I have never had a bare bottom reef tank but that is going to change with this new aquarium. Why, well, strong flow is very important for SPS since it helps to deliver nutrients and with a peninsula tank I think it will be a real challenge to keep sand in place.

The plan at this point is to have all of my re-circulating pumps on the end of the tank so those pumps will be cranked up, a lot, to deliver enough flow across the six foot long tank.

In the past I have resisted a bare bottom since I like the look of sand in a reef tank. However, nearly all of my sand beds in the past have developed bare spots due to high flow in the tanks and it has been a pain to keep refreshing those spots.

Another reason I favor sand beds is due to my affection for wrasses. Most wrasses require sand, including Leopard Wrasses, my favorite type of wrasse.

Here is a third reason why I have favored sand beds in the past: they provide another home for bacteria and act as an additional biological filter for the tank. This is a good thing since the bacteria do the heavy lifting when it comes to removing and recycling excess nutrients, as they absorb ammonia and phosphates found in fish and invertebrate waste.

However, I am starting this tank with very porous live rock, a great home for bacteria, and I should be able to easily spot and remove detritus without any sand around.

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