The Sand Bed Debate

[OUBrook]

As suggested before, we need a thread debating the different preferences of sand beds. This topic occasionally gets brought up in threads where it becomes inappropriate. So, since I know everyone is dying to present their opinions on the matter, here is a thread that is the most appropriate place for the discussion. And I know that I would like to hear the different views of sand beds, so go ahead and spill what you know!

Maybe we can start by saying what we each have.

I have a normal sand bed. Not too deep, only about an inch and a half to two inches deep. And there's no reason I chose to do that, it's just what came in a bag

 

[papagimp]

I'm using about 4" of indopacific black sand in my 55g reef. I chose this kind because I love the black/white look to it. I chose a 4" sandbed just because it seems a nice middleground to all the recommendations I see. Looks great even after a year in my tank. When I set up the 150g I have, I plan on using this stuff as well, even if only as a top 2" layer over a bed of Pavestone. I want a deeper sandbed in that tank, specifically a 6-8 inch bed, this would allow me and jess to house a pair of Jawfish, as well as give the bannana wrasse a better depth of sand to burrow in at night.

I also have a 2-3" sandbed of Pavestone Pulverized Limestone in my 20g Long Bangaii Breeding tank. So far I like it, but the tank is so new I won't know how it compares for a while. Coloring and size is appealing to me, not as stark white and smooth as other "aragonite" sands, but for my purposes, it seems perfect.

 

[nIx_tank]

I am running a 2-3" aragonite sand in my 100 gal, with a 4-5" Pulverized Limestone DSB in my 10 gal.

The 10 gal's sand is much 'greyer' than my 100. This comes from the additional black specks in the sand.

Overall, I don't mind the look in either, and when I move my 100 gal in the near future, I am going to be dropping in another 60 lbs to get to roughly a 4-6" base.

I like the look of a tall (deep) DSB, and I make sure that I have some sand stirrers to keep it 'fluid'.

 

[Prater]

In my 300 i plan to have a DSB, but mainly for the speces I plan to keep. i like the fact that they can burrow in thesand and feel safe. I will also have this poured around my base rock to keep the avalanches from happening in the tank. i will have most of the DSB hidden from view when I make the viewing area in the wall.

My 75 has around 2" poured around the live rock. i like the way it turned out so I did not add any ore to it.

 

[OUBrook]

So you guys chose the beds in your tanks for looks? Were there any other reasons you chose what you did? Adam, I know yours was because it was a middle ground.

 

[papagimp]

I chose an actual "sand" over crushed coral specifically to avoid trapped detritus and nitrate buildups. I like the DSB methodology, as well as many burrowing fishies.

 

[Prater]

My large tank will have a DSB refugium as part of he filtration system.

 

[jpitts101]

i got a 6 incher!!!! ( sand bed that is ) im useing arogonite. i like the looks better than the sand plus no sand storms. i know i know you dont have to have sandstorms with sand but its preferance to me. my quarenteen tank has a 10 incher with sand. if i understand right you dont want to have anything that will disturb a dsb like burrorowers ( hermit crabs, wrasses, goby's) they will for one eat animals that make a dsb work and two disturb the sand layer enough to prevent formation of anoxic regions important to denitrification. now if you just talking about haveing a dsb ( not careing about the importance of a living dsb) i guess anything will work. im working on the living one in my 180. dont listen to me though, im just a peon.

 

[OUBrook]

Won't having a dsb over time cause a nitrite problem? I've never had a dsb, so maybe my logic is skewed. When acting as a filter, does the sand simply hold nitrates out of the water, or does it remove them?

I agree with you, JD. I hate having a cloudy tank after I've worked in it. I'd rather the coarser sand. However, I don't know how much it affects the filtration and holding of detritus...

 

[jpitts101]

dsb will actually help with detritus, fish feces, excess foods, and other aquarium material, if it is working properly.

 

[OUBrook]

how does a regular bed and a dsb differ so much? What is the process of a dsb?

 

[papagimp]

A DSB developes area's of low/no-oxygen. The bacteria that will colonize this area will actually eat away the nitrates in the water. Lower Nitrate levels. The only benefit it may have as far as detirtus and whatnot would be that in a non coarse substrate stuff that causes detritus buildup and excess foods cannot get trapped in the sandbed. A finer sand doesn't allow this to happen, and that is typically what you use for a DSB. The downside is that these no oxygen levels can buildup harmful gases over time that can easily toxify the entire setup. Which is where having a remote DSB is awesome cause you can easily replace the sand remotely instead of under all you LR.

 

[OUBrook]

I see... thanks for explaining that so well, Adam. So you cannot reach the levels of low/no oxygen in shallow beds? Especially with more coarse particles, I would imagine...

What other benefits are there to DSBs other than the lowering of nitrates?

 

[jpitts101]

millions of little animals that you will never see that benifit your aqurium by feeding your corals and fish consistantly. i gott good article you need to read, let me see if i can find it.

 

[TimV]

I've had DSBs in my main tank and didn't like them. I also had a shallower bed in my main tank. When I tore the latter down, it had areas that appeared pristine and areas that looked like a sewer.

My current set up is a 2" deep bed of Aragamax select in my main tank (the Select is much larger grains of sand, so I worry less about anoxia in the sand) and a 6" remote DSB. The DSB is in the bottom of a barrel with an additional 150 lbs of live rock that the tank overflows pass through on the way to the sump.

T

 

[Serra]

Where is captbunzo in this discussion. Isn't he the big DSB proponent? I added a remote DSB/refugium in my new tank's filtration system to help remove nitrates. It's in a plastic tub that flows back and forth into my sump.

I have no prior experience with this but have read the arguments for both side (this has been going on for years). Now I can decide for myself.

 

[jpitts101]

http://ronshimek.com/Deep Sand Beds.htm
here ya go Brook
Tim has a good point too. lots of people are putting their dsb in a bucket so to say. there is a really good thread on that one too. i can pull that out if you want me to also.

 

[_Sooner_2]

I have 2-4" of Aragonite in my display. Normal coral color with pink rocks mixed in. It came this way in the bags. We have a black and white Arag mix in the refugium. It's about the same depth.

I've had different types of sand beds in fresh and salt tanks over the years. They've all had points that looked and smelled like a sewer (like TimV said). That's why I like to have animals that forage my sand bed. I have 2 sand-sifting stars and a sifter goby in my display. I also have several blue and scarlett hermits that constantly graze the bottom. And, we have a dusky jawfish that changes hole location from time to time. Even with this and good flow, a considerable amount of detrious will settle in the sand. Long story short...I like critters that stir my sand in the display. I rely on my refugium to supply tiny pods, shrimp, snails, etc.

Ronnie

 

[OUBrook]

Sure, if you want to. Other people want want to read it sometime.

So, are there any supporters of BBs?

Also, are there any downsides to having a DSB if it's in a remote location? The only worry is it leaching out toxic gases? And how do you test for these gases?

Lol, I'm certianly learning, aren't I?

 

[papagimp]

I can't think of any downsides to having the DSB remotely located. And can't think of any ways I have heard of to test for toxic gases (theres one in particular, I just forget which)

As for BB tanks, there so god awful ugly!

I agree with Sheryl on this, where is the mighty captnbunzo at? I got to see his DSB setup at his TX apartment, very interesting the way he set it up.