To have live sand or not????

[WALKINGTHUNDER]

I just moved my tank and when i did i took all the live sand out. Leaveing It to be a glass bottom. I like the look but I am affraid off my tank crashing. I know a sand bed acts like a filter. Can any one tell me will it be all right or should i put the sand back in.
The inhabites of the tank include
1 chocolate chip star
2 turbo snails
1 true clown

 

[graveyardworm]

BB tanks work fine, and you'll find quite a few of the SPS nuts have gone that route. These systems usually have high flow and large skimmers to compensate.

 

[WALKINGTHUNDER]

My skimer is rated for 150 gal and I have a 45gal. I have 2 peguine filters 30-60 and looking to add a sump or bio balls

 

[Cody Ray]

how much liverock do you have?

 

[graveyardworm]

My skimer is rated for 150 gal and I have a 45gal. I have 2 peguine filters 30-60 and looking to add a sump or bio balls

Skimmer performance is far more important than ratings IMO. Many skimmers are overrated. Using the penguins for anything other than flow will be counterproductive, and the same goes for the bioballs. Not that these are bad they do their job very well unfortunately their job is to reduce ammonia and nitrite to nitrate. So what ends up happening is higher nitrates. The process wihin your LR will also convert nitrate to free nitrate so it can leave your tank ( a complete nitrate cycle ). The high flow and powerful skimmer will remove detritus and dissolved organics ( DO )before it even begins to break down.

 

[WALKINGTHUNDER]

Sorry looks like half my orignal question was cut off. I have 35 pounds of live rock. I also have 1 false clown 1 seabee clown 1 atlantic anemie 1 urchin and 1 small group of pollops About the size of a folded doller dill.