Opinion On Bare Bottom Tanks

[PockX]

I personally don't have any but I was wondering how much BB is stored in the substrate compared to media? I moving in about 2 months and am going to remove my substrate (play sand) and was thinking about just leaving it out for ease of cleaning since I will have an oscar and pleco in the tank which are very messy and produce alot of waste. I do like the more natural look, but I was just wondering who has bare bottoms or other views on them. Thanks!

 

[Nathandohnt]

It does hold a lot actually but if you have good media in your filter it shouldn't matter if you take your substrate out. It will be easier to clean lol. If you have a small filter just make a DIY external filter for you tank. So you can put more media for more BB

 

[PockX]

It does hold a lot actually but if you have good media in your filter it shouldn't matter if you take your substrate out. It will be easier to clean lol. If you have a small filter just make a DIY external filter for you tank. So you can put more media for more BB

Alright. I would probably another filter too then, just for more media too. And it would need it lol.

 

[Nathandohnt]

It should be fine but make sure you atleast cycle the new filter before taking out the substrate just to be safe

 

[PockX]

It should be fine but make sure you atleast cycle the new filter before taking out the substrate just to be safe

Of course.. Thanks for the input!

 

[Nathandohnt]

No worries mate

 

[PockX]

Anyone else have a view on it? Lol

 

[egrape]

I would say in an already established tank, you will be fine. it definitely does make cleaning easier! but definitely do the new filter thing.

 

[Rivercats]

I ran a bare bottom tank for over 2 years and it did great. For messy fish it keeps the water so much cleaner as there is no substrate to get a mulm buildup.

 

[PockX]

I ran a bare bottom tank for over 2 years and it did great. For messy fish it keeps the water so much cleaner as there is no substrate to get a mulm buildup.

What'd you have in it? What size was the tank? I'm gonna keep my smaller tanks with substrate (10 & 29) cuz it's not a big deal for them.

 

[Rivercats]

In the late 80's I had a 100g that my son had an oscar and something (just can't remember). No substrate worked great but you have to have good filtration with good water flow to keep the detris from settling. That way your filter/s can pick most everything up. If there is anything on the bottom just suction it up during a WC. The past couple years I'm have a 20L barebottom that had small fish in it.

 

[PockX]

Okay, awesome.