Bare Bottom Reefs, Opinions?

[hawkinsrgk]

BB are so much better for maintaining better water par. You basically control your nitrates better. Once removed my sand never had to deal with cyano again. No more sand drifts no diatoms. SPS love it with more flow. The best thing I done to my tank.

Same thing for me. Best thing I ever did to my tank

 

[td3025]

Thank you all for your responses! my tank comes in about 2 weeks, so I'll do a build thread once I get it. I'm gonna do bare bottom I'm pretty sure. It seems only right to give it a go since all my tanks before this have had sand, time to try something new

 

[td3025]

I started my 40 breeder as a bare bottom. Yes, keeping nitrates down and detritus suspended is a plus, but it looks a bit unnatural. Also, I struggle keeping my nutrients up anyway. I ended up adding a bag of Tropic Eden Reeflakes, about and inch deep. I'm running two MP10w's on opposite ends at 100% without stirring up sand (and 600 gph through return).

I say this to explain high flow doesn't necessarily mean you have to go bare bottom.

I think i'm going to try bare bottom, see how it works for me, and then add sand if I don't like it.
figured it's easier to do it this way rather than start with sand and then try to syphon it all out if I wanted to try bare bottom

 

[Oldsofty]

FYI, adding sand later will probably cloud your tank for a few days....so be prepared. Are u planning on going with sps or something else?