big tank substrate

[salmon alley]

I'm trying to decide on a substrate for my 180...I would think bare-bottom would be better suited to the higher water movement of Tunze streams, but prefer the appearance of some type of substrate (CC, coral sand)

Curious to see what you're all using and/or recommend.

SA

[eric's reef]

i have a 230 and use two 6100s and a dsb and no problem. i used cc through. eric

[JazzMan]

I have a 230 with southdown....about 1 1/2 to 2 inches.

[andycook]

I'm planning on .5"-1" in the display tank. For a long time I considered some sort of grating but I eventually decided that for aesthetic reasons the .5-1" sand would look better. The liverock will be suspended just off the substrate by pvc piping. The dsb will be in refugiums.

[Nanook]

I'm debating a bare-bottom tank versus a substrate that will not blow around with the new propeller designed powerheads. All that sand blowing around is for the birds. I would like the tank bottom to be covered with something for a more natural look.


Nanook

[z28pwr]

I'm going to do a bare bottom with scattered crushed coral in the front for looks.

Similair to what Jim did on his 240.

http://www.tanku.net/db5/00448/tanku.net/_uimages/Im007296.jpg

[salmon alley]

I also want to avoid the sandstorm the propeller pumps might produce on a DSB.

I'd like to go with a shallow layer of crushed coral or sand as well. I prefer the look of substrate, but I'm worried about detritus accumulation. Without a DSB, I wouldn't expect that detritus would be efficiently processed, and tough to clean out of CC.

Anyone else have these concerns? How do you address them?

[crazyfishguy]

IMHO, Unless you're talking about a ludicrous amount of flow a prop ph and dsb are fine. Mustang has a 6" DSB in his 450 with 2 ReefTecs and as far as I know has no problems. There is some divots and sand accumilation from the phs, but it hasin't destroyed the DSB, it just looks more 'natural' now. ;)