New 120g, scared of DSB but love the look of Sand?

[synyster11]

Is 1"-2" of sand that is vacuumed every other week basically the same thing as having a glass bottom. I would put a DSB into a fuge but I bought this custom tank from a guy and he already has all the pluming and filtration setup. His return is at the bottom of the fuge so if I put sand in there it will just get sucked up. I cant move the return because he as all the automated pump cut off's sensors in the correct spots on the fuge. So here I am... Scared to do a DSB in the main tank, and I am not able to do a DSB in a fuge. What would you suggest?
I would tear it apart, but this is about a 4k setup that the guy has been running for years with no problems. What am I sacrificing by not having a DSB anywhere in my system. He was running a glass bottom, I assume because the bottom is COVERED in purple algae.
Thanks in advance.

 

[kreach]

If a DSB scares you, you can still have some of the benefits of a sandbed by doing a shallow sand bed of 1-3 inches... and you don't have to vacuum it. You just need an adequate cleaning crew... they will keep the sand clean.

 

[synyster11]

Ok, thats what I was thinking. I had a 80g reef for 2 years sitting on 2" of CC and I never had any problems. So does a 2-3" sand bed not carry the same risk as a 5-6". I understand there is a risk with any bed but a 1-3" bed seems easier to take care of "ocasional vacuming". I assume with a thin bed of sand you want as many critters and sand turning things as possible right?

 

[slofish]

how bout adding some walls around where the water drains out to the fuge. If you have a 4-5 inch tall wall surrounding the hole that drains to the sump/fuge, it'll allow you to build up a DSB without having the sand sucked down.

 

[synyster11]

Yea, a guy I work with also brought that up. I am pretty sure it would work with no problems. Thanks for the tip.

 

[beaslbob]

sounds to me like you got a system that is working just fine. Maybe best to leave well enough alone.