The more LS and DSB, the better? Interesting question inside.

[sylock]

Ok, so the the premise that the more LS and DSB in a system the better, I've come up with an idea.
Lets say you have a nice 5 inch DSB in your main tank (90 gallon). Now lets go down into the sump (55 gallon). The water table goes up to about 14 iinches in the sump (so you have room for the sump to fill more). What if you build layers in the sump? Example: on the bottom of the sump you put a 5 inch DSB and then you build a shelf about 7 inches from the base to put another sand bed onto. Thus doubling your sump DSB. Allow for water movement obviously between the two levels. Would this be a good idea?

 

[bbreaux1]

sounds pretty complicated to do that why not just use two containers and have one flow into the other then back to the aquarium

 

[kris walker]

It does sound complicated, but if you can do it, and you feel your bioload will require more than what your 5 in DSB in your 90 gal can provide, then more power to ya! Just be sure that you are not encouraging any circulation between the upper and lower levels through the upper DSB. Good luck, and let us know how it turns out!
sam

 

[diatom]

Sylock~
I think your system would be better served by just putting one DSB in the sump and turning it into a refugium and harvesting some macro algae there.
There is only so much a DBS will accomplish as far as exporting nitrates.
It would be an interesting experiment but if it were my show tank, not one that I think I would attempt.