Bare Bottom Tank...

RoRo1387 · 05/11/2009, 07:04 PM

I'm starting my first reef tank and just began cycling it...the specialist at the store I bought everything from recommended going barebottom since I was only doing a 12 gallon tank...would you agree or disagree with this???

jeffryjb · 05/12/2009, 01:42 PM

I did it in my 90 and found it to be a PITA to keep looking good. I know others have done it and love it, personally not for me.

Fizz71 · 05/12/2009, 01:52 PM

Bare bottom takes more cleaning and IMO do not look as natural. With a tank that small, a few inches of good aragonite sand wouldn't break the bank.

SeanT · 05/12/2009, 03:40 PM

Why would you say BB takes more cleaning?

The only step is siphoning the detritus off the bottom during a water change, that would get trapped in the sandbed.

Especially in a tank that size, where the sand bed can't process it effectively.

BB is a super simple and super stable method.

Entropy · 05/12/2009, 03:47 PM

I always believed that sand looks much more natural, but after running BB for the last six months I probably will never go back. You can run a ton more flow through your tank without worrying about the sand moving. The only drawback is you cannot keep sand digging critters like gobies and certan snails. I am running almost 70x turnover in my tank and I cannot imagine what it would look like with sand in it.

WaterKeeper · 05/12/2009, 03:56 PM

Sean, the BB fan,

Nano's are always a problem it the BB vs DSB debate. Their small foot print does not always let a DSB work efficiently. If one does 4 gallon water changes weekly on a 12 gallon tank you can probably keep nitrate levels in check without the DSB.

SeanT · 05/12/2009, 03:59 PM

Cut it just works so well.

For the record, I am not anti-sand, just not for me at this time.

Who knows, one day I may put some in...just a grain or two though.

WaterKeeper · 05/12/2009, 04:25 PM

Sure,
"Undisputed, Heayweight RC Champion of the the Barebottom & Rock Cooking Method!"

alextheromanian · 05/12/2009, 05:24 PM

i have a 29g with 25lbs(i guestimate) of live rock and its a bare bottom...

i had sand in it before redoing it completely and i have to tell you.

you can do either of 2 things.

1) have a sand bed...and clean the sand bed regularly since sand gets nasty too.

2) have a bar bottom and stirr up the water once a week and apply a canister or diatom filter.

your choice.

i tried the sand...and didnt work for me. yes a nasty bottom on a bare bottom looks bad but i find it easy to clean.

all i do is plug in an oversized powerhead and a diatom filter and it cleans itself in 30 minutes of me watching tv.

heres my tank

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1602166

alextheromanian · 05/12/2009, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WaterKeeper
Sean, the BB fan,

Nano's are always a problem it the BB vs DSB debate. Their small foot print does not always let a DSB work efficiently. If one does 4 gallon water changes weekly on a 12 gallon tank you can probably keep nitrate levels in check without the DSB.

water keeper i have the 29 and ...i havent done a water change yet in 6 months...well more like 8 actually.

occasionally add a few aditives maybe twice a month. everything seems great and all parameters are where they should be

SeanT · 05/13/2009, 11:42 PM

Tom,
I am going to find a way to implement sand into my new system...just for you!

Sean

WaterKeeper · 05/14/2009, 07:59 AM

Now your talking Sean.

Biocubist · 05/14/2009, 11:56 AM

I love BB tanks. I Just did my 34 gal Solana as a BB. One disadvantage of BB is that it lacks a pH buffer found in a aragonite sand bed. I added 3 bags of aragonite in the back middle chamber to take advantage of that aspect, but I love BB tanks, I use egg crate (black) so I can plug new LPS to the bottom.

Entropy · 05/14/2009, 12:31 PM

I am running starboard in my tank. You see the fish poop pretty bad in the beginning because it is bright white, but after a couple of months most of it is covered in coralline so it looks fine. As mentioned it is easy to vacuum. I just syphon into a filter sock in the sump and then clean the sock afterwards.

05/11/2009, 07:04 PM	#1
RoRo1387 Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Long Island, New York Posts: 4	Bare Bottom Tank... I'm starting my first reef tank and just began cycling it...the specialist at the store I bought everything from recommended going barebottom since I was only doing a 12 gallon tank...would you agree or disagree with this???

05/12/2009, 01:52 PM	#3
Fizz71 FragSwapper Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: West Lawn, PA Posts: 5,800	Bare bottom takes more cleaning and IMO do not look as natural. With a tank that small, a few inches of good aragonite sand wouldn't break the bank. __________________ --Fizz Current Tank Info: Current system is 8x2x2 240g peninsula setup with a single "chamber" 100g sump in the basement with an RDSB. All corals are 100% home grown from frags of fellow reefers (low natural reef impact).

