Deep Sand Beds Bad?

[djevack]

I just started adding some fish and coral. The new lfs im getting my livestock from is strongly aganist a dsb, but ive always used them and alot of people on here say a dsb for a reef tank can be very good. I do know I need a good clean up crew to keep the sand stired up. So
1) is a dsb a bad idea
2) if a dsb is good what are some good critters to stur the sand up and keep it clean?

 

[michaeltx]

well they arent bad but over time can become locked and release back into the tank. if this happens you will have to pull it out and put in a new bed.
I quit useing DSB and went for a shallow bed about 2-3 inches deep.
also with a dsb if its distrupted it can cause problems.
you could look into nassarious snails, sand sifting cucumbers if the tank is large enough, and queen and fighting conchs all are bed stirs. just shy away from the sand sifting star fish.
HTH
Mike

 

[djevack]

my bed is only 3-3.5" deep,

 

[michaeltx]

your kinda in a danger zone as far as DSB goes 4+ is considered DSB and 3 and less is a SSB. I would either add some to get to 4-6 inches or take alittle out to hit around 2-3 inches.
your at a level that now there are going to be pockets of DSB that will start to degrade nitrates to nitrogen gas but if its disturbed your water quality can go down hill quick.
Mike

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by djevack
http:///forum/post/2560797
my bed is only 3-3.5" deep,
imo that is a dangerous depth. Now, Mike and I have had totally different experiences with DSB's so take what I say with a grain of salt.
Shallow beds (under an inch or so) allow the sand to be cleaned by sand shifting creatures such as Nass. snails, pods, worms, etc. After an inch or so the sand is no longer being cleaned by critters. In a deep sand bed (4+ inches) you get the benefit of Nitrate consuming bacteria.
IMO, using strong currents flowing across your sand bed, the proper depth of sand, serious protein skimming, and quality live sand with a host of critters can totally eliminate issues with a DSB.

 

[scopus tang]

DSB

I've read about some of the issues with these, but I've been running DSB (6"+) for 6 years or so, and I've never witnessed any of them. The biggest issues IMO from what I've read, is people messing with them. Put it in, get the proper critters to maintain it, and leave it alone. If you're constantly messing around with your rock work, want sand-sifting fish (and don't set up the DSB properly for this), or constantly think you need to be moving your sand around, they are not for you. Used and maintained properly they can be your best friend ~ minimal to zero nitrate issues in a tank. As I said, I've kept tanks for around 6 years, and until this last winter, I never ran a sump/refugium on anything. I seldom if ever had issues with nitrate problems (till I let students be in charge of feeding the few fish in my tanks ~ Biiiiiggg mistake, but thats another story). JMO

 

[lion_crazz]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
http:///forum/post/2560813
imo that is a dangerous depth. Now, Mike and I have had totally different experiences with DSB's so take what I say with a grain of salt.
Shallow beds (under an inch or so) allow the sand to be cleaned by sand shifting creatures such as Nass. snails, pods, worms, etc. After an inch or so the sand is no longer being cleaned by critters. In a deep sand bed (4+ inches) you get the benefit of Nitrate consuming bacteria.
IMO, using strong currents flowing across your sand bed, the proper depth of sand, serious protein skimming, and quality live sand with a host of critters can totally eliminate issues with a DSB.
I would agree with Journey, here, as well. Deep sand beds can be great if they are truly deep. If you are going to run it in the middle, you are just going to have a lot of headaches because it is not deep enough to have the denitrifying purposes but it is not shallow enough for you or your critters to constantly keep clean.

 

[djevack]

so my best bet would be to add a little more sand, then seed it with some good ls, and some cleaners?

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by djevack
http:///forum/post/2561052
so my best bet would be to add a little more sand, then seed it with some good ls, and some cleaners?
And make sure you have a strong flow acros the sand (when you feed you should see very little food settling... what does settle should quickly get mauled by the Nass snails in your tank) and make sure you have a good skimmer.
Also, never, never stock a fish or invert that is going to sift your sand and eat your micro critters. I believe this is one of the big issues aquarists overlook. Fish like Diamond Gobies will murder your live sand.

 

[djevack]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
http:///forum/post/2561061
And make sure you have a strong flow acros the sand (when you feed you should see very little food settling... what does settle should quickly get mauled by the Nass snails in your tank) and make sure you have a good skimmer.
Also, never, never stock a fish or invert that is going to sift your sand and eat your micro critters. I believe this is one of the big issues aquarists overlook. Fish like Diamond Gobies will murder your live sand.
so no queen conches?

 

[brandan]

Originally Posted by MichaelTX
http:///forum/post/2560756
well they arent bad but over time can become locked and release back into the tank. if this happens you will have to pull it out and put in a new bed.
I quit useing DSB and went for a shallow bed about 2-3 inches deep.
also with a dsb if its distrupted it can cause problems.
you could look into nassarious snails, sand sifting cucumbers if the tank is large enough, and queen and fighting conchs all are bed stirs. just shy away from the sand sifting star fish.
HTH
Mike
X2