Should i remove the DSB

[beth]

I understand what's being said, and I can't vouch for longgivity as my dsb reef was set up Dec 2001. It was great for me because I am not diy-friendly, so setting up plumming and fuges, etc., just was not going to work for me. Its a stand alone system with really no filters other than the sand and rock. I have a skimmer which I really don't consider as a mechanical fitler.

 

[beth]

I'm wondering how many failed DSB-ers take the time to feed their sandbed animals? :notsure:

 

[bang guy]

I'm not at the 5 year mark yet so I can't speak from experience with my current system. In the past I have kept DSB's for up to 8 years without symptoms. I did have a tank that stopped thriving after just two years. I believe it was the sand bed. I was still learning and I never did anything to maintain the sand bed.
I hear a lot about old tank syndrome. I've heard a lot about it before sand beds were popular. The common thread I have noticed over the years with OTS has been live rock, not sand beds. I'm not saying that it's definately not sand beds. Similar principals are in place. What I am saying is that OTS has not been limited to reef tanks with DSB's. Every tank I have heard of that stops thriving after several years has had live rock though.
Conversly, one of the local hobbiests experiencing OTS removed the DSB and has reported improved growth after the fact.
Just food for thought.

 

[dburr]

Just a thought, can sand be rinsed out or baked in an oven to rejuvinate it?
Kinda like the phosphate removers. Does the stuff get trapped in the sand grain or between the sand grains?:thinking: :notsure:

 

[wrassie86]

Originally posted by dburr
Just a thought, can sand be rinsed out or baked in an oven to rejuvinate it?
Kinda like the phosphate removers. Does the stuff get trapped in the sand grain or between the sand grains?:thinking: :notsure:

dbrurr
Idont know the answer to that question.But in all the reading and good info i have found there is a sand bed test you can do to see what it is housing.take some sand with water from your tank put in a glass stir really well. let it settle for 6 hours then test that water for phosfates and what not
Also the symtoms you discribed above are the symtoms that most have for OTS including myself if you want a link to some of the info i've been reading lowells99@charter.net

 

[beth]

No baking sand. Live sand, and certainly a DSB has bacteria on each grain of sand which is what makes it the heart of this type system. The point is to keep it alive and thriving. I guess it could be considered "delicate" but it is also pretty amazing and interesting.

 

[shawna]

(sory the stupid newbie again) guys does this mean that I would be better not to change out my crushed coral if the dsb's fail in 3 to 5 years doesn't that mean that by the time I do have a pretty tank all would die any way? ( that would be about the time I have learned how to keep things hapy and healthy (and hopefully no more tears) wich is the worser of the 2 evils? crushed coral or sand, right now I have crushes coral and some sand mixed in 70 cc 30 live sand (loose some with each cleaning) and should I have any critters to run around in the crushed coral?I was thinking about changing the crushed coral out with the next rock slide...
the pesky stupid newbie
shawna

 

[wrassie86]

Originally posted by shawna
(sory the stupid newbie again) guys does this mean that I would be better not to change out my crushed coral if the dsb's fail in 3 to 5 years doesn't that mean that by the time I do have a pretty tank all would die any way? ( that would be about the time I have learned how to keep things hapy and healthy (and hopefully no more tears) wich is the worser of the 2 evils? crushed coral or sand, right now I have crushes coral and some sand mixed in 70 cc 30 live sand (loose some with each cleaning) and should I have any critters to run around in the crushed coral?I was thinking about changing the crushed coral out with the next rock slide...
the pesky stupid newbie
shawna
Shawna
What i would do if was you,is search around on the web,some of the other big forums and writings that are out there, and make your own imformed desion on whats best for your tank and how far your willing go.myself i will never have a DSB in my main tank again, but i will still have a DSB in a remote location 2 separates under my display.that are easily changed once a year or 2.
OH and this was not a stupid question,but a very important one.

 

[wrassie86]

Bang Guy
You are right about the rock also.But i feel that rock is the lesser evil because they can be cleaned.recycled and put back into the display.Only thing making that hard is corals being attached i have 3 big Rocks(5 yrs old)_ now that i will call questionable, just because of the growth on them (little hair,cyno)and the rest of the tank is free of any such algea.i will replace the rocks and then they will be recured for 2 mos and put back into the display.or to replace any other rocks i feel need to be recured.And then i hope for the OTS to done with.