dsb or ssb wich is bettter

[dskidmore]

Originally posted by chriscobb
I agree with your theory on storms, but as the article reads most critters don't go much further than 2", which ones do?
Please understand, I'm not saying that a deep sand bed is for everyone. It all depends on what fish and larger crustations you have. For example, many gobies dig burroughs or breeding holes. (According to one source, the tidewater goby digs a 10-20 cm vertical hole for breeding!) Research any fish/crustations you have, and find out how deeply they like to dig. You don't want them hitting the glass bottom before they're comfy. If you want to make most of the area shallow, but leave a place for diggers, build a retaining wall with live rock rubble or artificial live rock to make only a small part of the tank deep sanded. I'm planning a small tank, and I don't have the space for alot of deep sand in the display tank, but I will be careful what burroghing critters I put in the tank. I'm sure the standard tiny detrivores can be comfy in less sand.

 

[shawna]

and not allowsquid youeally don't have a subetrate base?(i guess this 2 day shift had sucked away what little brain power I had had snd I didn't realize it looking at it( after 48 hours wresteling the kids into restraints etc I am thouroughly dain bramaged) see any post I made last nite well the black sand sounds pretty I think I really would like to go the way of the sand bed and mabt the retaining wall idea would be good for " an unable to make up her own mind kind a girl" sorry I was so obcessing last nite I guess :sleepy:
any way for asthetics I could see a landscaped retaining wall look that is an awsome Idea, thanks!
Theere is no reason why it would cause any biological probloms though is there?
(guess I'm still obcessing just want happy and healthy critters!)
thanks for helping this lost and bewildered newbie out!
this hobbie is like nursing the more I learn the more I realize that in a billion years I still would need a billion years to learn it all! :thinking:
well got to go to the shore for a day but i'll try to check in for any info :happy:
shawna

 

[shawna]

ps squid your bottom is beautiful (take that the rite way):yes:
I need a secretary to type for me! see above post

 

[squidd]

Originally posted by shawna
ps squid your bottom is beautiful (take that the rite way):yes:

I hear that a lot...ALL the Nurses say that to me...
Especially when they see my Bare Bottom...
Now, YOU try to take that the "right" way...

 

[falconred]

dsb will fail in future. keep repeating this. long term is what we are tring to do in this hobby long term; pete and repeat were in a boat pete fell out who was left. dsb will fail long term

 

[rich460]

why will a dsb fail falconred please give a reason way :notsure:

 

[dskidmore]

I'd like to hear more detail too. I keep hearing about DSB "crashes" but I'm not clear on what that entails. Something to do with accumulating more debris than it can process?

 

[tony detroit]

Well, I've went many ways on many tanks and right now I am pretty happy with my new shallow bottom tank. Just enough to cover the glass. My skimmer doesn't pull 1/4 of what it used to out of the tank.

 

[shawna]

this might be a duplicate post power wigged out haunted 300 y/o house and all)
the crashes or old tank syndrome this is what scared me off before, with the fear that I would put all the time into making it look nice a form of living art... and then all would be lost. so if you all are still willing to put up with a whole bunch more ?'s
kip- you said if they are cared for properly they wont fail? how do I care for the bed, shallow or deep??... I don't want to kill my creatures. I know you guys must be sick of me but I really apreciate your feed back
where in the blazes do I get the critters ( worms and copapods etc) for the tank if the lfs has laughed at me? will some of the live sand from this site be enough? the harvested sand (i think that was what it was called)
I have seen that you guys (and gals) speak of recharging the sand bed. with what? where do you get it and what is it called??
because I had the crushed coral I was doing a weekly to monthly vaccum of the tank. I ave few critters and would like to go bigger and better.. I have a ton of hermies, 3 emeralds 1 sally light foot, (the decorater that may not stay once I'm ready for corals), 4 conch (small still) turbonails 3 lg, I had had about 100 snails but the hermies did them all in. (bought 50 then another 25 then another 25 and from last count have 3 or maby 5 margarita(small) snails left. and that is it.before i lay down any part of this bed that I can't really clean what should I buy what do you all really reccomend for a max clean up crew?
with asthetic diversity? is it worth it for example to get s "detrius eating star" I almost had but I wanted to wait till I was done playing with the tank because Idon't want to stress and kill it.
my amonia in the sand is at 1.0 and it is still super cloudy is this normal? oh and on the bag it said not for use in fishtanks (or something similar) but it is the "oldcastle" and the website said it was previously south down ...nothing was changed with it has it?
well don't blame you guys if you are sick of me I feel like I've kinda bien a pita but in a year I'd like to be able to post pictures like you all have (only about 1/2 as pretty I'm realistic)
I promise to go away for the nite (please don't ban me for being a pain in the bottom)
shawna

 

[shawna]

oh gosh not only did I read it I also printed it all out (I must have bien half asleep when I did but it is all on the med room desk. and underlined none the less (we were on a 2 day lock down :sleepy: )

 

[mr. tuna]

Great info kip!
How much would you reccomend to
change and how often? A cup every month?

