converting to bare bottom

jer77 · 04/18/2006, 05:39 PM

I have new tank that I have added a thoin layer of ARAG-ALIVE sand to, but looking and hearing about some of the bare bottom tanks out there, I am interested in converting. In this tank I mostly keep sps, a few clams, and a few LPS and softies. Nothing except the clams really need the sand. Do clams really need sand to live? So how would I go about taking the sand out? Any suggestions? Won't this just kill the water quality? Won't I have to take out almost all of the water anyways?

larryl · 04/18/2006, 08:03 PM

Just wondering why you're considering going to a bare bottom? IMO current wisdom is that you're better off with a sand bed, e.g. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-10/eb/index.php

Larry

latino277 · 04/18/2006, 08:23 PM

... wet vac would be fastest... and a lot of make up water.

hulley · 04/19/2006, 06:19 AM

My fish, corals and overall tank conditions have been much better since I went BB! I'm very happy with the results, I almost quit the hobby because of crap I had to deal with. BB has been very good to me!

elephen · 04/19/2006, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by larryl
Just wondering why you're considering going to a bare bottom? IMO current wisdom is that you're better off with a sand bed, e.g. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-10/eb/index.php

Larry

Yes, in your opinion...

nepuck · 04/19/2006, 07:11 AM

I have clams on my cutting-board BB, they do fine

fgarvine · 04/19/2006, 07:11 AM

They are both fine. Im tired of this debate. I have kept both for YEARS and as long as I didnt let sand creep past 3 inches or so in the bed, I had no issue. It truelly is a matter of taste...

asfullax · 04/19/2006, 07:41 AM

Amen!

The Reefer91 · 04/19/2006, 08:22 AM

fgarvine is right, they both have benifits, and when it comes down to it, it's a matter of personal taste. i will be going with a SSB in my 20g, and will have some critters to keep it sifted. it's all about taste

raynist · 04/21/2006, 06:53 AM

Hey Jer,

I converted my 75g sps tank to BB a couple of months ago. I really like being able to siphon out all of the crap that piles up in the corners. I do it every few days. I use cutting board on the bottom and so far it is staying white although parts are starting to get covered with coraline. I built a small rack out of 1/2 inch PVC pipe to keep the rocks up off the ground to better help with cleaning the detritus.

I took all of the sand out at once. I did it with a 25% water change. I used one inch tubing and sucked all of the sand out into a bucket. It did not cause a cycle on my tank. For several weeks afterwards, I had to siphon out sand that would fall off of the rocks. I have 2 clams, one on a rock and the other lives on the bottom and is doing fine.

I will be around saturday morning/afternoon until about 1pm if you want to stop by.

--Ray

PS - are you going to the PMAS meeting on saturday?

jer77 · 04/27/2006, 06:39 AM

Well, I ended up to have to empty the tank out anyway since one of the standpipes started to leak. The sand is all now in a bucket, and the corals are all in tubs. I'm debating whether to wash the dirt from the sand somehow or scrap it and go BB. Do you really need to use starboard or cutting board? My tank is sort of a frag tank, but I do have some LR in it. Its a 3' cube but only a foot tall. Where do you get starboard or cutting board that size?

I also have a 40 gallon sump/fuge attached to it that I want to move beside the tank that has the sand in it and more live rock.

Amphiprion · 04/27/2006, 06:44 AM

Most clams prefer hard surfaces over sand, anyway.

raynist · 04/27/2006, 07:27 AM

You really don't need the cutting board. I use it because I am afraid a rock will fall and break the glass bottom. If you don't have stacked rocks then you don't need it unless you like the look of the white bottom.

Boat Racer · 04/27/2006, 07:43 AM

Good CHOICE.If you want a BB then go for it.Here is a link to my thread.Read it completely and you will get some good ideas.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=759471

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=792526

AJtheReefer · 04/27/2006, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jer77
Well, I ended up to have to empty the tank out anyway since one of the standpipes started to leak. The sand is all now in a bucket, and the corals are all in tubs. I'm debating whether to wash the dirt from the sand somehow or scrap it and go BB. Do you really need to use starboard or cutting board? My tank is sort of a frag tank, but I do have some LR in it. Its a 3' cube but only a foot tall. Where do you get starboard or cutting board that size?

I also have a 40 gallon sump/fuge attached to it that I want to move beside the tank that has the sand in it and more live rock.

I would. you can always add sand later if you don't like it

jer77 · 04/27/2006, 10:12 AM

Here was a picture of what it looked like from the top when the sand was in it.

jer77 · 04/27/2006, 10:15 AM

04/18/2006, 05:39 PM	#1
jer77 Phish Lover Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2,642	converting to bare bottom I have new tank that I have added a thoin layer of ARAG-ALIVE sand to, but looking and hearing about some of the bare bottom tanks out there, I am interested in converting. In this tank I mostly keep sps, a few clams, and a few LPS and softies. Nothing except the clams really need the sand. Do clams really need sand to live? So how would I go about taking the sand out? Any suggestions? Won't this just kill the water quality? Won't I have to take out almost all of the water anyways? __________________ - Jonny -, 120g 5 Year Old Reef w/ SPS, BTA, Zoos & some Softies. 40g Frag Tank. 40g Sump. Super Reef Octopus XP 3000 External Cone Skimmer. 250W Radiums. TaoTronics LED. PanWorld 200PS w/SQWD

