64ivy
Member
quote:
[hr]
Originally posted by BigMac
"64Ivy,
Has your tank always been bare bottom? I'm guessing you have had a DSB before, have you noticed any differents in nitrates between the two?"
Actually, my tank always has been barebottom...no particular reason, that's just what was in vouge at the time. A few years ago however, I gave some serious thought to converting but not solely because of nitrates. I simply wanted to keep clams on the bottom and maybe make things look a little more natural. Then I began reading these bulletin boards. And for every thread extolling the virtues of a dsb, it seemed like I'd read another thread from someone who had problems with theirs. First of all I couldn't get a consenus regarding how 'd' the 'sb' should be in the first place. Not only did everyone have an opinion but it seemed like the margin for error was microscopic: too little would totally negate the benefits and too much made it a hydrogen sulfide ticking time bomb. Then there was the battle over exactly what substrate was best. Next came the combo (or layering) method. For awhile, it seemed like this topic caused more debate than lighting does today.
There was also a problem in achieving the proper amount of water flow to keep the so-called 'sps' corals happy without blowing the sand all over the place, and whether to place the LR on it or in it. And now I'm hearing the best way to avoid 'Old Tank Syndrome' is to replace part or all of your sandbed every four years in order to avoid heavy metal build up.
Conversely, the biggest problem I hear with barebottomed tanks is nitrates and occasionally the unnatural look. I not only have tons of LR, but I tend to skim aggressively so the highest my nitrates ran was 25ppm. Then about two years ago, I added a small refugium which DOES have a sandbed of about 4" and now my nitrates are at about 0. As for looks, my tank's bottom is now covered with coralline, zoanthids, and about 5 years worth of 'reef litter' so I call that natural enough to live with.
Finally, please don't think I'm knocking the dsb devotees. I am not. It's just that my system has been working for me so I prefer to stick with it.
I still miss having clams on the bottom though. I wonder if one'll work in the 'fuge?
[hr]
Originally posted by BigMac
"64Ivy,
Has your tank always been bare bottom? I'm guessing you have had a DSB before, have you noticed any differents in nitrates between the two?"
Actually, my tank always has been barebottom...no particular reason, that's just what was in vouge at the time. A few years ago however, I gave some serious thought to converting but not solely because of nitrates. I simply wanted to keep clams on the bottom and maybe make things look a little more natural. Then I began reading these bulletin boards. And for every thread extolling the virtues of a dsb, it seemed like I'd read another thread from someone who had problems with theirs. First of all I couldn't get a consenus regarding how 'd' the 'sb' should be in the first place. Not only did everyone have an opinion but it seemed like the margin for error was microscopic: too little would totally negate the benefits and too much made it a hydrogen sulfide ticking time bomb. Then there was the battle over exactly what substrate was best. Next came the combo (or layering) method. For awhile, it seemed like this topic caused more debate than lighting does today.
There was also a problem in achieving the proper amount of water flow to keep the so-called 'sps' corals happy without blowing the sand all over the place, and whether to place the LR on it or in it. And now I'm hearing the best way to avoid 'Old Tank Syndrome' is to replace part or all of your sandbed every four years in order to avoid heavy metal build up.
Conversely, the biggest problem I hear with barebottomed tanks is nitrates and occasionally the unnatural look. I not only have tons of LR, but I tend to skim aggressively so the highest my nitrates ran was 25ppm. Then about two years ago, I added a small refugium which DOES have a sandbed of about 4" and now my nitrates are at about 0. As for looks, my tank's bottom is now covered with coralline, zoanthids, and about 5 years worth of 'reef litter' so I call that natural enough to live with.
Finally, please don't think I'm knocking the dsb devotees. I am not. It's just that my system has been working for me so I prefer to stick with it.
I still miss having clams on the bottom though. I wonder if one'll work in the 'fuge?
