dsb over cc?
- Thread starter bruins14
- Start date
josh
Active Member
Hi,
Ok just one more observation. Has anyone else noticed how this issue plays out on differnt boards. For instance, there is a thread over on reef central on this DSB in realtion to bare bottom or shallow CC beds. The only ones who have posted are the people who have shallow cc beds and are against DSB or have switched to DSB and aren't happy. It just seems to vary widely on where you go. It it like a big game of telephone, I heard it from so and so and he said it was the best, so it must be. It is just interesting to me, not flaming DSB.. and I wouldn't b/c I have never tried it.
Josh
Ok just one more observation. Has anyone else noticed how this issue plays out on differnt boards. For instance, there is a thread over on reef central on this DSB in realtion to bare bottom or shallow CC beds. The only ones who have posted are the people who have shallow cc beds and are against DSB or have switched to DSB and aren't happy. It just seems to vary widely on where you go. It it like a big game of telephone, I heard it from so and so and he said it was the best, so it must be. It is just interesting to me, not flaming DSB.. and I wouldn't b/c I have never tried it.
Josh
whipple
Member
I cant see many critters working too much in a bed of CC. Theres the first thing i would look at second the sand just looks so much better. You wont find bristtle worms and spagetti worms making happy home in CC and not sure if a horse shoe crab can move it all that well, any brittles in the tank dont think they would do much in the CC either just some things to think about.
daisy
Member
so is the dsb better because of looks and because of the animals that live in it? Because I've had about 2 inches of cc for two years or so, and I've got lots of little worms and stuff in there. I've gotten lots of advice to change to a dsb while my stock is low, and I'm seriously considering it, but when you say that in a couple of months maybe they'll stop touting dsb and go to something else, I wonder whether I should leave well enough alone...
mini-reefer
Member
I just switched mine over to the DSB a month ago and so far all is great. I do notice ALOT more critters now in the sand bed. All water parameters are great as well. Before I always had higher nitrate levels (abut 80)but now they seem to sit at about 20, but I believe that may be because I still have one "ball" of the original cc in the tank for maturing the ls. My next step is going to be a refugium. I'll be switching my FO tank in the very near future as well. 
Mini-Reefer
Mini-Reefer
kris walker
Active Member
Bruins, if you truely have 4 in of sand, putting it on 1 in of CC will not cause any problems at all. You won't even see the CC because it will stay buried. If you were adding 0.5 in of sand to a 1-in CC bed, that would be a different story.
Whipple, I have CC unfortunately, and I can tell you that tons of critters can populate CC. I have tons of bristle worms and pods all squirming in and out of it. I don't know if they are happy about it though. IMO, CC seems to be okay for critters because there is more space for them than in sand. On the other hand, in sand the sand is easier to move through. Then there is the fish issue. I have none, and tons of pods/worms. Anyway, there seems to be some degree of tradeoff, and I just wanted to share.
I agree, sand looks much better, and I would add more natural. If I had only known in the beginning.
Daisy, if you want a bioload that includes a significant number of fish, I would switch to a DSB. If you do not want to have a lot of fish, I think your bioload will be able to easily be handled without a DSB.
sam
Whipple, I have CC unfortunately, and I can tell you that tons of critters can populate CC. I have tons of bristle worms and pods all squirming in and out of it. I don't know if they are happy about it though.
IMO, CC seems to be okay for critters because there is more space for them than in sand. On the other hand, in sand the sand is easier to move through. Then there is the fish issue. I have none, and tons of pods/worms. Anyway, there seems to be some degree of tradeoff, and I just wanted to share.I agree, sand looks much better, and I would add more natural. If I had only known in the beginning.
Daisy, if you want a bioload that includes a significant number of fish, I would switch to a DSB. If you do not want to have a lot of fish, I think your bioload will be able to easily be handled without a DSB.
sam
mr . salty
Active Member
All this talk,and no one touched on the three major advantages of sand over CC.#1,DENITRAFICATION.A deep sand bed has a special low/no oxegen bacteria living in it's lower layers that actually converts nitrates into harmless nitrogen gas.This nitrogen gas then simply bubbles out of your tank.This compleates the nitrogen cycle.CC can NOT do this....#2,CC do to it's large partical size,has the tendancy to trap excess food and fish waste.This waste will actually contribute to higher than normal nitrate readings.With a sand bed this waste just sits on top where current carries it away,or your cleanup crew eats it...#3,A sand bed requires virtually NO maintenance.CC MUST be vaccumed.I know there are a few here that claim it is not needed,but they are playing Russian Roullet(sp).Eventually this waste buildup WILL catch up and cause Major problems.......DSB's are alot more than just the flavor of the month,and I doubt if anything will come around soon that will be better as far as substrate goes....