I think you're going to get different answers from everybody with a forum topic like this because it all comes down to our individual experiences.
Since we're only talking about 50 gallons, personally I would start with whatever salt I planned to continue with. If you were filling a huge tank...
I've never gone bare-bottom but I am considering it for a small nano reef in my office to simplify maintenance.
I started my first saltwater/reef aquarium in 2007. It was in my office on my desk at work. It had a deep sand bed (2+ inches), the grain size was very fine, and it was live sand...
I thought I'd survey Reefs.com members to see how many of ya'll participated in MACNA festivities yesterday and/or today.
Please vote in the poll attached to this thread!
If you voted YES, please share any highlights or memorable moments with the community so members who did not attend can...