The "How to go Barebottom thread."

Hey Sean,
If you cover the tub doesn't that inhibit oxygenation? Are the bacteria that are at work anaerobic or aerobic or both(I'm assuming both)? If the tub lid is cracked to allow a bit of air in wouldn't a fan be a good idea? I know I think too much but I can't help it:)
thanks, Chris
 
Hi SeanT and all:


If you do choose to use Starboard, remember to have it cut so it does NOT sit up on the silicone bead inside your tank. You want that suckaââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ to lay flat. Better to cut it, or have it cut, a little smaller than larger. A little smaller is actually beneficial as detritus tends to accumulate in those spots ands makes for easy siphoning. Also, if you have a larger tank with braces from front to back, have them cut it into two pieces so you can fit it in. Whether you choose to buy this (it isnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t cheap but it isnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t expensive either) or not, do not use Lexan, plexiglass, acrylic or any other clear material for several reasons. 1. It warps and detritus WILL get under it. 2. It is transparent. Now you have detritus and algae ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œunder glassââ"šÂ¬Ã‚. Nasty thick, wafer like algae or whatever it is will grow under there becoming a larger and larger nutrient sink.
Click to expand...

I just want to put here what I did with my tank regarding the bottom: Plexiglass with silicone around to prevent rocks to scratch glass bottom. No water under. Star Board was just too expensive to me. The plexiglass for my 40 gal was only $13.00 and the SB would be around $80.00+. I think itÃ"šÃ‚´s 1/8 or something like that. Never had problems and probably never will. ItÃ"šÃ‚´s just to prevent scratches anyway.

The rocks were made with white cement and they touch some spots on the bottom.

I leave about 1/2" of sand on the bottom and clean that once an a while when do the 10% water changes. No problems. ItÃ"šÃ‚´s just a preference, Ã"šÃ‚´cause I think a tank with no sand looks ugly. The sand has nitrification properties. If no sand... something is missing, to me. Just another way to skin the cat. ;) IÃ"šÃ‚´m still not crazy to remove every single detritus from the system simply because itÃ"šÃ‚´s too much work and the system is doing fine with periodical removal of excess.

I guess IÃ"šÃ‚´m in between. No DSB, no BB. Got skimmer too.


Very nice thread!!

Aloha,
Grandis.
 
pioneer said:
Getting ready to start cooking my rock this week. is there a set temp that works any better?
Click to expand...
My cooking tubs have been anywhere between 60-90 without problems.
 
fishdoc11 said:
Hey Sean,
If you cover the tub doesn't that inhibit oxygenation? Are the bacteria that are at work anaerobic or aerobic or both(I'm assuming both)? If the tub lid is cracked to allow a bit of air in wouldn't a fan be a good idea? I know I think too much but I can't help it:)
thanks, Chris
Click to expand...
Hi Chris,
The tub needs to be covered to prevent light from coming in.
Having said that, it doesnt mean sealing it all the way. ;)
Loosely covered or even cracked at one end is fine.
No need for a fan.
Thinking too much is a good thing.
Sean
 
"Cooking" them once is generally all that is needed.
It lets you begin your tank with a fresh start.
Or it helps an old tank get rid of most of the stored up nutrients.
 
Do you cook it often?I have a friend that has thought about bare bottom cooked rock but cant find any picutre convincing enough to go bb versus sand bed.
SEAN being the main man i would expect to see picture that would justify this attempt howvere all is see is a dying clam and dark acros!???:eek1:
 
Sorry to interrupt your discussion bluebentgrass but I have a follow-up question about my brown spot algae issues.

So the brown spot stuff,
Weatherman said:
CuttingBoard.jpg
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went away. It was on the starboard and rocks but cleared up about 4-5 days after it started. Now it got replaced by green algae which is only covering the rocks mainly. What do you guys think? Is this just part of a cycle? I must have phosphate in the system correct but where do you think its coming from? Fish food or the rocks (base rock from www.reeferrocks.com) or what? I've had phosban running since I started the system. But I did have the tank running with lights, rock and fresh water(without salt) for several weeks and no algae, any ideas? Thanks.
 
bluebentgrass said:
Rock cooking makes no sense. Why do you really need to cook rock?vaccuming a sand bed 25% a month makes all the sense in the world.
Click to expand...

I haven't tried it myself, so I have no DIRECT experience, but I know someone who has and have been reading up on it. Whether you agree with cooking a new setup or not, it stands to reason that down the road if you have problems with nusince algae, it may be a very viable option at that point to take care of the problem. I would like to see long term results for someonw who started a new setup with cooked rock compaired to someone who didn't. I don't want to tear my tank apart, cook, and then do it again later. I myself am considering cooking my soon to be out of control rock.
 
What is starboard?

I am confused about reintroducing the rock.... does it cycle or half-cycle again?

If you did your rock a little at a time, wouldn't the stuff still in the tank contaminate the freshly cooked rock that is put back in?

Also, without starting a whole new disscussion here, if I didn't want the look of BB could I use about an inch of sand and not run into DSB issues?
 
pioneer said:
Thanks SeanT

So no heater required?
Click to expand...
3
You are welcome.
I see you are in Illinois.
If it were winter time and your tubs were in a non-heated room then you may consider a heater.
If not, then no need. :)

Sean
 
headshrink said:
What is starboard?

I am confused about reintroducing the rock.... does it cycle or half-cycle again?

If you did your rock a little at a time, wouldn't the stuff still in the tank contaminate the freshly cooked rock that is put back in?

Also, without starting a whole new disscussion here, if I didn't want the look of BB could I use about an inch of sand and not run into DSB issues?
Click to expand...
Starboard is a brand name of cutting board.
Check out http://www.cuttingboardcompany.com/

The rock, if 'cooked' correctly does NOT cause a cycle at all.

The contamination is built up over a long time.
It isn't so much of a contamination as it is the pores of your rocks that are chock full of nutrients.

You'd be worse off with the ssb over the dsb imo.
Unless you regularly vacuumed it.
A dsb does have the ability to procees.

Sean
 
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