Bare bottom tank

[Tangs Rule]

I currently have 3 inch sand bed in my FOWLR tank. Would it do any harm to remove the sand bed from the tank and make it a bare bottom tank? Would it throw my levels off?

What if I plan on adding reef down the road? Would a bare bottom tank work for a reef tank?

 

[1UCKY]

I currently have 3 inch sand bed in my FOWLR tank. Would it do any harm to remove the sand bed from the tank and make it a bare bottom tank? Would it throw my levels off?

What if I plan on adding reef down the road? Would a bare bottom tank work for a reef tank?

If you remove the sand little by little, it shouldn't be a problem; I removed all my sand from my FOWLR without any problems. My reef is currently bare bottom; just make sure that you have enough flow to keep the bottom clear.

 

[Tangs Rule]

Clear of uneaten food and stuff? That is part of the reason I want a bare bottom, so it will be easier to do water changes and to know I got out all of the uneaten food and waste.

 

[duke62]

what i would do is when u do ur water changes syphon out the sand.then add your new water.if u dont have a big tank it wont take 2 long.i figure if u do it that way you will syphon out all the crap thats beneath the sand

 

[Tangs Rule]

This is a 150. It would take a long time to siphon out all that sand IMO. I will definitely be siphoning out water after I remove the sand which will release lots of "crap" into the tank.

 

[tommy818]

why would u remove the sand.

 

[Tangs Rule]

Easier to siphon out the waste.
To help lower my nitrates by removing everything trapped in the sand.

 

[tommy818]

the sand bed should be lowering your nitrates.u need hermits sand stars etc to keep the sand bed clean.in my opinion u should not syphon the sand bed.

 

[ZBT3091]

i agree. A dsb is a method of denitration. If anything you should add sand do your sand bed. Around 5" should work

 

[SeaIsle]

There are verious sand bed methods. As above a sand bed is a method of removing nitrates. However a baresand bend does afford you the ability to increase flow without sand storm. However unless you plan a all sps I think this oportunity goes un utilized.

But I would scoop out a 1/5 or there about on each water change which shouldnt disrupt the balance of the tank too much

 

[tommy818]

bare bottoms just aint natural.

 

[Tangs Rule]

I'm not really worried about natural. All I know my nitrates are through the roof and the sand doesn't seem to be helping to lower them. I'm guessing my sand has a lot trapped. I think it would help lower the nitrates by getting rid of the stuff trapped in the sand. Many reefers seem to agree.

 

[tommy818]

been keeping reef tanks for 15 years had tanks from 10 to 180 gls.all had deep sand beds and all my tanks had zero nitrates.there could be other reasons your nitrates are high.are u filtering your make up water ro di.do u have wet dry with bio balls.try seeding the bed with some good live sand either from a friends tank or they sell live sand online.