DSB

kattsue · 04/17/2008, 10:28 AM

I've decided to change by sandbed from CC to medium aragonite. I have a lot of hermit crabs and a serpent starfish. Will these be OK in my new sandbed?

stingythingy45 · 04/17/2008, 10:36 AM

Good move!

They'll be fine.

Aquarist007 · 04/17/2008, 10:38 AM

yes, I would recommend 3-4 inches for a sand bed. It is ideal to support life in there plus great for fish and snails that burrow in there.

here is a good read on what happens in a sand bed:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-0...ture/index.php

kattsue · 04/17/2008, 10:41 AM

I still haven't decided whether to do the whole thing at once or a little at a time. Right now my fish are all in quarantine for ich - all I have in there are a couple of mushrooms. Which works best - all at once or a little per week?

Aquarist007 · 04/17/2008, 10:47 AM

you have alot of life, bacteria, algae etc invisble in the water that could be affected by an ammonia spike, but then again your fish are guarantined
What about inverts?

How long has your tank been up again?

kattsue · 04/17/2008, 10:53 AM

My tank's only been up for about 3 months. I got the package from Tampa Bay Saltwater and it came with hermit crabs, a feather duster, a starfish and snails and a couple mushrooms. I did get a BTA (too soon I know, but I wanted everything right away). He seems happy though. I'm since trying to learn patience (hard though). What do you think?

kattsue · 04/17/2008, 02:49 PM

Anyone - should I change all at once or a little at a time?

bertoni · 04/17/2008, 02:54 PM

I changed mine in one shot, when I was moving the tank. Either approach is fine, I'd guess. Removing a bit at a time might be easier, but be careful about releasing detritus into the system when doing so.

kattsue · 04/17/2008, 02:56 PM

I'm sort of leaning towards the all at once and putting some of old sand in nylon stocking like I read about on here.

Aquarist007 · 04/17/2008, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kattsue
I'm sort of leaning towards the all at once and putting some of old sand in nylon stocking like I read about on here.

all you need is a piece of pvc pipe that reaches to the bottom of your tank. I also attached a funnel to the top of it but it is not necessary.
This will allow you to add the sand right to the bottom of the tank without creating a sand storm

Imanz0 · 04/18/2008, 08:25 PM

If having a DSB is good, how come you see it very often that people have just a 1 inch one?

Aquarist007 · 04/18/2008, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Imanz0
If having a DSB is good, how come you see it very often that people have just a 1 inch one?

good question----alot of people feel that one inch is enough both anerobic and aerobic bacteria to host and are not planning on inverts and fish that need a little deeper sand bed

alot of reefers feel the sand bed is little or no benefit so they go with bare bottom tanks

then there are alot of reefers that feel more life and usefull process go on in the sand bed that would require 3-5 inches

the deep sand bed reefers are convinced that a dsb functions as a nitrate reducer very effectively

It depends where you stand on the isssues on what depth you go .

Imanz0 · 04/18/2008, 09:50 PM

so 20 pounds in a 1 gallon, 2 inches, how is that.?

bertoni · 04/18/2008, 11:25 PM

A DSB takes up a lot of space, and a lot of people don't like the looks. In addition, having a live DSB is incompatible with a fair number of animals, and stocking one gets expensive.

cloak · 04/19/2008, 03:34 AM

I'm drunk...

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-0...ture/index.php

Aquarist007 · 04/19/2008, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by cloak
I'm drunk...

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-0...ture/index.php

then I'll buy the next round:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-0...ture/index.php

Gary Majchrzak · 04/19/2008, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Imanz0
If having a DSB is good, how come you see it very often that people have just a 1 inch one?

a 1 inch sandbed is not a DSB- it's a shallow sandbed (SSB) and it has different requirements PLUS it does not perform all the same functions of a deep sand bed.
a deep sand bed (by definition) must contain an anaerobic layer.
4 inches of sugar fine sand is considered the minimum depth for creating a DSB.

kattsue- I would research RDSB (remote deep sand bed) options thoroughly. You can have all the benefits a DSB and avoid filling your display aquarium up with a lot of sand

04/17/2008, 10:28 AM	#1
kattsue Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 456	DSB I've decided to change by sandbed from CC to medium aragonite. I have a lot of hermit crabs and a serpent starfish. Will these be OK in my new sandbed?

04/17/2008, 10:36 AM	#2
stingythingy45 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: MA Posts: 3,296	Good move! They'll be fine. __________________ Bob Current Tank Info: 90 gallon,mixed Reef,2-250 watt Optix 3 pendants(Phoenix 14K)2-54 watt T5 Super actnics ,ASM G-2 Gate/recirc mods,70 gal. basement sump,20L ref

04/17/2008, 10:38 AM	#3
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	yes, I would recommend 3-4 inches for a sand bed. It is ideal to support life in there plus great for fish and snails that burrow in there. here is a good read on what happens in a sand bed: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-0...ture/index.php __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

04/17/2008, 10:47 AM	#5
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	you have alot of life, bacteria, algae etc invisble in the water that could be affected by an ammonia spike, but then again your fish are guarantined What about inverts? How long has your tank been up again? __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

04/17/2008, 02:54 PM	#8
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I changed mine in one shot, when I was moving the tank. Either approach is fine, I'd guess. Removing a bit at a time might be easier, but be careful about releasing detritus into the system when doing so. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

04/17/2008, 10:41 AM	#4
kattsue Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 456	I still haven't decided whether to do the whole thing at once or a little at a time. Right now my fish are all in quarantine for ich - all I have in there are a couple of mushrooms. Which works best - all at once or a little per week?

04/17/2008, 10:53 AM	#6
kattsue Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 456	My tank's only been up for about 3 months. I got the package from Tampa Bay Saltwater and it came with hermit crabs, a feather duster, a starfish and snails and a couple mushrooms. I did get a BTA (too soon I know, but I wanted everything right away). He seems happy though. I'm since trying to learn patience (hard though). What do you think?

04/17/2008, 02:49 PM	#7
kattsue Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 456	Anyone - should I change all at once or a little at a time?

04/17/2008, 02:56 PM	#9
kattsue Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 456	I'm sort of leaning towards the all at once and putting some of old sand in nylon stocking like I read about on here.

04/18/2008, 08:25 PM	#11
Imanz0 Awaiting Email Confirmation Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 404	If having a DSB is good, how come you see it very often that people have just a 1 inch one?

04/18/2008, 09:50 PM	#13
Imanz0 Awaiting Email Confirmation Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 404	so 20 pounds in a 1 gallon, 2 inches, how is that.?

04/18/2008, 11:25 PM	#14
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	A DSB takes up a lot of space, and a lot of people don't like the looks. In addition, having a live DSB is incompatible with a fair number of animals, and stocking one gets expensive. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

04/19/2008, 03:34 AM	#15
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	I'm drunk... http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-0...ture/index.php Last edited by cloak; 04/19/2008 at 03:56 AM.