Going barebottom, tips/tricks/advice (clothes not mandatory, ;) )

[jhale]

Don't worry once everything cycle back around people will start having Sand bed again. Like with everything it just take time before it changes again.

There is a much greater understanding of the biology of sandbeds and BB tanks now than in the past. I believe the information that we have now will allow people to keep one or the other and know exactly what they need to do so each system can be run at it's best.

I doubt I will ever have a tank with sand in it again. But who knows what kind of filtration may be invented in the future? Maybe something will come along like a mini water treatment plant that lets you keep your water parameters perfect no matter what's in your tank

 

[marrone]

What will happen is some one will come out with new research on why SB works better or some one or a group of people will have great results on their tanks with SB and people will start to switch back. That what happen before and no matter that they have a greater understanding of why something works it will change and some one will come up with an even greater understanding of why some thing else works. It's just the cycle of the hobby.

 

[jhale]

okay, we'll see what happens in ten years, that seems to be the cycle time.

if I have a tank with sand I'll be shocked.

 

[marrone]

Just wait in 10 years everyone going to have miracle mud in there tanks, just like they have in the refug

 

[jhale]

haha,

we now return you to the going bare bottom thread, with a provision for mud in the sump

 

[ShaunW]

It really just comes down to the type of corals you would like to have. SPS and a BB system seem to go well together. But if you want to have xenia and certain soft corals then a sandbed is probably better.

Nothing is written in stone and all husbandry methods can be adapted to house any coral. But some methods are just better for certain corals than others.

 

[nanoreefer22]

Cool Kris! Now you can sell me your LPS :smokin:

LMAO!!!! I've got one set of candy canes in the main tank . Thats all for LPS

 

[nanoreefer22]

Kris it's been a couple of weeks anyway time to change the tank over. :icon16:

LMAO!!! Tru tru ....this whole sand all over the place thing is getting on my nerves...makes the rocks look like crap and irritates the life out of the coral :irked:

 

[nanoreefer22]

exactly what i was thinking,

Kris you might as well wait till the next upgrade, the sand will be fine at least for a few more months

LOL...I wont be upgrading for a year or more....I hope . I got a quote on MarinaBoard White and its was $64.00 plus $10.00 shipping....thats a lot of cash for ehhhhhh board :banghead:

 

[nanoreefer22]

kris you kinda went sand, then BB then back to sand, now BB? what are you doing in your reef?

<------confused child...:lol:....hmmm I'm just getting tired of the sand kicking up onto the rocks and having to go in an turn off al flow and blow it back off the rocks :banghead:....plus I'm SPS dominant and my zoas could happily take over the starboard.

 

[jhale]

hey Kris, if you only have .5" of sand it's not a big deal to just remove it with the next water change. Just DO NOT pour it down the drain with the water, otherwise you will be paying Ronen to come visit you

having just a glass bottom is okay, just be careful not to drop any rocks

 

[nanoreefer22]

hey Kris, if you only have .5" of sand it's not a big deal to just remove it with the next water change. Just DO NOT pour it down the drain with the water, otherwise you will be paying Ronen to come visit you

having just a glass bottom is okay, just be careful not to drop any rocks

John I like the idea. Saves me some money and can be done over a short period of time. Guess my 10g will just be getting some more sand. This is starting today cause I'm too tired of cleaning off the rocks and the zoas on the sand, not to mention a clam getting overpowered by sand.

Hmmmm wonder how I could take out the majority today with a small water change??? All flow off and one of those really "fine" nets that wont let sand through??? I got it but will it work??? And when I'm down the the last bit of it, I'll just siphon then???

 

[jhale]

you could try to scoop it out, but it's going to get messy in the tank.

the best way is to siphon it out, no dust clouds to deal with.

why not do a little bit with each water change?

one bucket worth and you can get quite a bit of sand siphoned out.

 

[nanoreefer22]

Tru...I guess todays a start. I guess I'm changing more water than I planned. Gonna clean out the sump first off, then siphon out the nausty(sand) from the tank.

You guys are so influencial and I'm such a sucker for color .

 

[nanoreefer22]

Alright I'm over the edge here. The sand thingies even driving my mom crazy and she barely looks at the tank :irked:....would this http://www.cuttingboardcompany.com/cuttingboards.asp?id=1
stuff do the trick? Would only cost me $34 + shipping to get it to me. And it would be the perfect sizes.

I would be cooking the rocks while everything resides in the tank without rock, just on some egg crate with the corals attached.

I'd also be draining the tank completely and siliconing the Board to the tank so I dont have to worry about "crap" getting stuck underneath. I'm gonna be doing this over thanksgiving break.

I'm gonna build eggcrate "lifters" ala John's tank and be getting rid of some rock to keep it really open. Gonna put the corals that can go in the 10g in the 10g for the time being.

Also I'm gonna be holding the tank water in the tank I get from ink and Rubbermaids til the silicone dries.

Not sure how long to cook the rocks for...its tedious.

First I want to know if I've got enough flow cause thats critical for a BB tank and if my skimmers big enough to handle the job. ASM G3 with recirc mod and a Seio 1500, a Mag 7 return, a ~350gph powerhead, and the modded maxijet 1200 and if need be a DIY Tunze (MJ1200).

Hows the game plan sound?? Should take me two days to get the tank filled up with water again and I do have a lot of extra New Saltwater on hand just in case, for what the rock displaces.

Thanks,
Kris

 

[ShaunW]

Kris, what size footprint is your tank?

 

[nanoreefer22]

36 x 18. I was going to order one 24 x 18 and one 12 x 18. Should fit pretty snug. Will cut if neccesary.

 

[Deanos]

First I want to know if I've got enough flow cause thats critical for a BB tank and if my skimmers big enough to handle the job. ASM G3 with recirc mod and a Seio 1500, a Mag 7 return, a ~350gph powerhead, and the modded maxijet 1200 and if need be a DIY Tunze (MJ1200).

Kris, if the flow you have now, allows the sand to settle in the tank, I wouldn't imagine it's enough to prevent detritus from settling also. I'm sure Shaun, Jon or Rich have a "minimum" turnover rate for a BB.

 

[jhale]

sounds like a good plan kris.

if you want to cook the rock it's going to take at least a month.
but like Shuans tank, you could put the rock back in the tank and let it cook over a period of time. it's not that bad if you keep up with siphoning the junk out.

your skimmer should be fine, and it sounds like you have enough flow. that's something you can always increase later.

 

[nanoreefer22]

Is thaty board i linked good??