Bare Bottom Biocube?

thefranchizehof · 02/12/2015, 05:11 PM

Hey guys,

I got my JBJ 28 Biocube with the best LEDs prepped and ready to go. I should be adding water this weekend.

I would love to have your guys opinions on going "BARE BOTTOM" on this tank.

I am really leaning toward the Berlin style with this tank. I do like the way sand looks, but my first tank was a 75 gallon with sand and I was kinda wanting to try something completely different.

No matter how much research I do there seems to be a great divide between sand and bare bottom.

I love the idea of doing high flow and no sand. I read that it will keep detritus and other debris suspended and help keep the tank clean.

I've also read that sand offers benefits such as pH buffering.

I would LOVE to hear from people you have experience with bare bottom especially in biocubes. But if you have had sand and bare bottom I would also love to hear what your opinion is. Anything helps with making this decision!

Hentz · 02/12/2015, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thefranchizehof

Hey guys,

I got my JBJ 28 Biocube with the best LEDs prepped and ready to go. I should be adding water this weekend.

I would love to have your guys opinions on going "BARE BOTTOM" on this tank.

I am really leaning toward the Berlin style with this tank. I do like the way sand looks, but my first tank was a 75 gallon with sand and I was kinda wanting to try something completely different.

No matter how much research I do there seems to be a great divide between sand and bare bottom.

I love the idea of doing high flow and no sand. I read that it will keep detritus and other debris suspended and help keep the tank clean.

I've also read that sand offers benefits such as pH buffering.

I would LOVE to hear from people you have experience with bare bottom especially in biocubes. But if you have had sand and bare bottom I would also love to hear what your opinion is. Anything helps with making this decision!

I've only owned a NanoCube, very similar to the Biocube. I used sand of course, though it was a used tank so I had sand from the previous owner..

Now on to the important part -- SAND or NO SAND?!
Good question.

Sand is great, looks great, feels great.... Though it just seems to be a pain in the butt sometimes. I had sand in my 75 SPS dominant tank and ended up removing it. Doing so allowed me to feed a lot more and easily collect the left overs. Also allowed me to maximize my flow throughout the tank for my SPS corals.

Downgraded, now I'm in an IM Fusion 40.. I added sand to it and I couldn't be happier. The tank looks a lot more like a lot better IMO. Once you remove the sand, you get this dark grungy feel to a tank, unless you add white starboard or what not to the bottom.

When it comes down to it, BOTH WAYS WILL WORK! Add sand, don't add sand. Either way, you will find a way to maximize your flow and do what you need. So what it really comes down to, which do you like the look of BEST? Keep in mind, going BB you will see detritus build-up.

vinnnocc · 02/12/2015, 07:12 PM

i have a biocube 29 i went bare bottom i like the way it looks and a lot corals in the sea aren't even on the sand..
at night the corals pop more.
i have coralline on my bottom glass
i have corals and coralline growing under the rock (i made a cave) due to the light reflecting off the glass

much easier to clean my mp-10 is on about half way don't have to worry about stirring up sand.image.jpg

pow400 · 02/12/2015, 07:18 PM

I prefer the sandbed look in my pico but as you can see in Vinnocc's tank no sand bed can look really nice if you do it right.

vinnnocc · 02/12/2015, 07:52 PM

thanks pow400.

i think its really personal preference. also with BB you cant keep some fish and invertebrates

its your tank something your gonna build and look at for years. make it how you want. can also change things

pache11 · 02/13/2015, 04:14 AM

I have a sand bottom about 3 in deep, and I keep goby/pistol shrimp pairs. Keep the sand nice and clean and never looks the same each month.

http://youtu.be/YxwZAG1faTo

thefranchizehof · 02/13/2015, 01:36 PM

Thanks for all the great replies and input everyone.

Vinnnocc's does look great! I am very torn. My favorite fish is a Diamond Goby so I really am leaning toward doing sand. Might just do an inch sand bed. I got some great Aragonite 2.0-5.0 mm from West Mariculture and I've just been on the fence.

