SSB, the good and the bad?

vthondaboi · 01/25/2006, 06:48 PM

So what's bad and good about a shallow sand bed?

Been thinking about barebottom but the crap covered gunk doesn't appeal to me much.

vthondaboi · 01/25/2006, 09:52 PM

no one?

cato · 01/25/2006, 09:55 PM

I've got one too. Would also like to know pros/cons as well.

vthondaboi · 01/25/2006, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by chirocato
I've got one too. Would also like to know pros/cons as well.

How is yours doing? Anything you wish would have been done differently?

reefD · 01/25/2006, 10:05 PM

it can be done. never had one but seen them set up in beautiful tanks.

Sindjin · 01/25/2006, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Been thinking about barebottom but the crap covered gunk doesn't appeal to me much.

The idea of a BB is to siphon out detritus when it accumulates. I siphon mine once a week with a water change. So there really is no crap covered gunk unless you have poor husbandry. WHich sort of leads me to SSB or DSB... all the gunk you refer to in THOSE systems will end up decaying in the sand bed and eventually could be released back into the water. So the question is.... do you want to remove the gunk out of your house or sweep it under the rug?

raddogz · 01/25/2006, 10:32 PM

If you are dilligent in vacuuming debris/detritus from the sand bed I think they can work quite well.

My experience so far has been with the extremes though.

In my 7gallon I had put in a one inch sandbed and battling cyano, bryopsis, and all kinds if ickies. I put down another inch of sand and the only bit of algae I get now is bryopsis.

I was battling cyano in our 155g tank, and added about an inch plus, and the cyano seemed to disappear over time (two months).

vthondaboi · 01/26/2006, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sindjin
The idea of a BB is to siphon out detritus when it accumulates. I siphon mine once a week with a water change. So there really is no crap covered gunk unless you have poor husbandry. WHich sort of leads me to SSB or DSB... all the gunk you refer to in THOSE systems will end up decaying in the sand bed and eventually could be released back into the water. So the question is.... do you want to remove the gunk out of your house or sweep it under the rug?

not just the "crap" but the starboard getts coverd in algae and coraline and etc that's un attractive IMHO

dirtyreefer · 01/26/2006, 10:46 AM

SSB is probably the least effective way of nutrient control. I have a SSB but it probably requires the most maintenance, however I hate the look of BB and I am not a firm believer in DSB so I chose something in between for aestetics purposes only.

SSB is not deep enough to absorb the nitrates and phosphates like a DSB does, but yet it traps detrius (which is unable to be skimmed out) unlike a BB tank. I vacuum my sandbed whenever I see the slightest bit of brown on it (probably every 2 weeks) with a water change, and then sometimes I'll rinse out the sand and put it back in. If you just leave it there, it becomes a detrius trap.

vthondaboi · 01/26/2006, 10:50 AM

So I guess a SSB is doable if I stirred i up every once in a while?

My nitrates now are at 0, but then again I only feed once a week.

smiller · 01/26/2006, 11:15 AM

http://www.oregonreef.com/index.html

IMO this is the nicest tank on RC....at least that I have seen.

http://www.oregonreef.com/sub_maintenance.htm

Cleaning the sand:
I try to remove as much detritus from the system as possible before it can pollute the tank. My circulation system tends to blow detritus to the center canyon of the aquascaping (which is by design). It is then easily vacuumed up. I vacuum the sand at least once a week. The process is very quick and easyÃ¢â‚¬Â¦.. I just slide the light hood out of the way and vacuum the entire sand area. This usually takes about two 5 gallon buckets to perform. I then let the vacuumed water, sand, detritus, and other waste settle for about ten minutes in the bucket before I decant the water back into the overflow. Some waste gets back into the system; but, 90% or more of the waste gets totally removed.

Check out The Worm Incident just for grins.

cato · 01/28/2006, 09:28 AM

I pretty much went with a 2" sand bed for aesthetics only. But being new to SW I had no idea as to the functions the sand bed had. Live and learn I guess. Definitely food for thought.

keefsama2003 · 01/28/2006, 09:50 AM

i have a ssb in my display with black sand and my 90gal fuge has about 12" araganite with live rock and macro in it for export.

01/25/2006, 06:48 PM	#1
vthondaboi Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 916	SSB, the good and the bad? So what's bad and good about a shallow sand bed? Been thinking about barebottom but the crap covered gunk doesn't appeal to me much.

