Benefits of having a bare bottom tank

[Glene20]

Im setting up another tank. Thinking of making it bare bottom because of the ease of cleaning it. Is there any other advantages of having bare bottom?

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[Nils]

Personally, I think bare bottom tanks are hideous. Other than the fact that it's easier to clean there aren't any benefits I can think of. Just a bit of sand in there can't hurt, and if you ever decide to have plants then you can plant them in that. I personally wouldn't but it's up to you.

 

[Glene20]

But i heard sand can blick up filters. So im a bit sceptical about using sand

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[ImACoolguy]

But i heard sand can blick up filters. So im a bit sceptical about using sand

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I have sand in 6 tanks. As long as your intake is a couple inches from the sand you're fine.

Bare bottom is much easier to maintain though. Some discus owners do this and have lots of driftwood to maintain water quality and aesthetics.

There's also plenty of plants you can tie to rocks bs wood. And plenty that float as well.


Caleb

 

[Fresh2o]

I do bare bottom for hospital or QT. Easier to keep clean, observe fish, and to catch them. In the DT I like substrate.
From a maintenance perspective I can see why you would want a bare bottom tank.


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[Edvinne]

I heard that fish have trouble telling up from down in bare bottom tanks, besides a little gravel isn't that big prob..☺

 

[coralbandit]

I like BB because I am a breeder!
Besides all the reason mentioned BB is "better" as you have lost ZERO water volume to sand or gravel.
Most people don't really have 10 gallons in their 10 gallon tank.

 

[PoppaRyno]

I keep bare bottoms for my discus breeders.... I have never seen a fish/ or heard of onr struggle with up or down. Thats more of an equilibrium/swim bladder thing, i think.

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[Salukie]

If you paint the bottom of your tank (on the outside!), you avoid the mirror effect of bare bottom. I used acrylic paint. Worked awesome!

 

[Coyne]

I heard that fish have trouble telling up from down in bare bottom tanks, besides a little gravel isn't that big prob..☺

Don't believe everything you hear. In addition to visual cues, their swim bladders help keep them oriented. They're probably even able to detect the slight difference in pressure between the top and bottom.

Back on topic: while I have substrate in all of my display tanks, I can certainly appreciate the minimalist aesthetics that come with bare bottom tanks.

If you find a black bottom boring, they make paint that has a more textured look to it. I've seen it in grey and brown.


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[skylane]

I think think whatever tank style you choose is up to you, most of the time we must give purpose for our choices.
Some of the people on AA are experts and and are always here to help, I thank them. But I believe that it is better to encourage people by teaching them and sharing of knowledge is what attracts me here most.[emoji225]

 

[trennamw]

I've been impressed by the simple beauty of some bare bottomed tanks, with very well chosen rocks or driftwood.

I work for a countertop fabricator and think often about how beautiful the Quartz would look under, or even behind, a BB tank.

http://www.cambriausa.com/en/Designs/design-palette/summerhill/

But for practicality in a low maintenance community tank, I appreciate the ecosystem of substrate and plants.


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[MissGurnus]

Gravel wouldn't bother your filter if you're worried about clogging


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[Andy Sager]

As a breeder, I too go for the bare bottom approach for sanitary reasons. There are ways of decorating a "substrate-less" tank to make it more appealing to the human eye as well as providing security for the tank inhabitants. That said however, one of the benefits of some substrate is as a place for your nitrifying bacteria to adhere to. Tanks with good oxygenation and water flow will have BB all over the tank and not just in the filter. Also, due to the limited area for BB growth in a bare tank, you have to be very aware of your water chemistry. It can actually lead to more work on your part depending on the types of fish you have in the tank. So there are both pros and cons to the bare bottomed tank.

As for the post about the fish not being to discern up from down, this is just another example of the bad information that can get spread. There are blind fish that don't have any issues from knowing up from down so the notion that one with eyes will get confused is really kinda preposterous don't ya think?

Hope this helps

 

[Terrance]

Fish will not see their reflection when looking down at the bare bottom.

BB benefits: easier to clean and harder for waste to accumulate (excellent for monster fish or fish that produce a lot of waste), and more water volume and swimming space

BB just does not look good for freshwater IMO. Looks much better for reef tanks.


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