04/19/2006, 07:41 AM	#8
asfullax Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: albuquerque, NM Posts: 415	Amen! __________________ 129 Reef, Custom Cree LED Lighting, 2x54w T5HO, Bubble Magus BM-Curve 7, 55Gal sump - fuge, Iwaki MD40RLXT, Vortech MP40, multiple Hydor's - born 5/1/16 Current Tank Info: 2.5yr old, 129 Mixed Reef

04/19/2006, 08:22 AM	#9
The Reefer91 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 1,250	fgarvine is right, they both have benifits, and when it comes down to it, it's a matter of personal taste. i will be going with a SSB in my 20g, and will have some critters to keep it sifted. it's all about taste __________________ Dan "Every day we fade little by little, 'till there's nothing left of us but the lies we've sown." Current Tank Info: 20g L display: 2x65watt Coralife light, Octopus 150 needle wheel protein skimmer, 1 Koralia 2 and 2 powersweeps, and a DIY sump/fuge.....120G in the works!!!

04/27/2006, 06:39 AM	#11
jer77 Phish Lover Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2,642	Well, I ended up to have to empty the tank out anyway since one of the standpipes started to leak. The sand is all now in a bucket, and the corals are all in tubs. I'm debating whether to wash the dirt from the sand somehow or scrap it and go BB. Do you really need to use starboard or cutting board? My tank is sort of a frag tank, but I do have some LR in it. Its a 3' cube but only a foot tall. Where do you get starboard or cutting board that size? I also have a 40 gallon sump/fuge attached to it that I want to move beside the tank that has the sand in it and more live rock. __________________ - Jonny -, 120g 5 Year Old Reef w/ SPS, BTA, Zoos & some Softies. 40g Frag Tank. 40g Sump. Super Reef Octopus XP 3000 External Cone Skimmer. 250W Radiums. TaoTronics LED. PanWorld 200PS w/SQWD

04/27/2006, 06:44 AM	#12
Amphiprion Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Mobile, AL Posts: 6,611	Most clams prefer hard surfaces over sand, anyway. __________________ You've done it now, haven't you? Current Tank Info: 40g breeder patch reef w/ seagrass; 2-250w XM 10K; Vortech MP40wES & MP10wES; BM Curve 7 skimmer; carbon & occasional GFO

04/18/2006, 08:03 PM	#2
larryl Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 702	Just wondering why you're considering going to a bare bottom? IMO current wisdom is that you're better off with a sand bed, e.g. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-10/eb/index.php Larry

04/18/2006, 08:23 PM	#3
latino277 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: long island, NY Posts: 223	... wet vac would be fastest... and a lot of make up water.

04/19/2006, 06:19 AM	#4
hulley Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: In front of my computor. Posts: 592	My fish, corals and overall tank conditions have been much better since I went BB! I'm very happy with the results, I almost quit the hobby because of crap I had to deal with. BB has been very good to me!

04/19/2006, 07:11 AM	#6
nepuck Awaiting Email Confirmation Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nich., Ky. Posts: 626	I have clams on my cutting-board BB, they do fine

04/19/2006, 07:11 AM	#7
fgarvine Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Ky Posts: 126	They are both fine. Im tired of this debate. I have kept both for YEARS and as long as I didnt let sand creep past 3 inches or so in the bed, I had no issue. It truelly is a matter of taste...

04/21/2006, 06:53 AM	#10
raynist Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 4,921	Hey Jer, I converted my 75g sps tank to BB a couple of months ago. I really like being able to siphon out all of the crap that piles up in the corners. I do it every few days. I use cutting board on the bottom and so far it is staying white although parts are starting to get covered with coraline. I built a small rack out of 1/2 inch PVC pipe to keep the rocks up off the ground to better help with cleaning the detritus. I took all of the sand out at once. I did it with a 25% water change. I used one inch tubing and sucked all of the sand out into a bucket. It did not cause a cycle on my tank. For several weeks afterwards, I had to siphon out sand that would fall off of the rocks. I have 2 clams, one on a rock and the other lives on the bottom and is doing fine. I will be around saturday morning/afternoon until about 1pm if you want to stop by. --Ray PS - are you going to the PMAS meeting on saturday?

04/27/2006, 07:27 AM	#13
raynist Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 4,921	You really don't need the cutting board. I use it because I am afraid a rock will fall and break the glass bottom. If you don't have stacked rocks then you don't need it unless you like the look of the white bottom.

04/27/2006, 07:43 AM	#14
Boat Racer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Sarasota Florida Posts: 268	Good CHOICE.If you want a BB then go for it.Here is a link to my thread.Read it completely and you will get some good ideas. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=759471 http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=792526

04/27/2006, 10:12 AM	#16
jer77 Phish Lover Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2,642	Here was a picture of what it looked like from the top when the sand was in it. __________________ - Jonny -, 120g 5 Year Old Reef w/ SPS, BTA, Zoos & some Softies. 40g Frag Tank. 40g Sump. Super Reef Octopus XP 3000 External Cone Skimmer. 250W Radiums. TaoTronics LED. PanWorld 200PS w/SQWD

04/27/2006, 10:15 AM	#17
jer77 Phish Lover Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2,642	__________________ - Jonny -, 120g 5 Year Old Reef w/ SPS, BTA, Zoos & some Softies. 40g Frag Tank. 40g Sump. Super Reef Octopus XP 3000 External Cone Skimmer. 250W Radiums. TaoTronics LED. PanWorld 200PS w/SQWD