To sand or not to sand that is the question?

Discussion in 'Sand' started by ezz1r, Nov 22, 2014.

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  1. hart24601

    hart24601 Flamingo Tongue

    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2012
    Messages:
    110
    After pulling out some nasty, nasty sandbeds I will never have another. I like how they look, but you can coral on the bottom or smaller rocks. Once you get big coral colonies it gets really hard to clean the sand.
     
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  3. Newreef15

    Newreef15 Horrid Stonefish

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2009
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    2,052
    Location:
    Tallahassee Florida
    My current tank is bare bottom and I don't think I will ever have sand in a reef tank again. Water changes are a breeze it just suck the detritus up from the glass. I clean the bottom with a razor blade to keep it nice and white. My tank requires very little maintenance. The bare bottom gives me tons of extra coral space.
     
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  4. ivanbosk

    ivanbosk Feather Duster

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    Jun 3, 2011
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    216
    Location:
    Savannah GA
    Been bare bottom for two years now and would never go back!
     
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  5. Pdxile

    Pdxile Coral Banded Shrimp

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    Nov 1, 2013
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    363
    Location:
    Oregon Coast
    I'm going the other way and adding more sand, I think. I currently have 1" of sand, but the amount of rock and coral make siphoning impractical. But I'm also scared of the DSB as I am also a member of a rabid barebottom forum. So many decisions! I am not considering bare bottom.
     
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  6. ezz1r

    ezz1r Feather Star

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    I really have enjoyed having a DSB and would not mind it in my new build just weighing the other options which are unique in there own right. A bare bottom seems an interesting approach but can limit the many unique corals you can add in the future.

    Thanks all for the feedback

    E
     
  7. timkatz71

    timkatz71 Astrea Snail

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2012
    Messages:
    69
    Location:
    Millstone Twp, NJ
    I tried keeping bb and didn't like the maintenance to keep it looking clean, hoses from top of tank running across floor rolling up ect. Tank has to look nice anytime someone comes over, with sand you can't tell what is supposed to be there and what isn't, clean the inside of the glass with the mag float and outside with some glass cleaner done, no water on the floor ect... Don't get me wrong, bb looks nice when clean but when it's not... Get the siphon...
     
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  9. stepho

    stepho Panda Puffer

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    Orlando FL
    In what way does a bb limit the kind of coral you can have?
     
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  10. ezz1r

    ezz1r Feather Star

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  11. dandk2261999

    dandk2261999 Bristle Worm

    Joined:
    May 13, 2012
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    Location:
    El Paso, TX
    I am in the process of taking my sand out, i only had 2 inches or so. Over the course of a month I have been taking it out slowly with water changes. My corals seem happier and my water looks better consistently. I honestly think its personal opinion. I too have taken out a few tanks from other peoples houses that the sand is just nasty, nasty.
     
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  12. CBSurfrider

    CBSurfrider Millepora

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    Jul 23, 2013
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    Location:
    Indialantic, Fl.
    Good read on here.. I haven't read the link yet though. I am in the process of overhauling my 300DD. My LR is covered in GHA and will be taking out all the LR and scrubbing it this weekend. My thought was to remove all the sand while my LR is out of the tank. Is this dangerous to do all at once? I just added two RW-20's and my sandbed has been pushed up under all my LR due to all the flow at first. Do I need to lay a base of some sort in there if I do go BB for my LR to lay on? From what I have read as far as Pro's and Con's it seems its personal preference? Sorry to jack your thread Ezz, just didn't want to start a duplicate thread. Thanks