Bare bottom, or sand bed?

[stanleo]

I am turning my 20 gallon tall frag tank into a small reef tank. I hardly ever frag anything and when I do, I can't find anyone who wants them most of the time. So I figured I might as well have another reef tank that I love.

Right now it is bare bottom. I see the advantages of bare bottom but I do not like the look. I would like opinions on this. The only equipment the tank has is a HOB filter rated for a 55 gallon tank, a heater and a powerhead. I am not looking to add any other equipment except maybe changing the light that it has currently.

Also thinking of stocking. Right now there is a six line wrasse but I can easily put him in my main tank. I don't know if I want a really cool single species like a frog fish of some kind or some other predator or just do some nano fish and call it a day.

 

[Spare time]

I prefer a sand bed because I find it's not the nightmare people make them out to be so long as you have critters keeping it clean for you. It provides a massive surface area for bacteria and microfauna to thrive and just looks nice. I only really think sand beds are iffy when you are creating a tank that will have extreme flow.

 

[Cory]

If you do a sand bed, swap it out with a new one every year is what id do.

 

[1Clown]

Currently bare bottom, going back with sand for new build. It just looks so much better. Have plenty of snails including nassarius and a conch and perhaps a sand sifting goby, wrasses that will stir it and shake it about twice a week and you're good to go. Bare bottom to me is like looking at a car without wheels.

 

[Spare time]

For reference i have a giant diamond goby, a sand star, a tiger cucumber, a bunch.of nassarius snails, and had coach's until my elegance coral began to kill anything that went near it.

 

[Timfish]

Sand, there's a lot of important biology going on in it with endoliths breaking it down and other stuff going on.

 

[CanuckReefer]

Sand.... and with a small CUC to stir the bed a bit. Sand sifting stars (have two) are always great imo, Sea Cucumber as well here, amongst others.... perhaps a blenny to really keep things lively? As long as its occasionally mixed up, it is super good for the system imo.

 

[Spare time]

For reference i have a giant diamond goby, a sand star, a tiger cucumber, a bunch.of nassarius snails, and had coach's until my elegance coral began to kill anything that went near it.

Conch's not coach lol