The "How to go Barebottom thread."

[sherm71tank]

No sand or substrate at all in my system. I run my overflow through a sock into the sump. DAS EX-2 skimmer currently that seems to be doing a good job though I'm a Beckett fan. I run carbon and GFO on and off as needed (depending on my water change schedule and how lazy I am). I've gone 6 month's without doing a water change with no ill effects that I could see. I use two part for calcium and alkalinity. Don't mean to beat a dead horse but high flow is critical for BB tanks. You have to keep the detritus suspended and get it to your filters. It can't settle to the bottom anywhere or into the rockwork or you'll have problems.

 

[unclemuskie]

does anyone have an opinion on running a precision marine ES-100 skimmer for a new 75 gallon BB setup?? It will be powered by a mag-9.I will also have a mag-12 as my return pump with 2 Korrallia-4's for internal circulation.Any opinions out there,thanks.

ps.I will have a 38 gallon sump that will be part(1/2) fuge and skimmer on the other part with a carbon and phosphate reactor ther also.

 

[120reeferman]

no sand in my tank what so ever, and there will never be any.

sherm hit it on the head, you have to have enough flow to get the crap that would normally settle on the bottom to stay in the water colum so it will get skimmed out.

I also use a filter sock to catch snails and big stuff that my skimmer couldnt get out anyhow, plus i have a micro bubble problem when i do not run one.

 

[SeanT]

None here either.

 

[causeofhim]

How often do you guys change/clean your filter sock?

 

[King-Kong]

every few days.

 

[sherm71tank]

I try to change every 3 days but often it goes longer up to a week.

 

[magrath]

Every week here.

 

[annamarie421]

I'm in the process of cooking some "new" live rock (fresh, just purchased). I've had it for a week and a half now, and have done two 100% water changes, dunking & swishing to remove detritus. The first water change, and dunk/swish I got a small amount of detritus off, but the second time I didn't get a noticeable amount. The rock came in very clean, very little sponge, macro algae, etc on it, and the detritus was minimal when I dunked/swished prior to placing in the cooking container. Can anybody recommend how long to continue the cooking process?

The rock will be replacing the current rock in my 20g. I plan to remove all the rock and sand, and put in a piece of starboard and the new rock once it is ready.

Thanks,
Anna

Edit: I do NOT want to rush the process in any way - I'd like to give it 4-6 weeks minimum, from everything I've read - just looking for some input...

 

[sherm71tank]

Ideally until it stops shedding. Which it should when it's clean.

 

[SeanT]

Anna,

Do it for a minimum of 4 weeks.
After that time, if you do not notice any more shedding then you should be good to go.
Remember to keep it in the dark.

Sean

 

[agsansoo]

Hello everyone,
I've been BB for around two months now. First let me say I did not cook my live rock. I also didn't think I needed a large clean-up crew. Now I have fuzzy live rocks ! Can somebody suggest the right amount of snails I need ? One more thing. The bottom is starting to get coraline algae on the starboard. The problem is, it's the green variety not the purple color I was hoping for. Any ideas how to change this. Other than that, I'm loving my barebottom tank !

MY PARAMS:
Temp: 79°
SG: 1.025
nitrate:<20
calc: 475
Alk: 11.2 dKH
PH: 8.2
Phos: <0.0
Mag: 1500

MY SYSTEM:
65 gallon BBT, 10 sump, 10 gal. fuge with cheato (no more RDSB, I removed that last weekend)
1x250watt MH 12k Reeflux CoralVue, 4x96watt PC Actinic, 2x Maxi-Jet Mods, 2x Koralia 3's, Phosbane Reactor, Return Pump Rio1700, CSS-65 Protein Skimmer (I'm replacing this ASAP, looking at the Xtreme 160)

 

[SeanT]

I would go with 1 astrea and 2 ceriths for every gallon.
With CONSTANT siphonig.

Some of the snails will die off but that is a sad part of the deal.

Sean

 

[agsansoo]

SeanT,
Your advise has been spot on ! Thanks again. I have since removed all the sand in my refuguim. I vacuum twice a week, or as needed. I also change my filter sock media twice a day. I'm proud to report zero nitrates ! I also have noticed no growth in my chaeto macro algae. My question is, "what should I do with my fuge " ? Here's a pic.

MY PARAMS:
Temp: 78°
SG: 1.025
nitrate: 0
calc: 460
Alk: 9.3 dKH
PH: 8.2
Phos: <0.0
Mag: 1400

 

[King-Kong]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11587412#post11587412 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by agsansoo
I also change my filter sock media twice a day.

!

You change filter socks 2x every DAY? That's dedication!

I change mine every 2-3 days, and I dont seem to notice any issues from it.. wow!

 

[agsansoo]

Yeah ... If you look on the left side of the sump, I have a 4" x 4" acrylic intake box with a 100 micron sock pad, blue filter floss and Seachem Matrix filter media. The filter sock pad get very dirty. I think it's due the all the detritus not settling in the tank, (due to the flow in the tank) and being removed via the overflow box. Which is a good thing !

 

[SeanT]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11587412#post11587412 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by agsansoo
SeanT,
Your advise has been spot on ! Thanks again.

My pleasure completely.

As for the fuge...dump it once you feel you are comfortable with the maintenance and your rocks have stopped sluffing.

Sean

 

[mattsilvester]

Hey guys.....

I'm about half way through this thread right now..... and reading still reading

I am currently embarking on a 6 weeks cooking class and have been gradually removing sand.....

2 questions:

1. "Star Board" or similar CANNOT be bought in Ireland. I have been searching for it for over a year...... and I am not putting an 8'x2' sheet of egg crate on the bottom - it will look crap! Do I absolutely need it? I'm going to use rods and milliput to stick it all together, so rickslides are very unlikely!

2. PVC racks...... if I manage to arrange rocks so it only touches in a few places, will that be good enough? I wll have 2 no. tunze streams on the bottom of the tank, blowing along the bottom, and another two on a controller keeping the main water column moving.

cheers,

Matt

 

[TCU Reefer]

Starboard is not necessary. PVC rock structures on glass will be perfectly fine. Glass is stronger than people think and the force and weight of a rock falling in water has to be pretty strong to do damage.

You should be fine without starboard. If I could do my setup over again, I would have not gone with starboard. Too much detritus that gets caught underneath. With your streams, you should be able to blow out all the detritus off the glass bottom and keep your tank nice and clean.

HTH.

 

[mattsilvester]

Thanks TCU - off to find some acrylic rod suppliers in Ireland