 

[mr. tuna]

Thanks
I only have 80lbs of LS in my 92, so i dont have too much.
If i do one cup per month... that should cover up to percentage on my sand.
Occasionally, should i swift the top of my sand? once a week?

 

[deansreef]

i am going with a bare bottom reef this time out. I had a dsb in my 90 and it crashed after 3 years.

 

[dakota]

I'll be pulling my dsb out in a couple of months. It's more hassle that it's worth.
Squid -- That's a fantastic looking tank. I've seen many bb and they don't look unnatural at all, especially when mushrooms, green star polyps, etc. start spreading to form a mat.

 

[montidanae]

i havent read the whole thread, to long, and i gotta work soon, lol, i started with a SSB of less then 2 inches, but im goign to take it out for any about .5in for my nassarius snails and cucumber, if i didnt have the cucmber i woudlnt have a sandbed....
this is for flow issues, not nutrient exports.

 

[mr. tuna]

So kip,
I just take one cup of my LS out, then add the other cup of new LS back in once a month? How much would that help?

 

[mr. tuna]

Kip,
I have a sand swifting goby in my tank...
Should i get rid of him? Also, my taking a cup of sand out of
my tank before adding the new cup, will it cause a phosphate
spike?
Thanks alot!

 

[shawna]

gosh guys I am so glad that the c.c. will be gone soon just trying to "delicately remove it has caused all kinds of dark brown water like looking through a wood door pannel that can't be good! the sand still shows a 0.75 amonia spike but now the main tank is at one even after a pretty extensive water change and that was only about 1/2 the gravel. Kip thanks for the good info on how to maintain a bed. I think that was alot of what i was asking but didn't know how to ask! ok in one of the posts it said to put only 1/2 inch in at a time is that 1/2 inch off the buckets or 1/2 inch on the glass of the tank? it might have come from the links handed to meat the beginning of "this bug you guys for info site" also what kind of skimmer would be good for a 90? mine is only a cyclone and is supposed to do 120 ga,l but I don't thik it does that well. often have to syphon out the water on the top I gather this will exasorbate? with the sand? also since I won't be able to syphon the bottom where should I syphon the water off for changes? only at the top? around the rocks? I have always used a small p.h. or turkey baister to create dust storms to blow the sedimate off the rocks so I guess that will work for sifting it as well (I'm pretty short with stubby arms and cn barely reach the bottom of the tank (sux to be short! I am going to get 2 more power heads then it will be 4, the filter, and the recycle from the cyclone to make the water move is that adequate?
ok now the question I fear to ask....I always have rock slides (have 2 scratches already) can I do anything about it I have put the jig saw puzle together a billion diferent ways and it just leavs me frustrated and swearing worse than terrets! I also love my brand new just laid hand huned floor below the tank and one day I will have a 90 gal salt water flood! can I do anything at all about it? short of swearing like a sailor and wanting to launch a piece of rock through the air? hate those rocks sometimes! killled a kritter that way to.

 

[sw65galma]

Just throwing in my 2 Cents.
We are making a close as we can replication to the Ocean.
And last time I checked the Ocean isn't a SSB. Granted it has a lot more water.
There may be a coralation between size of tank and ability to process any excess waste a DSB may ever create in the long run.
My 300 is filling right now and I have a DSB in it and that's the way I'm going..
I'll be posting pics soon. I'm working on the PVC right now and the stands in the back to house all the equiptment.
2 open loops 1-40 Gal Wet/dry and My 65 will soon be the other open loop for the Fuge
2 Closed loop each with Fluidized Sand bed Filters.

 

[shawna]

where do I get the egg crate from? that isn't the same as an egg crate that you would put on a bed is it?
thanks for the feed back I get sooo frrruuuusssssstrrrrraaaaaaaaattted when I have it up all but the last 3 pieces and down it comes or I get it up it looks nice then land slide as soon as I go to do something else (I have waisted close to a month (in hours) getting it to stay up all toll and the tank has only bien up for 8 months!!! (well now ya all see the hot temer of an irish american indian):yes: