Deep Sand Bed System - Should it be cleaned out /disturbed

[lpchew]

Hi, my name is Andrew from Sydney. I am thinking of setting up a Deep Sand Bed system in my 5 foot aquarium which will house mainly corals.
The aquarium has a sump tank that is currrently running on Matrix medium only. Is Matrix material effective as a medium for the required microorganisms to grow and does it perform reliably? I was told that its pores get blocked up after a while.

When I set up a Deep Sand Bed in the bottom of the main Aquarium, should I clean it periodically with a gravel cleaner tube, when I counduct water change or should I not disturb it at all? I was told that I should try and remove as much dirt/fish waste from the sand when I conduct water changes.

Thanks,

Andrew

 

[trido]

bump

 

[Anonymous]

:welcome:

When I set up a Deep Sand Bed in the bottom of the main Aquarium, should I clean it periodically with a gravel cleaner tube, when I counduct water change or should I not disturb it at all? I was told that I should try and remove as much dirt/fish waste from the sand when I conduct water changes.

Hey Andrew, I don't know anything about Matrix, so I cant speak to that.

As for cleaning the DSB, you will get many opinion on the matter. Some say do it, some say don't, some say you should replace the bed every so often. I wish I could give you an easy answer, but the best I can come up with is do a search on DSB and read read read then make your own decision.

I am not a fan of DSB's, though they work for some people, but I am on the side that thinks getting as much gunk out of the tank is preferable to leaving it.

 

[moggyhill]

I do not clean my dsb. The reasoning behind having one to begin with is to get the bacteria going. Whenever you disturb the dsb you disturb the bacteria and risk having an ammonia and nitrate spike in your tank. I leave mine alone and the only disruption to it is from the worms and other things that plow throught it.

 

[Anonymous]

The reasoning behind having one to begin with is to get the bacteria going. Whenever you disturb the dsb you disturb the bacteria and risk having an ammonia and nitrate spike in your tank.

The idea that disturbing the bed can disturb the bacteria is muchly debated.

 

[Anonymous]

The sandbed debate is assuming the proportions of the "which came first, the chicken or the egg" question :lol:

My personal opinion, and opinion only mind you, is that I use a gravel cleaner in the first inch or so of the DSB to take off any surface detrius.

 

[PikachuSalad]

Andrew,

Is this the stuff you were talking about?
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem. ... uct=SC3171

How is it working for YOU?

A lot of people on these forums feel that good circulation, live rock, and a good skimmer is all the bio-filtration you need, and are against wet/dry filters (mostly bio-balls) since if not cared for properly they can trap detrius (that would be removed if it was in a filter pad or the collection cup of your skimmer) that rots and is quickly and efficiently processed into nitrates (and no further since there's nowhere for the anerobic bacteria, that would convert the nitrates to nitrogen gas, to live - the same bacteria that, from what I undersatand, a DSB is meant to provide a home for) [at least that's the way I, a total noob, understand it]

Are you doing any sort of maintenance to this matrix stuff? Using a prefilter? Sorry to get off the subject of DSBs...but you DID ask about this stuff too, which peaked my interest.

 

[lpchew]

I would like to thank everyone for their help and advice.

I was using the biological filter medium, "Matirx" in a fish only tank but found that I can only keep a maximum of 15 fishes in a 5 foot tank.
There are 2 pre-filters before the Matrix and I clean the Matrix material with tank water periodically to prevent clogging up. I also had a protein skimmer and 100kg of life rock. Found this system not very stable.

I have dicided to reset the whole tank to change it to a mini reef tank.
I was torn between Plenum or DSB and finally decided to go with Plenum as even if there is no benifit, there is no harm either. I don't want to have to reset the tank again if I find that it has benefits. Took a lot of work and time to make the Plenum though. I will put in the sand next week and we will see what happens in 6 months time. Will keep everyone posted.

I believe that the wet and dry bio ball system is beneficial for a heavily stocked tank with large amount of fishes. I hope to set up one in the future as I love the large angles and the Golden Butterfly fishes.
For the time being, I will try to make this mini reef system florish.

I will be buying a chiller and metal halide but can't affor a Calcuim reactor for the time being.

Andrew

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Andrew,

Is this the stuff you were talking about?
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem. ... uct=SC3171

How is it working for YOU?

A lot of people on these forums feel that good circulation, live rock, and a good skimmer is all the bio-filtration you need, and are against wet/dry filters (mostly bio-balls) since if not cared for properly they can trap detrius (that would be removed if it was in a filter pad or the collection cup of your skimmer) that rots and is quickly and efficiently processed into nitrates (and no further since there's nowhere for the anerobic bacteria, that would convert the nitrates to nitrogen gas, to live - the same bacteria that, from what I undersatand, a DSB is meant to provide a home for) [at least that's the way I, a total noob, understand it]

Are you doing any sort of maintenance to this matrix stuff? Using a prefilter? Sorry to get off the subject of DSBs...but you DID ask about this stuff too, which peaked my interest.