping up the bio diversity of the sand bed
- southdown sand (scored a bunch of it)
- don't keep very many / or none? hermits or anything that would eat the "wrong" things off the sand.

Anything else I should know or anything anybody wants to add? I'm not really concerned, honestly. Not as much as I used to be. I'm going into DSB with alot of confidence. I used to worry about "loading up" the DSB with phosphates, ect.. and then after awhile it would "release it" all back into the water. My thoughts on that are.

If you have a BB or a DSB. Well in a BB you over skim, you have huge flow, and you do alot of water changes. Well in a DSB can't you overskim, can't you have great flow? Can't you do alot of water changes? Sure. . I don't see how it is any different from a BB having Live Rocks get oversaturated and then to do the same thing the BB advocates say will happen to your DSB.
 
On my 55g I have 2 Seio 820s & a 400 something or other. I feed my sand critters DT's Phyto. I have a Coralife Super Skimmer 125. I have done 50% weekly water changes, thinking my nitrates were 20-40 but found out the test kit was faulty & they were actually 0! I now do 10% weekly. I have no sump or refugeum. I have hermits but did get rid of my sleeper goby, cause he was eating off the top 1" of the sand.
 
Who are you asking? I got my sand from a fellow reefer, from his tank (bad experience...). It had tons of great creatures in there though...
 
I got my sand from a fellow reefer too. 2 seperate ones actually. I paid for it thought, but still quite a bit cheaper than $1 per # for it's hobby equivalent. I actually have too much. So I might sell some later.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6904077#post6904077 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Edward Smith
"Live sand" is over rated, find someone nearby to borrow a cup of sand from.
Click to expand...

Or I could use some sand from my 55? Honestly, 1 20# bag isn't going to break the bank, and I think it's a good way to speed the initial bacteria colonization.

BTW Ed, how is the brain doin?
 
AWESOME! He's color is brighter and he is looking thinker. The brown areas are starting to resolve Thanks again. You'll have to come by when you get the 125g up to see how he is doing plus go home with a little something...something!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6904135#post6904135 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Edward Smith
AWESOME! He's color is brighter and he is looking thinker. The brown areas are starting to resolve Thanks again. You'll have to come by when you get the 125g up to see how he is doing plus go home with a little something...something!
Click to expand...

You bet I will! I guess we could conclude that the lighting was one of the main factors in his stress? :)
 
It's "thicker" he means. But I can understand the subconcsious urge to type "thinker" after "brain". . :cool:

Now back to DSB!
 
Well since I'm the one who wants to get back on topic. . .

what do you guys think is the main factor in people's failures, and the whole "tank crashing" thing? If you guy have such high bioload and feed so well, how come your DSB aren't crashing. .?

Thoughts.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6906872#post6906872 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Pufferpunk
http://www.ronshimek.com/Deep Sand Beds.htm
Click to expand...

I've read that many times, and that was the initial breaking point that geared me toward seriously considering a DSB. But it's opinions from other reefers that really motivate me.

I want to hear your personal opinion about why people's DSB "crashed".
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
Structural support for 125 gallon aquarium
Replies
7
Views
354
ddang
D
W
Cycling new Tank
Replies
2
Views
396
C.Eymann
C.Eymann
S
Cycling question
Replies
5
Views
686
griss
griss
griss
Talk to me about Hydros
2 3
Replies
42
Views
2K
wvned
wvned
N
Saltwater cycle possible stuck
2
Replies
26
Views
960
Guygettnby
Guygettnby
Back
Top