DSB or not if supplimenting additives already

[homegrowncichlid]

Since my tank is leaking and I need to get it replaced, I'm not planning on touching the sump/refugium, which is still working fine. I'm actually thinking about using it as a temp tank to hold as much as I can while the main tank gets swapped out.

This is an old photo from a like 5 years ago, but as you can see, I have a 3 foot 65 gal tank (bare bottom) sitting on a 3 foot 38 gal refugium/sump. In the refugium I have a 6" deep sand bed (with plenum).


Now I've been supplementing Ca and alkalinity for the past few years, plus running a denitrifier and GFO reactor, so is my DSP really needed anymore? It doesn't denitrify or supplement enough Ca back into the water for all the stony corals I've been growing.


I believe the DSB may have outlived its original purpose, and if I'm breaking down the main tank, maybe its time to dump the sand too and leave my refugium bare bottom also.

 

[Cu455]

Your tank looks great. Why change something that has been working?

I am sure it still does some denitrifing, it probably helps with ammonia and nitrite conversion, plus it gives a home to organisms that feed and help maintain your tank. If that sand bed is over 5 years old it is pretty established and is a benefit to your system.

 

[homegrowncichlid]

In the past, before I added the aquariupure denitrifier and the GFO reactor, the DSB couldn't keep up with water quality. Now that I have dedicated reactors, I feel the DSB may be redundant or obsolete, just adding weight and taking up water volume.


Also, the DSB wasn't keeping up with Ca and alkalinity, which I have to supplement weekly now anyway. If I was growing soft corals, this wouldn't be an issue.

 

[Mattl22]

Good luck I love look of sand but believe it's just a nutrient trap I'm gonna keep a sm sand bed because love the look but will probably sway 1/4 of it once a month and rinse it or something

 

[edd]

your sand bed does not add much if any alk and cal.
and you really don't know how much nutrients it is removing, as long as your running other exporters. that would have to be a test on its own.