Sand bed question

I currently have a 4-5 inch sand bed in 60 gal DT. I have been reading conflicting info on whether or not to use a deep sand bed in DT. I bought 14 nessarius snails to get the sand moving but they don't travel very far below the surface. My tank is only 3 months old and I want good stability in there. Also, I do not have the room for a fuge (next tank will have one definately). What do you guys think? Should I slowly start removing some of the sand from the tank to arround 3 inches depth? I have about 30-40lbs argonite and 10-15 pounds live sand, all from coral life(i think).

 

I bet you will split the opinions on the subject. I for one do not like a DSB in the DT from visual point of view - but I am also from the school that it will become a problem down the road.

I do however like a DSB in a refugium. Regardless, if you like the appearance and are not going to be digging around in it -- they can be beneficial to your system. I am looking forward to reading the opinions you get in this thread ;-)

Here's a great bit of research to get you going on your own opinion:

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/deepsandbeds.htm

 

Wow, your fast will read thanks.

 

I'm not a fan of DSB's in the DT either. I think they are ugly when they are brand new and then when cyanobacteria starts growing where the sand touches the glass, they get even uglier.

I don't think the benefits provided are worth the risks a DSB produces. One thing people never mention is that if you were to have an extended power outage, those billions of microbes still want to respirate. Dissolved Oxygen drops fast, CO2 goes up, and that drives down your pH fast. If you keep a DSB in the DT, make sure you have a couple of battery operated air pumps if you want to keep your fish alive. (Alternatively, you can bucket out water and then pour it back into the tank every 5 minutes.....I've done that before....NOT FUN).

 

Would a regular backup on the whole system excluding lights do the trick? Also, if I start taking sand out of the tank will I lose the biological filter it provides? I really don't want to be doing water changes every week.

 

Ok wait, that’s a different thing all together. Avoiding water changes would require proper filtration, trace elements and a refugium in my opinion – I went years without changing water.

How long have you had a deep sand bed? Its not that easy to remove, if its established you can’t just go willy nilly ripping at it as you will release the gas and poof goes the reef.

 

Its about 3 months old. I'm sure how long it takes for a sand bed to completely mature. And I do add trace elements, skimmer, but no fuge. Should I get the dsb out now or leave it alone?

 

I honestly thought this thread would take on a life of its own, DSB are right up there with hypo-salinity when it comes to opinion splits.

If it were me I would do away with the DSB – but I would do it slowly. Use a siphon and vacuum it up during water changes, this is the safest way to go.

I assume your rock (if you have any, I can’t recall if this is a reef) is on the glass and not on the sand? Rock should always be on the glass. If so you should have no troubles. First and foremost I find DSB in DT’s to be an eyesore – I truly believe they give way to OTS (old tank syndrome) and they more or less implode on themselves taking the tank with them. Many people on this forum love DSB and this is why I thought a debate would ensue here. I am not going to get dragged in if it does yet – but I can tell you that I have seen the destruction of gases being released from a DSB and its not pretty. I wish you luck

 

Thanks for the help. Your right all information is split. I'm just worried. I chose to use the dsb at first because I wasn't going to be able to use a fuge and I didn't want nitrates to start rising long term. I have read articles swearing the dsb is way more benieficial because thats how it is in the ocean. Then other articles say the dsb will poison the tank if you don't get a sand sifting star. Then others say (which I know is true) that sand sifting stars eat all the infauna so then you have other problems. I know the solution is probably a fuge but I can't add one to my tank. When I upgrade in about 4 years I'll be sure to get a tank with one.


If anyone has an opinion please feel free to chime in., crimson ghost has been very helpful.

 

Oh dear friend, I have not been helpful at all -- but I shall try yet.

If you can not fit in a refugium yet would like the benefits search this forum for a "coil denitrifyer" spelling to be fixed I suppose - but the term coil should get you there.

I can't imagine the situation where a coil denitrifier can't be squeezed in somewhere.