Benefits of going bare bottom?

[Sobo's Reef]

I was just wondering what the benefits of going BB are? Is there a downside?

 

[fisharefriends]

I would just say hermits and snails would not like that much.

 

[Sobo's Reef]

True. It just seems more and more people are going BB so I wasn't sure if there was a big benefit to doing it. Plus another reason I ask is bc I have really fine sand and my tanks water clarity is never great and that irks me

 

[fisharefriends]

well less problems with nutrient issues as well

 

[ygon]

The biggest benefit in my opinion is ease of cleanup. I started out with sugar fine sand, loved the look hated the clean up and sand storms. I run BB now I cant see myself ever going back.

 

[Eckolancer]

The biggest benefit in my opinion is ease of cleanup. I started out with sugar fine sand, loved the look hated the clean up and sand storms. I run BB now I cant see myself ever going back.

This + lower phosphates, and less chance of buildup of sulphur under sandbed.

Here is a pic of mine now.

 

[Coraloliseffect]

1 word.

Easier

 

[Sobo's Reef]

Nice tank, if I ever did go BB, would I still be able to have my Conch and nassarius snails? Or do they absolutely need sand?

 

[Kworker]

I was an advocate for BB and still am, I just like the look of sand more than coralline covered bottom. BB makes cleaning the system easier, I still run a high flow in the display to keep as much as I can kicked up and slow flow through the sump as a settling tank to siphon out detritus.

 

[Kworker]

Nice tank, if I ever did go BB, would I still be able to have my Conch and nassarius snails? Or do they absolutely need sand?

Not sure about nassarius since I never had them or looked into them, but seeing my conches are always dug up in the sand and eating around in it I say no. They eat microorganisms in the sand bed.

 

[Eckolancer]

I have about 5 nassarius when I started and have seen some babies roaming around. Sometime my hermits kill them. Also I have a sand sifting star that had been with me for almost 10 years now.

 

[Sobo's Reef]

I have about 5 nassarius when I started and have seen some babies roaming around. Sometime my hermits kill them. Also I have a sand sifting star that had been with me for almost 10 years now.

Lol u have a sand sifting star in a BB tank? Weird

 

[pickupman66]

The biggest benefit in my opinion is nutrient export. I have a single corner that detritus goes to and it's super easy to suck it out. I had sand all my reef life and after 2 months here...I won't go back.

 

[Sobo's Reef]

The bare look does look good. I guess in order to get it all out, you just siphon it out when its time for a water change? I have a 150g tank so it'd obviously take a few water changes probably

 

[SPSDomination]

Hey Dan I just did this in my tank over the past couple months. I couldnt be happier. I probably had about 3 inches of fine sand and I got so sick and tired of the peaks and valleys caused by the powerheads. So I started removing more and more every water change by using regular clear hose. I would simply suck out as much as I could until I had pulled out the correct amount I was changing. Already I am noticing a reduction in nutrient levels as I must have had a ton of crap built up. Its so nice to be able to increase flow without worrying about sand blowing all over the place. Just be careful as your sucking it out because as I got close to the rock work I almost collapsed my mountains of live rock because it was obviously being supported by the sand. I decided to leave whatever sand I have under the rockwork because there simply isnt a way to get it out without moving things around and I dont want to disturb established sps colonies. Just take it nice and slow and do a little bit at a time. Gently run the hose through the sand and try not to stir things up because you dont want all that organic matter floating around creating a nutrient explosion. If you can grab whatever little shells and rocks you can see because they clog the hose very easily. Deff pull the trigger and go for it though brother your gonna love it. Corralline algae started growing in its place right away.

 

[SPSDomination]

***I would simply suck out as much as I could until I had pulled out the correct amount of water I was changing.***

 

[Quinn123]

Went BB 4 months ago and loving it

 

[Sobo's Reef]

Hey Dan I just did this in my tank over the past couple months. I couldnt be happier. I probably had about 3 inches of fine sand and I got so sick and tired of the peaks and valleys caused by the powerheads. So I started removing more and more every water change by using regular clear hose. I would simply suck out as much as I could until I had pulled out the correct amount I was changing. Already I am noticing a reduction in nutrient levels as I must have had a ton of crap built up. Its so nice to be able to increase flow without worrying about sand blowing all over the place. Just be careful as your sucking it out because as I got close to the rock work I almost collapsed my mountains of live rock because it was obviously being supported by the sand. I decided to leave whatever sand I have under the rockwork because there simply isnt a way to get it out without moving things around and I dont want to disturb established sps colonies. Just take it nice and slow and do a little bit at a time. Gently run the hose through the sand and try not to stir things up because you dont want all that organic matter floating around creating a nutrient explosion. If you can grab whatever little shells and rocks you can see because they clog the hose very easily. Deff pull the trigger and go for it though brother your gonna love it. Corralline algae started growing in its place right away.

Thanks for the advice man! I may just go ahead and do it. Maybe then I'll finally get a clear tank for once! Lol

 

[Rob&Gab]

Interested . Please people come out and say more. What's the best way to convince someone to go BB? Someone sell me! Gab hates BB TANKS I kinda like it.

 

[Bjreef562]

I always wanted to go bare bottom but was always afraid of rocks falling and hitting the bottom glass, I've heard of people using egg crates to protect the bottom glass but is there anything else that I can use to protect my bottom glass that is t such an eyesore ?