Alternative to Bare Bottom Tank?

[Sculpin]

I was wondering if there was a way to get the benefits of a BB tank, without having the look of one. Would it be advisable to put down a few pieces of slate or some similarly flat/thin rock to cover the entire bottom of the tank, and then put the live rock on top? My thinking is that the base layer would look more natural than a glass/acrylic bottom, and over time the rock would hopefully get covered with coralline algae and blend right in with the rest of the tank.

I’m assuming this approach would retain the benefits of the BB by allowing the owner to crank up the water flow without creating a blizzard, and it would be easier to siphon up any waste on the bottom than a sand tank.

Thoughts/concerns with this approach?

 

[MGDMIRAGE]

Starboard....I've seen pics of people that epoxy sand to it to make it look like a perfectly static sandbed.

 

[servicky]

pvc sheet or even you could use a material called starboard... its white with dimples all over it... you could find this at tap plastics.

 

[lvsuckerfish]

or you can epoxy sand to the bottom and you can have the benifits of both worlds until a wrasse goes diving in. a buddy of mine did that to his tank worked great i was thinking of doing it but too much extra headache

 

[Dave@ARA]

I use solid coral-skeleton rock cut to the exact inside dimensions of the tank and have been doing this with all of my personal as well as culture systems for years.
The outcome is amazing.

I can send you some of this material...what size is your tank?..I can see if I have a slab large enough.

 

[KrautBurner]

you could paint the bottom of your tank (outside) with white paint.
it would probably brighten up the inside of your tank.

the epoxy / Sand idea sounds great tho.
I'd love to see it in person

 

[saltwaterfishes]

My husband sprayed paint the outside bottom on our frag tank....looks great, definately brightens up your tank. Coralline algae will grow and I have scraped it off with a razor blade.

 

[Dave@ARA]

Here is a standard 10 gallon AGA with the coral bottom treatment;

Same 10 gallon a few years later;

 

[burning2nd]

shells and small Rocks/ crushed Lr