Battle for the Bottom: Bare Bottom or Substrate?

[Nano_Man]

Nothing I find things are just cleaner in my opinion

 

[BristleWormHater]

As a bristle worm hater I expected you to hate sand where all the bristle worms hide!

I only see them in the rocks, those are probably Eunice worms

 

[KrisReef]

I am a reverse undergravel filter over dolomite gravel sort of guy. No problems yet.

We'll have to ask the judges if dolomite counts as a reef substrate or is it classified as "Roofing material?"

Yet coral die-off continues to be a problem in the oceans!!!

Remove the sand (from the oceans), save the reefs!!!

This makes total sense, and the reefs do not have a roof either.

Sand is a good place to sit your wrasse on, but I like a bare bottom without sand myself.

Does anyone still have crushed oyster shells as a substrate? I miss the Puca sand that came from Hawaii!

 

[BristleWormHater]

We'll have to ask the judges if dolomite counts as a reef substrate or is it classified as "Roofing material?"

This makes total sense, and the reefs do not have a roof either.

Sand is a good place to sit your wrasse on, but I like a bare bottom without sand myself.

Does anyone still have crushed oyster shells as a substrate? I miss the Puca sand that came from Hawaii!

Planning on setting up a fiddler crab tank with the crushed shells substrate.

 

[billyocean]

I vote sand but it's purely for aesthetics for me. Frag tank would be bare bottom but displays just dont look as good without it IMO.

.

 

[JohnnyBlowfish]

I definitely prefer sand aesthetically. However, I recently went bare bottom. Primarily because of an ongoing (over a year) cyano problem that I can’t get a handle on. Never seen anything like it in all my years reefing. I assume once/if I get the problem solved I’ll be adding the sand back in.

 

[Dragen Fiend]

I like both. I guess it depends on the look I am going for and what type of livestock I'm putting in. If nothing requires sand. Then bare bottom it is. Cleanup wise. Bare bottom wins hands down.

 

[56longroof]

I prefer sand. More specifically a DSB. I always thought the bare bottom tanks were reminiscent of a tank in a pet store.

 

[Paul B]

We'll have to ask the judges if dolomite counts as a reef substrate or is it classified as "Roofing material?"

This is true, But I set up my tank when the hobby started in 1971 and dolomite was the only salt water substrate.
It comes from Italy, (like my Grand Parents) and I think they make tombstones out of it.

 

[Waters]

For me it depends on the tank. SPS tanks I do BB with powerheads sitting directly on the bottom. LPS tanks I prefer sand primarily due to the looks.

 

[drbrivers]

This is true, But I set up my tank when the hobby started in 1971 and dolomite was the only salt water substrate.
It comes from Italy, (like my Grand Parents) and I think they make tombstones out of it.

I am old school marine aquarist too, first fish system around 1975 as well. Dolomite is a mineral containing both magnesium and calcium carbonate. Dolomite was preferred under gravel substrate by many at that time as work by Stephen Spotte at Mystic Marine Aquarium showed it was slightly better at maintaining the floor of tank water pH than regular calcium carbonate gravel alone. I used to use it in my standard under gravel systems for fish only for into the late 80's. Fun times.

 

[Paul B]

Dolomite is a mineral containing both magnesium and calcium carbonate. Dolomite was preferred under gravel substrate by many at that time as work by Stephen Spotte at Mystic Marine Aquarium showed it was slightly better at maintaining the floor of tank water pH than regular calcium carbonate gravel alone.

Yep, although I doubt my 50 year old dolomite does anything to improve water conditions. But I still run a reverse UG filter and it seems to work. Maybe after 100 years it crashes or burst into flames.. Time will tell.