To Sand or not to sand

[Kev135]

What are the pros and cons of
(1) BB
(2) SB
(3) DSB

[Kev135]

anyone?????????

[BrokeColoReefer]

try doing a search. This subject has been beat to death many many times.

[kdblove_99]

Yeah,

I think DSB look terrible in display tanks. Not a huge fan of BB but would do over a DSB. I like just a very little sand. SO SB!

[cnaegler]

IMO, I like a DSB , but only in a seperate fuge, not too much in the display. I like the nitrate reducing properties.

[siwelk]

i say RDSB, if you want the benefits. Personally i dont like BB, so id go with SB.

[Kev135]

How deep for DSB

[db_triggerfish]

DSB in the display tank is just plain ugly, but to each his own and imo too dangerous if it gets moved around. Again imo you don't need it so many beautiful tanks without it.

[Kev135]

so are you saying BB?

[BrokeColoReefer]

a local reefer made this "nitrate reactor". Its actually a really clean way to make a remote DSB. I run a DSB in my main tank, but i have trim around the bottem that goes all the way to the top of the sand. I do not like the way BB looks, but there was a thread of the month nomonie last month that was about the progress of this guy's bb tank, and it was beautifull. I think that is the exception in my book, and if i could get over the way a BB looks, i would try it.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...Man70/RDSB.jpg

[Kev135]

IF I decide to to remote RDSB how deep and how much water flow, I'm not a big fan of BB but I don't like the front edge look of a DSB,

[siwelk]

im not too familiar with RDSBs but i think if youre running a fuge, you can just implement your RDSB there, as long as you regulate your flow that is. im sure someone else can give you better advice on that. i really dont like BB just because it doesnt look natural. you dont see a glass bottom out in the ocean. it kind of takes away from the aesthetics. some people like them, but personally i feel like its kind of a cop out of having to deal with detritus and and the such. but thats just me.

[tacocat]

Originally posted by siwelk
i really dont like BB just because it doesnt look natural. you dont see a glass bottom out in the ocean.

Nor do you see sand in an acropora dominanted thicket. I think the whole sand is natural thing is due to the fact that most aquarists are conditioned to seeing aquariums that way.

I use shallow sand in my tank, but only for aesthetic reasons. I don't feel that it looks natural just neat.

[siwelk]

well at least for me...sand is more natural than glass


plus having no sand limits you a little more in terms of livestock. i couldnt go BB because i love pistol shrimp so much.

[cnaegler]

A DSB should be between 4 to 6 inches deep to really benefit from the nitrate reducing properties, IMO.

[xtm]

There's more than one way to skin a cat..
Both have pros and cons

I tried BB... I was able to whip TONS of flow. Two weeks later I couldn't stomach the way it looks and I thought I was gonna barf everytime I look at the tank... so I went to DSB and it reminded me of how fun reefing used to be. DSB.... for the win! (JMO of course..)

[tecoral]

Ive gone BB for the ease of maintainance and while I wasnt real wild about how it looked to start with, starboard coralines up pretty well and besides, I cant see the bottom of the tank while Im sitting on the couch anyway

That said, Im following Calfo's RDSB method for nitrate reduction. It started out as an unlit section in my sump and has evolved into a reverse lit refugium but with a 10'' deep SB. The nice thing about it is I can take it off line anytime and replace it. So far its been a year and I have no complaints.

[BrokeColoReefer]

my tank doenst grow coraline at all. thats what makes me nervous about the BB. i dont want to look at a dirty startboard bottem, or a dirty piece of acrylic.. My sandbed stays nice and white with the critters on the bottem.