My fiance's input was: "it's not fair to the fishes and corals to not have sand" lmao

ExpensiveHobby · 02/13/2015, 02:10 PM

Had sand for 10 years in 8 different tanks, went barebottom two weeks ago. Not looking back. I was sort of forced though because my tank is only 12 inches of water so to use 3 inches of sand was a pretty big deal and waste of space. i like cranking up the vortech to maximum before water changes to suspend all detritus in the tank

thefranchizehof · 02/16/2015, 05:43 PM

I decided to go sand again

pache11 · 02/20/2015, 03:35 AM

Get a goby/pistol pair. The fun never ends

02/12/2015, 05:11 PM	#1
thefranchizehof Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: North Canton, OH Posts: 144	Bare Bottom Biocube? Hey guys, I got my JBJ 28 Biocube with the best LEDs prepped and ready to go. I should be adding water this weekend. I would love to have your guys opinions on going "BARE BOTTOM" on this tank. I am really leaning toward the Berlin style with this tank. I do like the way sand looks, but my first tank was a 75 gallon with sand and I was kinda wanting to try something completely different. No matter how much research I do there seems to be a great divide between sand and bare bottom. I love the idea of doing high flow and no sand. I read that it will keep detritus and other debris suspended and help keep the tank clean. I've also read that sand offers benefits such as pH buffering. I would LOVE to hear from people you have experience with bare bottom especially in biocubes. But if you have had sand and bare bottom I would also love to hear what your opinion is. Anything helps with making this decision! __________________ Sean "I don't always go to reef shops, but when I do, I spend money I shouldn't."

02/13/2015, 01:36 PM	#7
thefranchizehof Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: North Canton, OH Posts: 144	Thanks for all the great replies and input everyone. Vinnnocc's does look great! I am very torn. My favorite fish is a Diamond Goby so I really am leaning toward doing sand. Might just do an inch sand bed. I got some great Aragonite 2.0-5.0 mm from West Mariculture and I've just been on the fence. My fiance's input was: "it's not fair to the fishes and corals to not have sand" lmao __________________ Sean "I don't always go to reef shops, but when I do, I spend money I shouldn't."

02/13/2015, 02:10 PM	#8
ExpensiveHobby Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Baltimore Metro Posts: 834	Had sand for 10 years in 8 different tanks, went barebottom two weeks ago. Not looking back. I was sort of forced though because my tank is only 12 inches of water so to use 3 inches of sand was a pretty big deal and waste of space. i like cranking up the vortech to maximum before water changes to suspend all detritus in the tank __________________ -Custom 4'x3'x16" rimless display tank. 3 Ocean Revive T247's, BRS Dual Reactors, ASM G4XX Skimmer, Hydor Smart Wave System, JBJ A-T-O, BRS Dosers. -Custom 6'x10"x10" fowlr, cadlights skimmer, Curr

02/16/2015, 05:43 PM	#9
thefranchizehof Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: North Canton, OH Posts: 144	I decided to go sand again __________________ Sean "I don't always go to reef shops, but when I do, I spend money I shouldn't."

02/12/2015, 07:12 PM	#3
vinnnocc Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: west haven CT Posts: 60	i have a biocube 29 i went bare bottom i like the way it looks and a lot corals in the sea aren't even on the sand.. at night the corals pop more. i have coralline on my bottom glass i have corals and coralline growing under the rock (i made a cave) due to the light reflecting off the glass much easier to clean my mp-10 is on about half way don't have to worry about stirring up sand.image.jpg

02/12/2015, 07:18 PM	#4
pow400 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 66	I prefer the sandbed look in my pico but as you can see in Vinnocc's tank no sand bed can look really nice if you do it right.

02/12/2015, 07:52 PM	#5
vinnnocc Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: west haven CT Posts: 60	thanks pow400. i think its really personal preference. also with BB you cant keep some fish and invertebrates its your tank something your gonna build and look at for years. make it how you want. can also change things

02/13/2015, 04:14 AM	#6
pache11 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North Aurora, IL Posts: 69	I have a sand bottom about 3 in deep, and I keep goby/pistol shrimp pairs. Keep the sand nice and clean and never looks the same each month. http://youtu.be/YxwZAG1faTo

02/20/2015, 03:35 AM	#10
pache11 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North Aurora, IL Posts: 69	Get a goby/pistol pair. The fun never ends