Deep or shallow....which one is better?

[hlcroghan]

So I have a question....DSB's are good for fighting nitrates and keeping your system healthy but they take 8-16 weeks to start. Shallow sand beds are something that you have to make sure you vacuum so detritus doesn't build up and cause bad bacteria to be released into the system but they are ready immediately. You also can't have any type of digging animals in DSB's because they will release those toxins into the tank. So which one is honestly better? I know it will depend on what type of livestock you have but what kind is easier to care for and better for the tank's health?

 

[reefkprz]

there is no easy answer to that question. each has a proper application.
for begginners a shallow sand bed is probably easier, but you dont need to gravel siphon it, gravel siphoning is for crushed coral and other similar large substrates. if you gravel siphon a sand bed you are removing tons of benificial creatures and will make your sand bed less healthty

 

[hlcroghan]

So then the only way to keep a shallow sand bed healthy is with a CUC? and wouldn't that hold true with a deep sand bed as well? what about FO tanks where you can't have a CUC? how do you keep it clean then?

 

[reefkprz]

I have no expirience with FOWLR or predator tanks. I would hope some one who runs a CUC'less tank will chime in. I'm a reefgeek. sorry I cant be more helpfull on that subject, I can tell you ins and outs of sand beds and CUC's but not maintaining a CUC free tank.

 

[hlcroghan]

Yeah that is my main problem. Do you vacuum it when you can't have a CUC or do you just buy more to clean it as they get eaten. I plan on having a FOWLR and I want a puffer so I know I have to be really careful about what I have. So in this case is it better to have a DSB so that you don't have to deal with vacuuming or cleaning the sand?

 

[reefkprz]

A DSB wont work properly without the critters to maintain is aerobic upperlevels. your better off going shallow in that case.
try posting these questions in the aggressive fish section your more likley to get some answers from people with first hand expirience in puffers and other aggressive fishes.

 

[metweezer]

You could always go bare bottom.

 

[hlcroghan]

OMG, no. I don't think that bare bottom looks right at all.

 

[florida joe]

Originally Posted by hlcroghan
http:///forum/post/2718517
OMG, no. I don't think that bare bottom looks right at all.
You have not been on the St Martin beach

 

[metweezer]

Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/2718559
You have not been on the St Martin beach

To the op, pm Mr X and ask his opinions about bare bottoms. Alot of folks on here use them.

 

[keith burn]

Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/2718559
You have not been on the St Martin beach
Read up on it DSB's are filters.
A 1to2 in sand bed is for looks.
IMO just found the stuf.
An oolite has a shell of concentric layers of calcium carbonate that precipitated around a nucleus or central core. The nucleus is usually a tiny brine shrimp fecal pellet or a mineral fragment. Oolites form in shallow, wave-agitated water, rolling along the lake bottom and gradually accumulating more and more layers.
And go with a DSB

 

[stanlalee]

well it was a relatively easy choice for me. DSB dont look good to me and the visable lower layers gets discoloured. that pretty much rules it out for the main display for me. you can always put the DSB in the fuge out of view and some people like it there because you can isolate it from the main system if a disaster or need to manipulating it occurs. I considered this BUT cheato macro algae also removes nitrates from the water but also removes phospates and assist keeping pH stable so with that in mind I've never even bothered with a DSB in the fuge.
I dont really know any advantage or disadvantage to a shallow sand bed but it looks good. I stir mine up all the time without incident (and always have) so I dont believe there is any harm in disrupting a shallow bed. any sand can harbour detritous, if your worried about that go sandless.

 

[spanko]

I am running a bare bottom 29 bio cube. It is mostly SPS coral and I have about 50 time turnover in the tank. The detritus that accumulates does so in one area of the tank and is siphoned out each week with water changes. the bottom is covering with coralline algae and I have gotten used to the way it looks.
Now IMO if you are going to have a substrate in tank I agree with a shallow be and some sand shifters like worms and snails to keep it clean. If you are looking to a DSB for the filtration then do so in a fuge. Then you can control not having things that will disrupt the sandbed and keep it still to allow the anaerobic zones to develop and not be disturbed. If you ever need to remove it you can do so off line from the display without jeopardizing your livestock. There will be nitrogen gas accumulation in the DSB and the gas will naturally rise from it in the form of bubbles that will go to the top of the water column and break without hurting the water quality, however if for some reason a DSB is disturbed after it has set up these zones and those gasses are released enmasse into the water there is trouble.
Just my $.02

 

[roberteb]

What are good critters to have with a deep sand bed that is FOWLR ? The only thing I have at the moment is 4 nassarius snails in a 300 gallon.

 

[hlcroghan]

I think looking on here for the CUC they have for sale is a good start and gives you some idea of what to start with. I do like the DSB for filtration but if that is the case I may stick with shallow and just buy more CUC if they get eaten.