Sand: Good or Bad?
- Thread starter kmeans
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burning2nd
Well-known member
not better.. different,
this is my first BB tank and now i see that it doesnt change you detritus status.. in fact i can see more of the stuff that settles now in my tank were b4 with sand it would blend in.
on the other hand 2" of sand provides something for the tank..
so i think the right answer is preference,
this is my first BB tank and now i see that it doesnt change you detritus status.. in fact i can see more of the stuff that settles now in my tank were b4 with sand it would blend in.
on the other hand 2" of sand provides something for the tank..
so i think the right answer is preference,
MGDMIRAGE
Shoulda been a fish!
Main benefit of barebottom is that you can easily siphon off the detritus where in a sand bottom tank you wouldn't really see it or you would siphon up the sand trying to get rid of it. Also you have basically no flow turnover rate restrictions with a barebottom tank where if you really crank it up on a sand bottomed tank you will have a snow storm.
FreakinReefin
Insert idiot comment
This is always a debate, but the fact is that a "thick" sand bed does create an anerobic state which helps the health of the tank. If it's a thin sand bed it usually just blows around and creates a mess.
FreakinReefin
Insert idiot comment
That's a decent depth yes. I believe I have a 3in depth in my 65, however I also have a plenum to help get more of an anerobic stasis.
So I am some what new to this still so bare with me for a moment please
...What is a plenum?
mfinn
Surgeonfish
+1
I agree it is personal preference.
I happen to like a 1" to 1-1/2" sand bed in my tanks. For one thing I like the way it looks and it gives my wrasses a sand bed to sleep in.
FreakinReefin
Insert idiot comment
So I am some what new to this still so bare with me for a moment please
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...mages?q=aquarium+plenum&um=1&hl=en&tbs=isch:1
That will tell you all about it.
MGDMIRAGE
Shoulda been a fish!
It depends on the size of the subtrate, larger sized sand would need to be deeper since it lets more flow through it, sugar sized sand 2"-3" should be perfectly fine.
If you have an acryllic tank and you use a magnetic cleaner to clean the algae off the sides, you'll be cursing sand after the first time you get a grain or two caught between the algae cleaner and create nice long scratches
Just my experience, YMMV...
Rob
Just my experience, YMMV...
Rob
mfinn
Surgeonfish
How long have you had your plenum system setup?
How is it working for you?
I had several setup in the early 90's.
roscoe
Well-known member
All preference.... I have a love hate relationship with sand. I love how it looks but hate how it can trap detritus and I can't have the flow I want without the flow displaceing the sand. You can always have a remote DSB to create an anerobic state zone. With that said I will slowly siphon my sand out with each water change.
roscoe
Well-known member
If you have an acryllic tank and you use a magnetic cleaner to clean the algae off the sides, you'll be cursing sand after the first time you get a grain or two caught between the algae cleaner and create nice long scratches
Just my experience, YMMV...
Rob
This is why I won't ever by an acrylic DT!!
FreakinReefin
Insert idiot comment
It's only been setup for about two months in this new tank, so not really long enough to help yet. However I am sure it is starting to work. From what I understand(really just what I have been told), when you start to see the little air bubbles, against the glass in the sand bed, then it should start to generate the layers of breakdown within the plenum. Only time will tell...
MGDMIRAGE
Shoulda been a fish!
My feelings exactly, i personally don't ever want fine sand ever again. I slowly siphoned out mine in my 20 gallon each water change it was more of a pain then it was worth.
FreakinReefin
Insert idiot comment
Sarang is exactly right with the remote sand bed. It is often more recommended to have a very deep (4"-6") sand bed in a refugium and have good flow in the DT. Many say that flow is the key to everything with a reef tank, which is why many go with BB.
jrgilles
Well-known member
I have a 1" sand bed. I researched this some when I just set up my tank. I also have a fuge. I ended up with ~1" (2 bags into my 75) in the Display tank and bare bottom in the fuge.
From what I read, a deep sand bed can do some good things, but it can also trap a lot of bad things. So, if you were to go in and stir up a 3" sand bed, you could get a huge nitrate spike, as well as spikes in whatever else is in there. If not distrubed, it adds beneficial filtration.
When I set up, I talked to a guy who had a sand bed that he had to remove because of problems, and he said it was nasty and a big pain in the butt. He is now doing bare bottom for easy cleaning.
I did bare bottom in my fuge so it is easy to clean, then the main reason I put a thin layer of sand in my display is for cosmetic reasons more than anything else..
From what I read, a deep sand bed can do some good things, but it can also trap a lot of bad things. So, if you were to go in and stir up a 3" sand bed, you could get a huge nitrate spike, as well as spikes in whatever else is in there. If not distrubed, it adds beneficial filtration.
When I set up, I talked to a guy who had a sand bed that he had to remove because of problems, and he said it was nasty and a big pain in the butt. He is now doing bare bottom for easy cleaning.
I did bare bottom in my fuge so it is easy to clean, then the main reason I put a thin layer of sand in my display is for cosmetic reasons more than anything else..
FreakinReefin
Insert idiot comment
Also there is the argument with whether crushed coral is better than fine sand. Fine sand being the better trapper of gasses and crushed coral being a better trapper of detritus(bad). The better is really the combination of the two. Sand to trap gas and crushed coral to hold the sand down.
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If you have an acryllic tank and you use a magnetic cleaner to clean the algae off the sides, you'll be cursing sand after the first time you get a grain or two caught between the algae cleaner and create nice long scratches
Just my experience, YMMV...
Rob
As a matter affact that happened to me about a week ago, but luckly it was on the outside of the tank and not the inside!
