Are the sps heavy hitters using sand bed?

[MattL22]

I'm leaning towards bb with a container filled with sand for the wrasses!!
I had alot of nutrient issues when I ran a 75 gal with sand bed but it was also the best I've ever done with sps!!

 

[AZDesertRat]

5-6" Southdown DSB.
I don't have a current photo but here is an older one before I had Mojano Anemone problems. Still non detectable phosphates and nitrates and the sand is 9 years old.

 

[mallorieGgator]

I've always ran a sand bed and until I ran biopellets, had a problem with keeping algae at bay. This system I'm getting ready to set up is going to be a barebottom nano (35 gal or so). I'll keep you posted on how it does.

 

[MattL22]

Would love to here from guys like nick, gw3, cunareefer, Jared at rmf
The guys who grow the most beautiful colorful sps around the country!!

 

[MattL22]

Got this monster down the stairs!
Just gotta plumb it !!

 

[MattL22]

I don't know what to do the focus of this tank will be sps I do plan on a decent amount of fish!! Who's running sand bed and growing lg colorful colonies!!

 

[CUNAReefer]

Would love to here from guys like nick, gw3, cunareefer, Jared at rmf
The guys who grow the most beautiful colorful sps around the country!!

WOW! Thanks, Matt. The new tank looks great! I've tried all different types of sand beds... Deep, shallow, black, white, special grade, crushed, etc. Right now, I do not use any sand other than what my wrasse uses to sleep in. I have one piece of live rock in my entire system. I do like the look of a sandbed, but the ease of maintenance a BB provides is a huge benefit. The sand looks nice, but you can/will experience mini sand storms with high flow. With a BB you can also turn your bottom into a sheet of coral and coralline. Good Luck! James

 

[CUNAReefer]

I don't know what to do the focus of this tank will be sps I do plan on a decent amount of fish!! Who's running sand bed and growing lg colorful colonies!!

Hey Matt, you can still have a thriving fish population with a BB, but you will need to be more selective of your fish and you will need to provide a sand bed for any wrasse's you want to keep. If your going primarily SPS, I would go BB. So easy to maintain and you don't have to worry about any sand being blown onto a colony.

 

[robby2782]

5-6" Southdown DSB.
I don't have a current photo but here is an older one before I had Mojano Anemone problems. Still non detectable phosphates and nitrates and the sand is 9 years old.

That Six Line Wrasse is a monster!

 

[barbianj]

Has anyone every painted the bottom of the bottom glass an off white color to give off the look of sand? Similar how people paint the back glass blue/black you get the point.. lol

Ive been thinking of going bare bottom but also like the look of sand and thought maybe this was a solution someone came up with???

I painted the bottom of my 300DD FOWLR white, with the thought that if I didn't like it, I would just add substrate later. The white looks awesome, and most people don't notice that its bare until I point it out.

 

[ingtar_shinowa]

Here is a cool option. Get white starboard (HDPE) then epoxy a layer of sand to it, then it can LOOK like sand without giving you issues. You know, until coralline purples it up. I almost did this on my new build but I want lots of leopard wrasse and tamarins.

 

[barbianj]

Here is a cool option. Get white starboard (HDPE) then epoxy a layer of sand to it, then it can LOOK like sand without giving you issues. You know, until coralline purples it up. I almost did this on my new build but I want lots of leopard wrasse and tamarins.

Doesn't that make sandpaper?? lolz

 

[Mrfresh]

I run a 4 to 5 inch sand bed on my tank.
I had issues with phos and nits a while ago.
Vodka dose and things are great

 

[cultivatedcoral]

No sand. 60+ acros in a 180g. Every color you could imagine. BB is the best for keeping a tank clean and nutrients in check.

 

[Genesis Corals]

I find the special grade reef sand can handle quite a bit of flow before blowing around and even then it forms dunes rather then sand storms. I have only had my tank up and running for a year with a 1" sandbed and everything is going great. Personally a shallow sandbed with a diamond goby and some manual sandsifting is very managable. I love the look of the sand and will always run a tank with it.

 

[Mike&Terry]

We keep a 1.5 to 2? sand bed in our 300g SPS reef without issues.

side view:

 

[reef. coffee & curly hair]

We run a 140 gallon SPS dominated tank established 3 years ago (1 year with the SPS switch over) with approximately 2.5-3 inches of CS Special Reef Grade sand with no issues. 30 plus Sps pieces with great color. I try to keep 30-40 Cerith Snails (bc they tend to hug the rocks under the sand bed), 20-30 Nassarius Snails, and a sand sifting Starfish to help stir the sand some. I syphon once or twice a month and water change 20 gallons every week if time permits.

 

[ingtar_shinowa]

Yes Jerry... i hate you

 

[MattL22]

Mike and terry how long has tank been set up do u vacuum sand? ( awesome tank that is what is like to do with this tank)

If I was gonna do sand is buy 2 bags live sand rest would be play sand from HD!

 

[Mike&Terry]

Mike and terry how long has tank been set up do u vacuum sand? ( awesome tank that is what is like to do with this tank)

If I was gonna do sand is buy 2 bags live sand rest would be play sand from HD!

It's been up and running for over two years. We stir up/ turn over the sand before water changes and siphon once a month. We have always kept a shallow sand bed in our reefs and have never had issues.