Lets finish this!! DSB or BB?, or 1-2in sand bed?

[jjschwi]

I am hearing a lot of confussion latley, just when we thought DSB are the choice I hear people going to BB! I cant handle it, what is the correct one to use! where are the experts in this? I have a 1 1/2 -2 inch bed of courser sand, am I in the worst of both worlds, I tried southtown in the begining and becuase it was soooooo fine it never settled down, it was a cloud of dust, and after 3 days it never settled. (always had the pumps on, maybe your supposed to wait to turn the pumps and skimmer on? ) Lets make this the post to air all posts about what type of bottom one should go with, Moderators your the experts right? what is this community going to stand behind? Please help us all sort this out!

[Bosk]

with proper husbandry techniques ALL systems will work, some just require more mantainance than others, and last longer than others....it's just a choice your gonna have to make after researching all you can..when i set my tank up last jan. i had got on several websites and asked question/read posts for at least six months,and made a decision not to dsb...i'm glad i went the way i did but there are those that are glad that they went with a dsb...it's your choice
bosk

[JoeMack]

I dont care what ne1 says. What im doing is a 2 1/2 inch bed. I will be slowly (just `nuff) syphon section by section to remove buildup of crap (the dust) over a long period of time. I wont do it all at once so I dont disturb everything, cause a spike, and suck out all my critters.

[Crusty Old Shellback]

After seeing several threads about DSB's, I asked the wife how long our tank had been set up as I couldn't remember. Seems that it's going on 5 years now with a DSB. I have siphoned it off the top a few times and even did a deep siphon a few times over all those years. Recently, we moved and I wound up washing out all of the sand before setting the tank back up in the new house. Boy did that sand smell. Anyways, I did put in a new bag of live sand when I set it up and ran thru the normal, cyno bloom and alge bloom but all in all, over the course of 5 years, I haven't had any real casualties. I've got a few fish that have been with me for over 4 years and a few blue mushrooms that have been in there for the 5 years. I do have a bubble that's been in there for about 4 years and has survived the move along with another bubble that's been in there for 3 years and was actually dying at the LFS but is doing great in the tank. I'm setting up a larger tank and will again go with a DSB and I'm including a sump with this one and putting in a DSB. I don't check my water or change it as I should but last time I checked, my Nitrates were below 10ppm. Just my 2 cents.

[MiddletonMark]

Which one to go with?

Whichever works for you. Seems to me that:

dsb does great in a softie tank. Might have issues at 5 years, might not - very dependent on stocking, on getting critter-recharge kits, by not over-importing nutrients.

Barebottom - probably great for a SPS tank. Need to watch import/export more, can have more flow with less issues, probably don't have a longevity issue - but need to watch import/export as said above.

Shallow sand bed - probably the only benefit is that you can siphon it out and replace it ... not the denitrification of a DSB, but yet can be stirred/disturbed if you grow too much algae. It's where I'm at - but I am slowly sucking it out with water changes so I just might end up barebottom after all.

---
It sure seems to me that anyone who says `this system is the one right way' has their head up their a$$. Different strokes for different folks - and given some want an anemone/clown tank, some want all sps/clams, some want softies/mushrooms, some want some of each - makes sense to me that there are different methods that are best for each.

Also given some people's desires to never run a skimmer or change water, and some like me who skim heavily and do regular water changes ... once again likely different setup for each.

Go with what sounds right to you, whose system you're willing to follow.

Personally I don't want to have to buy a new microfauna kit every year, to swap out a DSB every 5 or more years, to limit my flow so as to not move my sandbed around.
I understand those that love their DSB ... and good for them. As long as it works ... just follow the right way for each. Don't barebottom and slack on export. Don't DSB and not add regular critter renewals.

Just my opinion, as every post on this subject is. Ain't no `truth' out there I think

[Crusty Old Shellback]

Mark. I think you hit the preverbal nail on the head. There has been so much discussion about the subject that it's hard to say what works and what dosent. I like the looks of sand on the bottom. Am I doing the right thing? Who knows. Have I had some problems with it? yes. I had a BB years ago and it worked just as well as the DSB. Every tank and owner will be different. It all depends on what you want your tank to look like and how much work are you willing to perform. I think no matter which way you go, you will still have the same amount of work just a different type. Look at the miricle mud people and see if they are also having to do some work. Hell, even the ocean ain't perfect and has problems sometimes.
When the perfect reef tank is born where there is no work involved, then, to me, the hobby will no longer be fun. That's why they call it a hobby and not a job, even though it sometimes seems like a job. So go forth and set up what ever appeals to YOUR EYE's!

[drtherc]

Mark and Chevy, you've both hit it. No matter what the subject is, in this hobby, there's no right or wrong way to go. It's true of lighting, skimming, additives, sumps, feeding, stocking, and sand beds. The fact is that each of us has to experiment, find out what works, maybe look deeper to figure out why it works for you. Too many of us non-scientists don't add up all the factors in determining the why. In fact, I just try to take what makes the most sense to me, try to incorporate it into my scheme, and make sure that my critters are all happy. I don't believe there's any one all inclusive system that works right all the time. We'll never have a rule book that says x fish + y coral + z invertibrates require x tsp calcium additive. I guess the one constant is to keep your pH near 8.3, your ammonia, nitrites, nitrates as near zero as possible, your alk and calcium levels within range. After that, it's your call.
Remember that you are in control of your own reef universe-sort of a demi-god.

If I can quote Desiderata:

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.


If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.


Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.


Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.


Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.


Strive to be happy.

[THP]

OK...I hope I'm not disrupting things here but I have a 2-3 inch sand bed of argonite sand. This may have been a huge mistake and is not the only mistake I've made. The tank has been cycled now for about 5-6 months and I'm noticing brown algae growing on some areas. My other problem is that the sand clumped SEVERLY because I cranked the calcium levels too quickly.

What the heck can I do? I've posted questions on this before and was told I should break it up slowly. I have been doing that and stopped for a little while, then restarted. Now I'm concerned that I will be doomed either way.

When I say it's clumped it's pretty much turned to stone. I use the handle of a tooth brush to break things up but I'll never reach under the live rock without ripping the tank apart. Can I get away with breaking up what I can access and what things should I look for to prevent disaster?

Thanks

[drtherc]

Since you're not using it as a filter, but more as a decoration, you don't need to do anything. For ease of cleaning, yes, you probably want to. Siphon the brown algae, and probably reduce the amount you feed. And water change is probably in order.

[THP]

drtherc,

Thanks...So you're saying that my sand bed or should I say rock bed is fine and it will not cause me any problems? By the way, does anyone know of a powered syphoning device? I have one of those pythons but my faucets are not the screw type and my sink is too shallow for the tee fitting to work anyway. I have been doing the old manual suck-syphon to get it going but it does not have the syphoning power that a running tap could provide.