Contriversial subject

[michealprater]

My sand bed is 2 inches deep.

 

[alrmc4]

must be ok since it has worked for you for so long.

 

[michealprater]

The sand bed worked for the guy that owned the tank before me for 5 years. I never removed or disturbed the sand bed when we move the tank to my house. I kept it under about 1 inch of water when we transported it. I have had the tank up for about 2 to 3 years now. So the sand bed is pretty old. I dont give the sand bed much credit for the tanks health thought, I think 250 lbs of live rock in a 100 gallon tank has the most to do with it.

 

[SquishyFish]

Would never take that risk!!!!!!!!

Just like alot of things that arent fully understood, there is alot of people out there who just jump on one side of the issue or the other w/o much else than informataion from a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend and then preach that as gospel. While there is evidence linking what is know as OTS to DSB's...No one, including the "experts," know why it occurs, how to stop it, or if it is really linked to DSB. It appears to be, but with out a direct cause, we cant say for sure. I know people who have had DSB's for years with no problem. The research I have done says that in fauna solves most of the DSB problems. The main issue that seems to be the focus is that it becomes a "sink" for heavy metals and/or it becomes stagnant.

2 easy solutions.
1. infauna to prevent stagnation
2. slowly (over a year or two) replace the old sand w/ new cultured sand. This prevents it from becoming a sink and removes the metals. To me..if the proper precations are taken, a DSB is well worth the effort. But again...thats only my opinion. (with a little research thrown in)

Squishy

 

[michealprater]

While there is evidence linking what is know as OTS to DSB's...No one, including the "experts," know why it occurs, how to stop it, or if it is really linked to DSB.

Doesnt this statement contridict its self? There if evidence it happens to dsb's, but they dont know if it is linked to dsb's????

 

[SquishyFish]

While there is evidence linking what is know as OTS to DSB's...No one, including the "experts," know why it occurs, how to stop it, or if it is really linked to DSB.

Doesnt this statement contridict its self? There if evidence it happens to dsb's, but they dont know if it is linked to dsb's????

Yep..your right. It does. Guess that was a case of my fingers not quite typing what my brain was thinking. Let me see if I can clairify.

Just because some one has a DSB for 7 years and it crashes for no explained reason does not mean that the DSb was the cause. It implys that it is a possible cause, and if this is seen frequently through out the hobby it is strong evidence that something about a DSB may cause an eventual crash...but, was the DSB properly maintained? Were there outside factors that caused the crash.

I guess what I am saying is that "linked to" does not constitute "evidence" and even then, is there something w/i those DSB's that caused the crash.


Does that make sense? We just need more info on if DSB's are the cause of the crash, and if so....why.

 

[michealprater]

What about barebottom tanks and SSB, have you seen them tanks crash? I certainly have heard of it happening. I have heard of all types of tanks crashing. Was it OTS, I'm not sure. I hate to comment much on something that has just been a opinion. I have never seen anyone that had a bit of hardcore evidence that even linked anything to OTS or that proved there was a such a thing as OTS. But that is a whole nother story. What are your water changing habits?

 

[SquishyFish]

I agree. Thats what I said..just in a different way. OTS and DSB's are a "controversial subject" and much of what is "known" is opinion. So...What do we know for sure?

1. Bare bottom tanks can crash Reason: Infinite
2. Shallow Sand beds can crash Reason: Again..unlimited
3. DSB's can crash Reason: Varied, but seems to point to the "sink "
theory, "lumping," and the "stagnant" theory.

So in other words...we dont know much.


And I would like to be clear....I'm not pushing one side over the other. I have a preference, but I think each side has pro's and con's.

 

[michealprater]

Fair enough.