Live sand? Or bare bottom?

[LobsterParty000]

So as i am nearing the conclusion of my saltwater reef plan i had an idea, how would a bare bottom tank be? I thought to my self, that would be really cool looking but then i realized there would be some disadvantages, like i would probably need to buy more LR to support the bio load and to provide more housing that the sand was supposed to provide, also there would be a chance the rocks fall over and break my tank and cause leaks, but it would also be a lot easier to clean, so now im a little stuck. So what do you all think? Sorry that was a lot to take in, but your advice is much appreciated. Thank you for your time!

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[Mattyfelts]

im currently switching to barebottom.

 

[Mebbid]

Personally, I dislike the look of bare bottomed tanks. They are a little bit easier to clean, but just don't look as natural.

 

[gleach]

DSB..... But do it right if that's what you choose.

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[LobsterParty000]

Ok, what does DSB stand for?

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[BigRedsReefs10]

Deep sand bed, but IMHO more trouble than there worth. It's really just an aesthetic thing, if you like the look of sand then go sand, if you like the look of bb then go bb (starboard I believe it's called is a popular option for the bottom of bb tanks). If your worried about rocks falling, you can always use an epoxy to secure them together


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[gleach]

Yeah I've heard bad stories about DSB, but I've been successful thus far. Its not really a lot of trouble but it does take a bit more money to maintain And start up. The benefits are less work when it comes to substrate maintenance and it helps reduce nitrates. They can be an issue if they are not properly maintained. Probably about 100$ a year in recharge kits to keep the macro fauna doing it's job properly. If you go this rout be sure to research everything with a magnifying glass. It is important to get good quality sand with the proper surface area on each granual in order to allow the macro and micro fauna to sustain it properly. The depth of the sand bed is also important. If you want a good look at the fundamentals of a DSB I suggest you check out this video. How To Setup A Saltwater Aquarium Deep Sand Bed: http://youtu.be/jon6SDZ3uNU. This guy is pretty thurough in his explanation. He has a few videos relevant to the subject.




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[JessiNoel21]

I never had a problem with my DSB I had it for 15 yrs and never had to "recharge" it. I just made sure to clean the front glass part once a year. It was 7" and it was so fun watching the life in it.


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[Darylb]

I had a bare button tank and I hated it you see all the detrius and crap easier then again its still up to you whether you want to or not

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