Live Sand or Bare Bottom?

[1UCKY]

I'm currently in the process of setting up my 75G Cube. I was wondering what fellow reefers think on going bare bottom vs live sand? Are there any pros and cons (going bare bottom)? I plan on transferring all my soft and SPS corals after the tank has successfully cycled. My sump is only going to contain a huge skimmer at the moment.

 

[Bob 1000]

Hand's down naked women.....Oh whoa.. Sorry wrong site... Bare bottom,yeah bare bottom...

 

[Tonyscoots84]

if your doing barebottom you gotta have the means of proper nutrient removal... 1st being water movement (being able to kick up the crap that lands on the bottom is very important.. 2nd a kick ass skimmer since you dont have sand which would break down the waste and food within the sand bed the skimmer will be exporting all the nutrients and waste... these 2 are just 2 main things that i think you will need to have a great barebottom tank (there is other stuff that comes into play as well)...

 

[Bob 1000]

Natureef.....You know the rest...

 

[1UCKY]

if your doing barebottom you gotta have the means of proper nutrient removal... 1st being water movement (being able to kick up the crap that lands on the bottom is very important.. 2nd a kick ass skimmer since you dont have sand which would break down the waste and food within the sand bed the skimmer will be exporting all the nutrients and waste... these 2 are just 2 main things that i think you will need to have a great barebottom tank (there is other stuff that comes into play as well)...

I will be using a 900G/HR return pump, a Tunze Powerhead, and a skimmer that is rated for a 300G tank (it's runned by two pumps pushing out 1000 gallons an hour).

 

[Dace]

i have a bare bottom tank for almost 3 years and am contemplating going back to sand solely on looks. it looks much more natural

 

[Bob 1000]

i have a bare bottom tank for almost 3 years and am contemplating going back to sand solely on looks. it looks much more natural

Been thinking the same way... That's scary...

 

[1UCKY]

Thanks guys! Looks like I'll be heading with bare bottom for now :biggrin:....

 

[Bob 1000]

Why don't you do haf and half... Just keep a powerhead facing the right side of the tank.... Just kidding....Good luck... At least with bare bottom you can always add sand..

 

[1UCKY]

Why don't you do haf and half... Just keep a powerhead facing the right side of the tank.... Just kidding....Good luck... At least with bare bottom you can always add sand..

LoL...you're right, I can always add the sand later on if I want the natural look...

 

[DevIouS]

Good read:

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum...s-advice-clothes-not-mandatory.html#post61293


http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum...oing-bare-bottom-any-thoughts.html#post292115

 

[chazertis]

i vote sand. it just looks weird without it

 

[tosiek]

Bob1000 wins the user with most worthless, unhelpful threads award!

:party:

 

[marki24]

Bob1000 wins the user with most worthless, unhelpful threads award!

:party:

LOL. Still a kid growing up. :lol_large

Well anyways backt to the topic. I would go with sand. It looks more natural you have a larger selection of fish as some require sand. I have a tank with sand and the ones that I have seen without sand looks like there is just something missing from that tank. So go with the sand.

 

[Bob 1000]

I have dropped my rocks on bare bottom so much and my tank is still not leaking..Do you know how hard you have to drop a rock in the water in the tank to break the bottom of a tank..

 

[1UCKY]

Good read:

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum...s-advice-clothes-not-mandatory.html#post61293


http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum...oing-bare-bottom-any-thoughts.html#post292115

Thanks Devious!

 

[Wes]

i recently switched to barebottom and will probably never go back to sand. It's so much cleaner looking and you can really crank up the flow. My fish look like they are floating in air.

 

[Sean]

I think you should go against the grain and fill the tank with sand. 36" sandbed is the wave of the future.
Woo hoo :party:

 

[ShaunW]

IMO, it depends on the coral species you wish to keep.

I would never set up an SPS tank that was not barebottom. You just can't get enough flow in a sandbed tank to keep SPS over the long term (years of growth), without having constant sandstorms or causing the sandbed to distort. Having a remote DSB is what I presently have.

If you are not interested in SPS and the associated flow, then a sandbed is just fine within the main display.

 

[EmilyT]

it mainly is determined from your goal. do you want to have fishies? alot of fish would rather have a sandbed. if your main goal is sps (flow) then you would go barebottom
i personally love the live sand. it really completes the tank