2012 are deep sand beds still viable for nitrate reduction?

[coffeetwitch]

hello everyone.

currently have biopellets but have not seen any positive results. so im thinking about redoing my sump and allowing almost 1/3-1/2 of it for the dsb and fuge section. i dont know if deep sand beds are still a viable means of filtration and nitrate reduction.

thanks guys and gals

 

[Grizz]

Well Mother nature still uses it, So it cant be all bad.

 

[Wy Renegade]

I don't think the basic science has changed any, athough we've certainly learned a lot more about proper set-up and maintanence.

 

[coffeetwitch]

by proper set up do you mean 3-5 inches of fine sand (pool filter sand or sugar fine?) with proper sand stirring organisms and detritus eating organisms? and said organisms are part of the maintenance?

do you have an article that you recommend for understanding what is needed for a properly set up dsb and maintenance?

 

[Hondatek]

I personally think the space the sand takes up could be put to better use. My whole display is a dsb and I honestly think it does nothing. It works for the ocean but I think the lack of microfauna in home aquariums makes a remote dsb not very efficient and not worth trouble of maintaining it. Jmo

 

[CorallineAlgae]

I ran two in-sump DSB systems for many years and had great results with both. The best thing about having them in the sump is you can always change things without disturbing the display tank. I advocate in favor of it. Granted, I never had a large fish population in any system. If you're looking to handle a heavy population of fish it may not be the best option. Large amounts I'd detritus don't help a DSB.

I don't have an article link but I'd also love to read a good one if somebody else can post one.

 

[coffeetwitch]

I personally think the space the sand takes up could be put to better use. My whole display is a dsb and I honestly think it does nothing. It works for the ocean but I think the lack of microfauna in home aquariums makes a remote dsb not very efficient and not worth trouble of maintaining it. Jmo

what could the space be better used for?

I ran two in-sump DSB systems for many years and had great results with both. The best thing about having them in the sump is you can always change things without disturbing the display tank. I advocate in favor of it. Granted, I never had a large fish population in any system. If you're looking to handle a heavy population of fish it may not be the best option. Large amounts I'd detritus don't help a DSB.

I don't have an article link but I'd also love to read a good one if somebody else can post one.[/QUOTE


plain old ugly sea cucumbers are supposed to be great with detritus

 

[Hondatek]

A pump powered scrubber even though you may be able to do both that's what I was thinking . Even just tossing a ton of cheato would be better than a remote dsb IMO. I can honestly say the algae scrubber is the best thing I have done in all my fish keeping ever lol. My trates haven't moved for the past 4-5 months and I am doing smaller pwcs every week and still feeding my fish 2x a day. I can't really say enough about how well these work. Also you have the advantages of not needing animals to maintain it and no chance of that toxic gas ever escaping . I will never run another tank without one. Ime standard fuge or remote dsb can not hold a candle to the power of an ats when it comes to trate reduction . Jmo

 

[danbstrong]

hello everyone.

currently have biopellets but have not seen any positive results. so im thinking about redoing my sump and allowing almost 1/3-1/2 of it for the dsb and fuge section. i dont know if deep sand beds are still a viable means of filtration and nitrate reduction.

thanks guys and gals

How long have you ran your biopellets it takes at least a month for them to start being effective i thought they worked very well so well in fact that my macro and xenia started dieing off

 

[coffeetwitch]

A pump powered scrubber even though you may be able to do both that's what I was thinking . Even just tossing a ton of cheato would be better than a remote dsb IMO. I can honestly say the algae scrubber is the best thing I have done in all my fish keeping ever lol. My trates haven't moved for the past 4-5 months and I am doing smaller pwcs every week and still feeding my fish 2x a day. I can't really say enough about how well these work. Also you have the advantages of not needing animals to maintain it and no chance of that toxic gas ever escaping . I will never run another tank without one. Ime standard fuge or remote dsb can not hold a candle to the power of an ats when it comes to trate reduction . Jmo

your right.

How long have you ran your biopellets it takes at least a month for them to start being effective i thought they worked very well so well in fact that my macro and xenia started dieing off

first time i tried pellets was for 4 months... no change. this time about a month and a half

 

[danbstrong]

hello everyone.

currently have biopellets but have not seen any positive results. so im thinking about redoing my sump and allowing almost 1/3-1/2 of it for the dsb and fuge section. i dont know if deep sand beds are still a viable means of filtration and nitrate reduction.

thanks guys and gals

Oh ok thought maybe you werent running them long enough but sounds like you did thats odd they worked great for me in fact to well i took them off

 

[danbstrong]

hello everyone.

currently have biopellets but have not seen any positive results. so im thinking about redoing my sump and allowing almost 1/3-1/2 of it for the dsb and fuge section. i dont know if deep sand beds are still a viable means of filtration and nitrate reduction.

thanks guys and gals

Back to original question imo dsb will aid in reducing nitrate

 

[Madreefer420]

I'm curious about your bio pellet reactor as I have A dsb and have added a reactor and I have noticed huge improvements also Dsb helped a lot with the nitrates key is good seeding and no sand sifter star fishs or other predatory animals that eat the beneficial organisms in the sandbed

 

[coffeetwitch]

I have read many mixed results about bio pellets. For me it didn't help. Even after trying to increase feeding to feed the bacteria.

I have used two different reactors. First was the two little fishies phosban then the brs phos/pellet reactor. The brs reactor is junk, both for phosphate media and pellets. So I went back to 2lf reactor.

 

[Madreefer420]

Yea I have the 2lfr seems ok I think I need a bigger pump but I only run like 1/3 of what they said and it seems to be doing its job the increase in food that it produces seems to be bring coloured back to most of my corals

 

[stagert86]

I have read many mixed results about bio pellets. For me it didn't help. Even after trying to increase feeding to feed the bacteria.

I have used two different reactors. First was the two little fishies phosban then the brs phos/pellet reactor. The brs reactor is junk, both for phosphate media and pellets. So I went back to 2lf reactor.

Why did you think the brs reactor was junk? Just curious because I recently purchased it and haven't had trouble... Yet!

 

[coffeetwitch]

Why did you think the brs reactor was junk? Just curious because I recently purchased it and haven't had trouble... Yet!

The pellets didn't tumble as well as they did in the 2lf reactor. This was with a maxijet 1200 as the supply pump and then latter a tee off my return line. I have a ball valve after the tee and a quiet-one 2200 as the return and had the valve closed all the way just for giggles. Still lousy. It got clogged often. Tried a few of the recommended mods for it and still wasn't impressed. When I had it for gfo it was the same miserable poor tumble. I am glad that its working for you. Junk for me.