Full of live rock...

[inkblue]

...ok, what do you guys think of this: what iF instead of sand, no substrate and I fill the bottom 1/4 of my tank with nothing but live rock and rubble... I mean really pack it in there :scratchch any thouGhts on advantages/disadvantages... :usa1: is this wronG?

 

[Reefer420]

I don't know how great that would look... How about using GSP or some other 'weed' softie as a type of 'grass' on the bottom around your LR structure--- I've seen that before and it looks pretty sweet!

 

[pmui]

if you did that, wouldn't detris get stuck to the bottom of the tank?

 

[inkblue]

oh yeah k: ...i didnt mean bare rock, but to start off with... if I just wanna put all rock on the bottom so you can't see the glass... :yo: any thoughtz

 

[Reefer420]

I saw another tank that used nice blue tiles on the bottom- or a gritty, sand like bottom piece (like one of those flat cutting boards you can roll up), etc. I'd browse around nano-reef or reefcentral and look at members tanks- nano-reef.com tanks are usually pretty creative since they are dealing w/ such small tank sizes. If I can find any links I have saved when i get home tonight i will let you know...

 

[inkblue]

no i need it for a 72 boW

 

[Deanos]

...ok, what do you guys think of this: what iF instead of sand, no substrate and I fill the bottom 1/4 of my tank with nothing but live rock and rubble... I mean really pack it in there :scratchch any thouGhts on advantages/disadvantages... :usa1: is this wronG?

Advantages: plenty of room for pods to propogate and be merry.

Disadvantages: plenty of room for detritus to settle allowing undesirable algae to propogate and be merry (as a result of increased nitrates, phosphates, etc)

Dean

 

[inkblue]

...so Dean, would you do it or not? :smoker:

 

[Reefer420]

ink- it doesn't matter what the tank size is, you can still look at smaller tanks and grab some of their ideas! I still like the GSP or Anthelia grass field

 

[inkblue]

ok... i have GSP any Anthelia around :scratchch

 

[Deanos]

...so Dean, would you do it or not? :smoker:

If I'm going to have a nitrate factory, I'd rather it be 1"-3" southdown sandbed :icon16:. It looks better to me.

 

[inkblue]

ok, maybe i'LL do half-haLf :thanks:

 

[nanoreefer22]

ok, maybe i'LL do half-haLf :thanks:

Yea using rock rubble on the bottom would be just about as bad as crushed coral...you dont like sand do ya?

 

[inkblue]

no, sand is ok, i was just looKing foR other ways to set up a tank... :smokin:

 

[Dmitry]

NWA has a nano near their registers that I think is a saltwater tank that has no sand, just rocks covering the entire surface (though not lying all flat on the bottom; they created a rocky structure throughout the entire area of the tank) with some plants in there. Looks really nice! If I didn't already have sand in there I think that's what I'd do; perhaps in the next upgrade. Only problem is you can't have any burrowers!

As far as detritus if you do leave open spaces there and have snails/hermits, won't they take care of the detritus?

 

[inkblue]

New World... :sgrin: don't reLLy like that place, but I shaLL check it out... :eek1:

 

[NYPDFrogman]

best scenario is to have water circulate in and around the rock. packing it tight will spell disaster in the future high Phosphate and nitrate as others said.
bare bottom tanks dont look bare too long with the right conditions.
if you go with MH lighting within a few months the bottom will be purple with coraline algae

 

[inkblue]

...i like Jonathan's bare-bottom tanK, he has stuFF growing on it where the cLowns hide from the super-flow of the powerheads... :cool3:

Frank... am franticaLLy searching for MHs... am convinced :yo: