The "dreaded" uniquarium

[RichG]

Hey all, it's been about 15 years since i've been into the hobby, and I'm just now getting back in (thank god). I am currently running a 60 gallon uniquarium with the venturi skimmer, two 96 watt 50/50 bulbs, and a wavemaster pro wavemaker with 4 maxi jet power heads. I'll be picking up 50 lbs of live rock (fiji Buna), and i would like to add about four inches of live sand. I'm hearing great things about a deep sand bed. I would like to have mostly hearty corals and poylps, with a few blennies and maybe a couple of clowns. I don't plan on overstocking the tank, but i don't want it looking spase either. Can anybody recommend whether or not I should remove all the bio balls and replace with them with rubble rock? it would seem i would still get all the good filtration without the risk of too much nitrate build up. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Also, what advice if any, on UV lighting?

Thanks for any help,

Rich

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Rich

Take a quick search thru the site about the DSB and the bioballs. I seem to remember the bioballs causing heaps of trouble in other threads and that they are nitrate traps. The consensus seems to be that they should be avoided at all costs. Also there were a lot of negative comments about DSBs, live sand is great, but too deep and it becomes a detritus trap and nitrate factory- as far as I remember.....dont take it as gospel, but worth a search to see what the others here have to say......

 

[Anonymous]

Hot button topics.

If you are doing a reefs - consensus seems to be "NO" on the bioballs.

There are still plenty of people w/ DSB, but it seems more rare now. The "new" trend is to go bare bottom w/ very high flow. If you are going to have burrowing fish, a DSB is necessary.

 

[RichG]

great advice. thanks guys

rg

 

[Anonymous]

Hot button topics.

If you are doing a reefs - consensus seems to be "NO" on the bioballs.

There are still plenty of people w/ DSB, but it seems more rare now. The "new" trend is to go bare bottom w/ very high flow. If you are going to have burrowing fish, a DSB is necessary.

Bare bottom tanks with high flow are great for some types of corals, but not all. DSBs aren't a 'dead' practice by any means, it's just that they do seem to require a bit more work than they were initially marketed as needing. From what Im reading about the things Rich plans on keeping, a DSB or modified DSB should be fine. As far as removing the bioballs, that's a good idea as they are nitrate factories, but it isn't necessary to add rubble rock which can act as a detrius collector.

As far as using a UV sterilizer, IMO it isn't really necessary as long as you practice good quarantine habits before you add new fish.

The other thing you might think about doing is upgrading to a better lighting system, 2- 96 watt bulbs on a 60 gallon tank isn't going to let you keep much in terms of corals.

Oh, and in case noone said this...
:welcome: