The "How to go Barebottom thread."

[trueblackpercula]

I am thinking about going BB, it is tough to give up the sandbed. I just moved to Okinawa Japan and my tank is arriving here in a couple weeks. I will be collecting all the live rock myself from the ocean and wondered if I would still need to cook my rock? There should be no dieoff as the rocks will be going directly from the ocean into my tank.

They will be die off even though you will be putting it directly in your tank. Should you cook the rock???? that is up to you but I went BB and did not cook the rock and it was fine. Rock cooking will kill off all that is unwanted and wanted in one shot.
good luck with your choice
Michael

 

[waynem]

It is hard to give up the sand, mostly out of fear of the loss of nitrate reduction capability.
My new skimmer arrives tomorrow so I will start to setup the tank and see how the nitrates are in a month or so without the DSB.

I did look at a few DIY plans and if I had time v ability I think that would be the best way to go.

 

[magrath]

For me the sand is more of an appearance thing, I just think it makes a tank look more natural. I do think when BB is done correctly it is far easier to maintain good water parameters. So there is where the dilemma arises for me.

 

[vicmiller]

Going bb

Going bb

Have been considering this for a while. Just finished the thread and have decided to make the plunge. current system consist of 120 display, 3 x 4 x 1 (90 gl) prop tank, 90 gl AGA fuge, 30 gl & 50 gl tanks, and 100 gl stock tub sump all plumed together for aprox 430 gl. Custom built skimmer 8" x 20" reaction chamber fed by a genx 6000 (non recirculating) with a genx 4100 that is recirculating (both have mesh wheel mod) Will use 2 Tunze 6060s and 1 6080 for circulation in the display. Have Ozotech 265 mg hr ozone generator w/American Marine Ozone controller. MTC Pro-Cal calcium reactor. I have a little over 3 years reef experience. Am going to cook all rock. Had a sand bed solidify on me, removed and replaced it with all new and the new also solidified. Am upgrading the display from an old AGA to the new Oceanic. Starfire front glass, long thin overflow across the back center that is covered, and black back.
will start the process this weekend and post progress. Appreciate feedback and suggestions.

 

[SeanT]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10529377#post10529377 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by trueblackpercula
Rock cooking will kill off all that is unwanted and wanted in one shot.

Wellll...I wouldn't say that it kills off much of what is wanted except for coralline.

 

[SeanT]

vicmiller,

The best advice I can give is to not UNDER do your rock "cooking" and to be vigilant on siphoning the sluff coming out of your rock for the first few months.

Sean

 

[120reeferman]

does aqnyone have issues with lingering trates with there barebottom setup?

i have 5ppm nitrates or a tad less that just lingers around.

here is my setup.

125g main
90# cooked rock
30g sump
and a pos kent nautalis skimmer with a mag7 feeding it
vortech powerhead, maxijet 1200 and 1400 of return turnover wich is roughly a total of 5800gph turn over
i run carbon in a reactor
and skim wet...so wet at times i have to empty my skimmers cup 2x a day

i have a total of 3 fish...2 clowns and a tang in this tank, also have the reminance of my old clean up crew of various snails and hermits.

also forgot to mention i do 30g water change every 2 weeks aswell as fresh carbon at the same time as water change

 

[sherm71tank]

I think you should start with the POS Kent skimmer. Get a real skimmer dude! Your other practices seem good to me though your flow rate isn't very high. I'm running about 75X turnover rate in my 90 BB and I'm keeping LPS!

 

[120reeferman]

say what?!?

i have a ton of flow in my tank...i couldnt imagin if i had any more.

i know the skimmer is a total pos, it works great for a day or two then it needs to be adjusted all the time.....im actually looking into the ati bm 250 for an upgrade

im also buying another vortech pump so ill have one on each side of the tank.

 

[sherm71tank]

My math says you have roughly 4700 gph of flow with current setup. It about 37X times tank volume. I guess that's pretty good. Don't listen to me. I'm all about overkill when it comes to flow and skimmers. Are you getting the WWD for your Vortechs?

 

[120reeferman]

yea i plan on upgrading them both to the new drivers...esp after seeing them perform

 

[sherm71tank]

Right on 120reeferman! Most important thing to remember with a BB is that YOU are in control of your system. Not your sand bed!

 

[120reeferman]

yea i know, im loving every bit of it too, my corals look so much better, i can control all my water parims easyer and more accuratly, its just a far better way of dealing with a reef tank.

i lost many tanks to old tank syndrom and now i dont have to worrie about it, i just got to make sure my skimmers cup is empty

 

[unclemuskie]

hey all you BB guys got a question. Are you running a sand bed at all inyour sump or in a remote dsb.I will be starting my tank up shortly and was just wondering.If not then what kind of filteration do you have in your sump.thanks for the responses.

 

[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.