Location
Huntington
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391   0   0
I posted this on my build thread as well but thought it might get more exposure here.

So I am in the process of upgrading my tank to a DSA225 pro. I was leaning to trying a bare bottom tank. I hear there are good points and bad points to both.

I'd love to hear from the bare bottom group about the pros and cons and if you were bare bottom and went sand bed and why.
 

jackson6745

SPS KILLER
Location
NJ
Rating - 99%
201   2   0
On a larger tank like a 225 I vote BB for the long term benefit since there will be plenty of rock for bacteria to grow on. On smaller tanks I like sandbeds because I feel that it provides a more stable environment with added surface area for bacteria to grow.
IMO, the only real disadvantage for you going BB will be no sandbed for burrowers.
 

Kworker

Advanced Reefer
Location
Long Island
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71   0   0
I was bare bottom for a while (little over a year).. I wouldn't of mind staying that way but the other people in the house who view the tank eventually had me adding sand.

You can paint the bottom of the tank an off-white color to give it the illusion of sand, add a sheet of starboard bottom. Or, one thing I've seen people do is mix epoxy and sand to make a faux sand bed.. The faux sand bed gets covered in coralline was well. I have seen people use silicone mixed with sand and coralline did not grow on that.

Obviously the pros of bare bottom is nutrient export, con being possibly not as aesthetically pleasing.. As far as being able to keep fish that require a sand bed, you can put a piece of tubberware with sand behind the rockwork (but still accessible) for the fish to go into.

You can also put encrusting corals on the bottom of the bare bottom tank..
EDIT: check out WWC's display tank build for encrusted bottom.
 

BKLYN REEF

Advanced Reefer
Location
Bay Ridge BK
Rating - 100%
119   0   0
Wwc's display is what pushed me over the edge to try bare bottom. Gotta say I really like the ease of maintenance and I like the look of it with coralline growing on the bottom.

Detritus accumulates in a couple of areas and I siphon it out with water changes. Sps have never looked better so I am a fan of BB!!

Interesting thing I read the other day though. A reefer decided to add sand to his barebottom because he said all the purple coralline growing on the bottom was sucking ALK and calcium like crazy so he was dosing like crazy. I don't have that problem yet but something to think about.
 

vio

Advanced Reefer
Location
Manhattan
Rating - 98.9%
271   3   0
I try so many times sand, i end up more maintenance, depend a lot , what kind of Aqua scope you chose, i prefer Tonga branches, water flow everywhere, i run 7 pumps +2 returns ( NOT in full ) i really don't like to siphon the sand, some places almost impossible, i consider Detritus # 1 enemy, in my tank i got only one place were they accumulate, 30 sec. to collect, i like to blow my Rocks, the less Detritus you got the much easy to control, i run 220 Gal. + 90 Gal. sump, i may go 300 Gal and 220 Sump soon. My drain go in one Acrylic box like Detritus Trap, Protein Skimmer feed direct from that box, so NO more chaeto in my PS pump + more efficient. I tide 30 Gal. garbage pall to my sump (6-7") deep sand just like refuge. So far i am Happy.
 

Mattl22

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Location
Garden city
Rating - 100%
98   0   0
I have a 220 with sand when I can keep it clean and white I love it and so do my wrasses blennies gobys tile fish
When my nutrients r high I get diatoms cyano over sand drives me nuts but I love fish that need sand so to me it's must have tanks look horrible with out it until they r grown in pretty well IMO
 

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