How well is your DSB working?

aqua blue

aqua blue

Member
Hello Everyone.
I would like to hear from people who have deep sand beds in their tanks.
How well do they handle your Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate levels?
How deep is your DSB?
And how long have you used this in your tank?
Thanks to bad advice from many local fish stores I have started out wrong.
After reading an article on DSB's by Ron Shimek I think this is what I want in my tank.
Can more live sand be added to a tank without harming the fish and inverts?
Can live rock be added to a tank without harming fish and inverts?
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Fritzwilly:)
 
kdlbem

kdlbem

Member
Hey Fritz,
I have been using a DSB of 3-1/2 inches for just over a year now, and I love it! I always had nitrates of at least 40ppm no matter what I did. I switched to LS, and put over a hundred lbs of LR in the tank(compared to the 20-30 lbs I had with the CC substrate), and I haven't seen a trace of nitrate since. I used 3 20 lb bags of natures ocean LS, and 30 lbs. of aragamax oolitic dry sand. I took everything out of the tank except the water to do this, and it took 5 days to clear up.
You can add liverock to your tank, just make sure it is fully cured, even then I would do it a little at a time.
You can add LS to an existing setup, others here have some little tricks for that, so the tank doesn't cloud up so bad, but I can't remember them right now(sorry).
HTH,
B
 
alf3482

alf3482

Member
How well do they handle your Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate levels?
Just fine! I have had zero nitrates for so long I only test my tank every 3 months now. I know I'm
bad but the tank is 2.5 years old now and well established.
How deep is your DSB?
I use a 6" DSB
And how long have you used this in your tank?
2.5 years
Thanks to bad advice from many local fish stores I have started out wrong.
Don't feel bad I think we all did at some point.
After reading an article on DSB's by Ron Shimek I think this is what I want in my tank.
good decission
Can more live sand be added to a tank without harming the fish and inverts?
Yes
Can live rock be added to a tank without harming fish and inverts?
If fully cured and it go's from a holding tank into your tank to ensure no die off you will be fine. If useing Uncured Rock or using MO rock then I suggest curing it outside of the tank.
HTH
 
steamboat1569

steamboat1569

Member
Back when I first started in this hobby, there was talk about the DSB. I have crushed coral and will be switching to this soon. but, back then it seemed that everyone was talking 3-4 inches, then it changed to 3-5 inches, and now it is 4 to 6 inches.
Just wondering if there is a trend here. Have we reached the depth we need?
Someone on the board said that having your DSB in the sump was a good idea, and I am leaning that way because I am afraid that in a couple more years the DSB will be even deeper.
If I do go with the sump idea, how deep should I make the sand in the main tank and not have problems with nitrates down the road, or does the sump DSB take care of it?
 
alf3482

alf3482

Member
I belive from the research I have done, that after 8" deep that it no longer becomes anymore efficent. IMO the use of a 6"DSB only In the sump would not be as efficent as say 3.5" DSB in The tank and a 3.5"DSB in the sump. But this is only IMO. Unless you were say using a 75 gal tank and a 75 gal sump. then the process would be just as efficent. HTH
 
aqua blue

aqua blue

Member

Originally posted by alf3482
How well do they handle your Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate levels?
Just fine! I have had zero nitrates for so long I only test my tank every 3 months now. I know I'm
bad but the tank is 2.5 years old now and well established.
How deep is your DSB?
I use a 6" DSB
And how long have you used this in your tank?
2.5 years
Thanks to bad advice from many local fish stores I have started out wrong.
Don't feel bad I think we all did at some point.
After reading an article on DSB's by Ron Shimek I think this is what I want in my tank.
good decission
Can more live sand be added to a tank without harming the fish and inverts?
Yes
Can live rock be added to a tank without harming fish and inverts?
If fully cured and it go's from a holding tank into your tank to ensure no die off you will be fine. If useing Uncured Rock or using MO rock then I suggest curing it outside of the tank.
HTH
:confused: What is uncured and/or MO rock?
 
carrie1429

carrie1429

Active Member
I have had a DSB since I started the hobby witch was 8 months ago, I have never had a rise in ammonia, or nitrite, my nitrates got up to 20 one time but thats as high as they went. My sand is only 3 inches deep but it still works very well. Sand and rock can be added to your tank but very slowly, especially with the sand.
 
aqua blue

aqua blue

Member
Thanks for all the replies. I have added another 20lbs of ls. That brings the sand bed depth to about 2.75 inches so far. Adding the sand went pretty smooth. I will probably add another 20 lbs. to bring it over 3 inches deep. I have shopped for and found some nice cured live rock. Since I will always have more time than money I will have to gradually build my live rock a little at a time. I think this will help avoid too much stress to the fish and inverts and the wallet. I am just going to enjoy the hobby.
:D
 
aqua blue

aqua blue

Member

Originally posted by Carrie1429
I have had a DSB since I started the hobby witch was 8 months ago, I have never had a rise in ammonia, or nitrite, my nitrates got up to 20 one time but thats as high as they went. My sand is only 3 inches deep but it still works very well. Sand and rock can be added to your tank but very slowly, especially with the sand.
My nitrates are usually between 5 & 10 so far. I do a 5 gal. water change every 2 weeks. My tank has about 40 gal. net water volume. (before recent additon of 20 # ls) How often do you water changes? Just wondering what you did when your nitrates reached 20? :)
 
broomer5

broomer5

Active Member
I've used crushed coral substrate.
I now use DSB 5 inches or so.
This along with other factors - best thing I've done.
Nitrates are lowest they've ever been - less than 5 - still trying to reach zero nitrate Nirvana
But I've also done other things to help too.
 
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