DSB or bare bottom?

[ebaybrad]

to DSB or not to DSB...that is the question...

 

[monkeyboy]

DSB all the way, do a search on the board, you'll find all you need.

 

[MIKE NY1]

I have done both and bare bottom is more maintainence because of the siphoning to keep it clean. In a DSB the critters do the cleaning and more importantly I think it's healthier and looks better.

Mike

 

[albee1947]

We have some customers that are bare bottom. I figure the amount of rock vs the gallonage and a good refugium, You don't need sand, Maybe not even a refugium. I have over 600lbs in my 300 and another 300lbs in the sump. Do i need sand. I don't know? 900 lbs of rock, That would probably be enough filtration, along with a great EtS skimmer. What do you think.
Bare bottoms are surely clean looking.

[ January 07, 2002: Message edited by: albee1947 ]</p>

 

[HARRISON]

This is one of the topics that I kinda go against the norm. I don't think a DSB is necessary. I also don't really care for the looks of it in a show tank. I don't like the bare bottom either. In my opinion (and some research) I have concluded that most of the work is done in the top inch of sand. The rest is somewhat anerobic and can even hold bad stuff. I will not get in over my head here. I will just say that I have a little less than an inch of sand in my show tank. This gives it a nice look and reflects light well. It also gives home to fauna and bacteria. The sump does have a 3 inch DSB. No one has to see the nasty bottom layers and it doesn't get stirred to much so it gets a chance to break everything down without releasing too much bad stuff. So I have it and I don't.

HARRISON

 

[dmentnich]

I say DSB.

If you go with a DSB keep in mind that there are a lot of "critters" and fish which you should not keep with it. (crabs, sand sifter stars, coral banded, peppermint shrimp, jawfish or gobies that "stir" the sand,) and the list goes on and on. Just a thought to keep in mind.

 

[witchdoctor]

I vaguely recall an article in AFM, I think, where some one looked at that. If you use ORP as a measure of success, the bare bottom was vastly superior, as he was able to maintain an ORP over 25% higher in the bare bottom tank. During the course of the experiment, it didn't really seem to matter, though. Both tank did just as well, no obvious difference in livestock health.

The only thing is, I really don't like the look of a bare bottom tank. Personally, I much prefer the appearance of at least some sand on the bottom. Looks much more natural to me.

 

[McReef1]

Go with a bare bottom only if you like the look a lot better AND you have a DSB in your sump and/or refugium! Just my opinion.

Good luck,

McReef

 

[M.E.Milz]

Another vote for DSB's. IMO, the extra biological diversity and filtering capacity added by the DSB (and the critters that live in it) can only improve the health of the reef tank. Since, first using a DSB in my reef tank, I have added them to each of my FOWLR tanks. All of my tanks seem to be much healtheir as a result. By the way, I have come to like the look of healthy, active DSB (although vistors do ask why I don't "clean" it).

 

[2poor2reef]

I think it depends what biotope you are recreating. I have one tank that I run bare bottom where I try to recreate a reef crest. It turns 60x/hr. No substrate would stay on the bottom of that tank and all detritus stays in suspension so I never have to clean the bottom. It has an attached refugium with a dsb and the nitrates in that system are not measurable. In terms of looking natural there is no sand bed at the crest of a reef so I don't think that's an issue either. Pick your biotope, then plan EVERYTHING around that. Including substrate or lack thereof.

 

[Anonymous]

DSB.

Requires zero maintenance and does a heck of a job of removing NO3.

ty

 

[Lknapp]

I agree with 2poor. You can't make the decision without knowing what environment your looking to recreate. Once you've decided the environment not only will that dictate whether or not to use a dsb but also what other organisms you can successfully keep in the tank.

 

[Anonymous]

Pick your biotope, then plan EVERYTHING around that. Including substrate or lack thereof.

Could not agree more. I try myself for a sand zone patch reef, so I use a sand substrate; but conversely, not all that much rock (about 45 lbs of marshall island in a 60g).

 

[cindywennin]

I have had a bare bottom for 5 years now. There seems to be a bit more work involved in keeping the bottom clean. I am in the process of setting up a new 75g and plan on having a sandbed. So after the 75g is set-up and running for a while I will be able to compare maintenance issues. Reason for going to the sandbed: I am tired of siphoning detrius! And I think it will look more natural with the sand.