01/25/2006, 09:52 PM	#2
vthondaboi Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 916	no one? __________________ 250G - 75G Sump, ATB 10.5 deluxe, ACIII, 72 Cree LEDs, 2xMP40ES and 2x6055, Eheim 1262 return, and PM Calcium Reactor Current Tank Info: 90G, Aquactinics Solar Flare, Tunze 6045, 2x6055 single controller and Nano Wavebox, Alpha Cone 170 - 75G Aquactinic TX5, Tunze 6025 & Remora

01/25/2006, 09:55 PM	#3
cato New England Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: CT Posts: 5,450	I've got one too. Would also like to know pros/cons as well. __________________ -Cato I swear it's an illness... Current Tank Info: On Hiatus

01/25/2006, 10:05 PM	#5
reefD Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Schenectady,New York Posts: 4,968	it can be done. never had one but seen them set up in beautiful tanks. __________________ DAVID Current Tank Info: it has four sides and a bottom...oh yeah and it has water in it. lol

01/25/2006, 10:32 PM	#7
raddogz Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Bay Area Posts: 3,167	If you are dilligent in vacuuming debris/detritus from the sand bed I think they can work quite well. My experience so far has been with the extremes though. In my 7gallon I had put in a one inch sandbed and battling cyano, bryopsis, and all kinds if ickies. I put down another inch of sand and the only bit of algae I get now is bryopsis. I was battling cyano in our 155g tank, and added about an inch plus, and the cyano seemed to disappear over time (two months). __________________ Eileen If at first you don't succeed, failure may be your style. - Quentin Crisp Current Tank Info: 180g Reef

01/26/2006, 10:46 AM	#9
dirtyreefer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Vancouver Canada Posts: 2,221	SSB is probably the least effective way of nutrient control. I have a SSB but it probably requires the most maintenance, however I hate the look of BB and I am not a firm believer in DSB so I chose something in between for aestetics purposes only. SSB is not deep enough to absorb the nitrates and phosphates like a DSB does, but yet it traps detrius (which is unable to be skimmed out) unlike a BB tank. I vacuum my sandbed whenever I see the slightest bit of brown on it (probably every 2 weeks) with a water change, and then sometimes I'll rinse out the sand and put it back in. If you just leave it there, it becomes a detrius trap.

01/26/2006, 10:50 AM	#10
vthondaboi Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 916	So I guess a SSB is doable if I stirred i up every once in a while? My nitrates now are at 0, but then again I only feed once a week. __________________ 250G - 75G Sump, ATB 10.5 deluxe, ACIII, 72 Cree LEDs, 2xMP40ES and 2x6055, Eheim 1262 return, and PM Calcium Reactor Current Tank Info: 90G, Aquactinics Solar Flare, Tunze 6045, 2x6055 single controller and Nano Wavebox, Alpha Cone 170 - 75G Aquactinic TX5, Tunze 6025 & Remora

01/26/2006, 11:15 AM	#11
smiller Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 9,207	http://www.oregonreef.com/index.html IMO this is the nicest tank on RC....at least that I have seen. http://www.oregonreef.com/sub_maintenance.htm Cleaning the sand: I try to remove as much detritus from the system as possible before it can pollute the tank. My circulation system tends to blow detritus to the center canyon of the aquascaping (which is by design). It is then easily vacuumed up. I vacuum the sand at least once a week. The process is very quick and easyÃ¢â‚¬Â¦.. I just slide the light hood out of the way and vacuum the entire sand area. This usually takes about two 5 gallon buckets to perform. I then let the vacuumed water, sand, detritus, and other waste settle for about ten minutes in the bucket before I decant the water back into the overflow. Some waste gets back into the system; but, 90% or more of the waste gets totally removed. Check out The Worm Incident just for grins. __________________ Steve It's good to learn from your experiences. It's better to learn from other's experiences.

01/28/2006, 09:28 AM	#12
cato New England Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: CT Posts: 5,450	I pretty much went with a 2" sand bed for aesthetics only. But being new to SW I had no idea as to the functions the sand bed had. Live and learn I guess. Definitely food for thought. __________________ -Cato I swear it's an illness... Current Tank Info: On Hiatus

01/28/2006, 09:50 AM	#13
keefsama2003 Registered Member. Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: long island Ny Posts: 3,635	i have a ssb in my display with black sand and my 90gal fuge has about 12" araganite with live rock and macro in it for export. __________________ { Something witty and entertaining } Current Tank Info: 300g / 90gal sump / 90 gal refugium / 3x54watt T5 bulbs