05/12/2009, 03:40 PM	#4
SeanT Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Wilmington, North Carolina Posts: 13,860	Why would you say BB takes more cleaning? The only step is siphoning the detritus off the bottom during a water change, that would get trapped in the sandbed. Especially in a tank that size, where the sand bed can't process it effectively. BB is a super simple and super stable method. __________________ My tank was cool. Current Tank Info: Barebottom (the tank not me...at least not at the moment).

05/12/2009, 03:47 PM	#5
Entropy Texas Reefer Join Date: May 2003 Location: Round Rock, TX Posts: 13,656	I always believed that sand looks much more natural, but after running BB for the last six months I probably will never go back. You can run a ton more flow through your tank without worrying about the sand moving. The only drawback is you cannot keep sand digging critters like gobies and certan snails. I am running almost 70x turnover in my tank and I cannot imagine what it would look like with sand in it. __________________ Rich Overton 150G cube FOWLR, 30g sump, ReefKeeperII, 3x Koralia 1400's, QuiteOne 3000, Reef Octopus DNWB150, 4x 30w Par38 LED. Current Tank Info: 36x36x27 150g

05/12/2009, 03:56 PM	#6
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	Sean, the BB fan, Nano's are always a problem it the BB vs DSB debate. Their small foot print does not always let a DSB work efficiently. If one does 4 gallon water changes weekly on a 12 gallon tank you can probably keep nitrate levels in check without the DSB. __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29

05/12/2009, 01:42 PM	#2
jeffryjb Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: omaha Posts: 63	I did it in my 90 and found it to be a PITA to keep looking good. I know others have done it and love it, personally not for me.

05/12/2009, 03:59 PM	#7
SeanT Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Wilmington, North Carolina Posts: 13,860	Cut it just works so well. For the record, I am not anti-sand, just not for me at this time. Who knows, one day I may put some in...just a grain or two though. __________________ My tank was cool. Current Tank Info: Barebottom (the tank not me...at least not at the moment).

05/12/2009, 04:25 PM	#8
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	Sure, "Undisputed, Heayweight RC Champion of the the Barebottom & Rock Cooking Method!" __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29

05/12/2009, 05:24 PM	#9
alextheromanian Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Binghamton NY Posts: 1,007	i have a 29g with 25lbs(i guestimate) of live rock and its a bare bottom... i had sand in it before redoing it completely and i have to tell you. you can do either of 2 things. 1) have a sand bed...and clean the sand bed regularly since sand gets nasty too. 2) have a bar bottom and stirr up the water once a week and apply a canister or diatom filter. your choice. i tried the sand...and didnt work for me. yes a nasty bottom on a bare bottom looks bad but i find it easy to clean. all i do is plug in an oversized powerhead and a diatom filter and it cleans itself in 30 minutes of me watching tv. heres my tank http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1602166 __________________ i just cant think of any phylosophical, deep, critical thinking quotes right now. Current Tank Info: 29g Reef, 75g FOWLR

05/13/2009, 11:42 PM	#11
SeanT Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Wilmington, North Carolina Posts: 13,860	Tom, I am going to find a way to implement sand into my new system...just for you! Sean __________________ My tank was cool. Current Tank Info: Barebottom (the tank not me...at least not at the moment).

05/14/2009, 07:59 AM	#12
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	Now your talking Sean. __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29

05/14/2009, 11:56 AM	#13
Biocubist Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: USA Posts: 114	I love BB tanks. I Just did my 34 gal Solana as a BB. One disadvantage of BB is that it lacks a pH buffer found in a aragonite sand bed. I added 3 bags of aragonite in the back middle chamber to take advantage of that aspect, but I love BB tanks, I use egg crate (black) so I can plug new LPS to the bottom.

05/14/2009, 12:31 PM	#14
Entropy Texas Reefer Join Date: May 2003 Location: Round Rock, TX Posts: 13,656	I am running starboard in my tank. You see the fish poop pretty bad in the beginning because it is bright white, but after a couple of months most of it is covered in coralline so it looks fine. As mentioned it is easy to vacuum. I just syphon into a filter sock in the sump and then clean the sock afterwards. __________________ Rich Overton 150G cube FOWLR, 30g sump, ReefKeeperII, 3x Koralia 1400's, QuiteOne 3000, Reef Octopus DNWB150, 4x 30w Par38 LED. Current Tank Info: 36x36x27 150g