The great bare bottom debate

[nematode]

If you want to go bare bottom and have sand sleeping wrasses you can make a sand box for them. get some medium sized sand (bigger than sugar) and place it in a little tub. for my 150 I used a clear plexiglass container from the container store 3 in tall x 3 wide in x 12 in long and placed it in the back of my tank behind rockwork filled with sand, and the wrasses slept in there- I think, I really never checked- but at least they had the option. Depending on your rockwork this can be a great option and completely invisible.

[Stolireef]

Originally Posted by nematode

If you want to go bare bottom and have sand sleeping wrasses you can make a sand box for them. get some medium sized sand (bigger than sugar) and place it in a little tub. for my 150 I used a clear plexiglass container from the container store 3 in tall x 3 wide in x 12 in long and placed it in the back of my tank behind rockwork filled with sand, and the wrasses slept in there- I think, I really never checked- but at least they had the option. Depending on your rockwork this can be a great option and completely invisible.

This is a really cool idea. I really wanted to keep a couple of fairy wrasses in my tank but figured it was out of the question with a bare bottom. It certainly wouldn't look any worse than my frag rack at the back of the tank.

[anthonys51]

Fairy wrasses don't need sand. They spin a web in rock


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CrayolaViolence]

Quick question. If you have encrusting sps growing on your glass, doesn't that potentially weaken the glass? I mean, coralline etches the glass pretty good and I could only imagine how deep larger, thicker, sps corals could get. I apologize if it's a dumb question but I was really curious.

FWIW I like both, sand and no sand. It's like aquascaping. A lot of rock or minimalist. It simply depends on what kind of look you are shooting for.

I have a deep sand bed in at least one tank and moderate in the other. I stir my sand on a regular basis, several times a week, in small spots, to keep the gunk from building up.

[GOSKN5]

My issue with sand was keeping it as clean as I wanted... it always seemed to have some diatoms or cyano in spots..

I painted the bottom white on a couple tanks and haven't looked back... still not sand... but gives a decent look..

With the amount of stuff I suck out weekly I can't imagine going back to sand....





Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[anthonys51]

Very nice tanks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[EdgeN]

Originally Posted by GOSKN5

My issue with sand was keeping it as clean as I wanted... it always seemed to have some diatoms or cyano in spots..

I painted the bottom white on a couple tanks and haven't looked back... still not sand... but gives a decent look..

With the amount of stuff I suck out weekly I can't imagine going back to sand....





Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Nice tanks, but it almost looks as if they're all frags that have been extremely well placed. How long has the tank been set up? Where's all the coralline algae at? If keeping the sand bed clean was such a task then I can't imagine how your keeping the rest of the tank spot free either. Hmm.

[GOSKN5]

It wasn't a task as in time consuming... just something I couldn't accomplish.. no matter what I tried the sand wasn't as clean as I wanted it..

The shallow tank was around 2 years old.. the other is only a year old..

I clean frequently even scraping the bottom.. I can show many examples of tanks without coraline algae... not an indicator of age IME...

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[JWClark]

What did you use on the bottom? Just plain white ceramic tile? I'm thinking of doing something similar.

Originally Posted by Mr. Brooks

[CrayolaViolence]

Originally Posted by EdgeN

Nice tanks, but it almost looks as if they're all frags that have been extremely well placed. How long has the tank been set up? Where's all the coralline algae at? If keeping the sand bed clean was such a task then I can't imagine how your keeping the rest of the tank spot free either. Hmm.

I disagree, they don't look like frags at all. What I see is a tank where the owner has a keen eye for detail and precision. Just as some people have a very organized, near surgical room clean home.

In all honestly EdgeN, your comment makes you sound jealous. I know I'm jealous of GosKn5's beautifully clean tank. I can't even organize a book shelf and make it look neat.

[Mr. Brooks]

Originally Posted by JWClark

What did you use on the bottom? Just plain white ceramic tile? I'm thinking of doing something similar.

I used travertine tile from Lowes. Worked out great! Just cut and place. No glue or mortor. The travertine looks like flat live rock, pretty natural looking for bare bottom.

[ca1ore]

I've been using those same tiles as frag mounts as well.

[JWClark]

Nice, glad I stumbled onto this. Converting my reefer 450 to bare bottom as we speak--currently has a freshwater planted tank after the previous reef. Long story short, thought I'd have to move but didn't. But now there is talk of going to West Point to teach...Can't wait to retire and stay put! 4 more years!

[Diana A]

How long has your tiles been in place? When was the last time you checked under the tiles?

[Mr. Brooks]

Tiles have been in place since the tank was set up about a year ago. I never lift the tiles. There's no cavity underneath so I'm not worried about detritus buildup.

I took a new picture today:



My iPhone is picking up the purple in the LED's. It's much more natural looking in person with a mix of algae including purple coralline.

[WatDatThing]

Originally Posted by Mr. Brooks

Tiles have been in place since the tank was set up about a year ago. I never lift the tiles. There's no cavity underneath so I'm not worried about detritus buildup.

I took a new picture today:



My iPhone is picking up the purple in the LED's. It's much more natural looking in person with a mix of algae including purple coralline.

Could be Tank Of the Month if it has sand....Just saying....XD

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

[CrayolaViolence]

I think the uniqueness could make it tank of the month. Individuality and creativity in the hobby needs to be celebrated more

[Mr. Brooks]

Originally Posted by CrayolaViolence

I think the uniqueness could make it tank of the month. Individuality and creativity in the hobby needs to be celebrated more

Thanks!

The image is picking up the tile shape, but in person its much less noticeable. Looks like a flat sheet of blue/white/purple.

Going barebottom allowed me to mount four MP40's on the bottom glass pointing up. They pull fish waste through the sides and up into the water column. The propellers chop it up into dust so it can float into the overflow and settle out in a settling tank or be skimmed out (if it gets past the setting tank). Keeps my tank super clean with almost zero effort. There is zero detritus to vacuum. I'm also able to blast the flow which will be nice when I start adding SPS frags.

[CrayolaViolence]

I think it's genius really.

[Mr. Brooks]

Originally Posted by CrayolaViolence

I think it's genius really.

Much appreciated.

The tile should mostly disappear when I start gluing coral all over the place. I'll eventually be left with a low maintenance tank full of coral.

[anthonys51]

Wow that's a lot of tangs. Looks amazing


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[EdgeN]

While everything does look healthy in that tank above, I just don't understand why you would put tiles in the tank? All you've really done IMO is traded a pink bottom for a pink bottom with lines it. To each their own though.

[juniorrocketdad]

Imo barebottom or sand should be decided purely on aesthetics considering neither is really that much work.


I have to say though I put starboard under my rocks in my tank which is a white panel for those that don't know and I did really like the look of a white bottomed tank, although i like my sand dwellers too much to sick with bare bottom.

Also I like the idea of the mp40s on the bottom, never seen that before

[mrdss]

For the eye and personal preference sand is nice. I went through this when setting up my tank and decided to add a sand bed.

If I were to do it all over again I would NOT use sand. Too much food, debris, fish droppings get in the sand causing disease, rot etc. etc. etc.

A bare bottom tank is a personal eye appealing preference. A bare bottom tank is a clean tank. A bare bottom tank is extremely easy to clean with a simple net. When using a bare bottom tank you REALLY notice all the garbage that settles daily in the tank.

This is NOT opinion based but factual. After 40 years of different tank, sizes etc. etc. etc.

[pfan151]

Xxx