DSB or not?

Hey guys, just getting ready to set up my 75gal tank. Has a sump tank with big swc protein skimmer, and will have a refug.

I know i want sand in the display tank, should i do a dsb? Or just like an inch or so? What are the pros and cons?

 

Everything ive read it seems now a days just a inch or so will save you trouble down the road. You can always do a DSB in your Refugium.

 

In my experience and what I have read - dbs tend to trap gases under them. This can cause big problems down the road. If the gases release it can kill you livestock. I currently have about an inch to an inch and a half and haven't had any trouble.

 

Alright that sounds good. From what i read if you do a dsb you need a lot of sand sifters to release the gasses in "small doses" haha maybe i will do this in my refuge only. And just an inch or so in the display. I like the look of white sand bottom i just am not sure how easy it will be 2 keep clean. But i do not like bare bottom.

 

if you keep up maintenance on a dsb the benefits can be great! but once it gets out of hand it can get really bad, ive had several friends have dsb's gone bad and their tanks crashed.

 

Read the nov/dec issue of coral for one of the best up-to-date articles on DSBs. 9 out of 10 things you read on the internet about DSBs are just regurgitated hypothetical dooms day scenarios that will never happen. I have used them in the past, have one on my cube and have a 4.5" deep sand bed on my new build.

 

I like the idea of a 10" DSB with mangroves, nassis, and ceriths. maybe a hermit or two. but that would be plenty of depth to not have to worry about "stirring" things up as long as you do not go too deep, and with enough sand sifting CuC it'd be great, especially with mangroves.

Also there are a lot of advocates my LFS being one of them of BB. Saying sand just leads to further detritus build up over any length of time and systems are better off relying on skimming or good biological filtration w/ high flow. Still learning lots about natural filtration but have had great short term success with my DSB. Haven't had my system running long enough yet to really have any problems related to that, also I never disturb my sand bed

 

It's been proven that the creatures that are needed to slowly move the sand bed in a DSB over about 6" can't be maintained in a reef aquarium. You don't want a dsb that deep. It could actually lead to problems. Really 4.5-5" seems to be the sweet spot. Deeper doesn't mean less "stirring"... stirring isn't a goal and in fact the Nass snails are really about even. Not good, not bad. The stuff you want is stuff like bristle worms, micro stars, and mostly things you can't even see. For the most part you don't have to worry about adding these creatures. Just make sure you don't kill them by adding predators like the following...

Hermits are a major NO NO. They are predatory against the very things you are trying to promote for a health dsb.

"Sand Sifters" is also a very dangerous term. You don't actually need sifters. It's infauna that lives in the bed and slowly moves through it. I say this because traditional sand sifters like gobies and stars will actually wreck a dsb not help it. They eat the micro infauna that keep the bed healthy.

Here is a great in depth article about DSB. Anyone who is currently running one or thinking about it should read it in it's entirety.
Ron Shimek's Website...Deep Sand Beds

 

proven?

 

Yeah, I have read a few articles on sand bed depths all of which conclude that overly deep sand beds can't be kept (on a hobbyist scale.) We just can't get/keep the animals needed for that depth. It was addressed in the Coral magazine article that was mentioned for one.