Deep Sand Beds- Hey Anthony....

AZDesertRat · Mar 7, 2011

Have you anything further to add to this 2007 thread on the subject?
DSB article - CALFO

There are a couple members over on The Reef Tank that are really blasting you and Dr. Ron and DSB's in general. Basically they say they are poinson and the worst thing to come down the pike in quite awhile.
Personally my DSB is 7 years old and doing great.

Captain Nemo · Mar 7, 2011

I personally like my DSB. I have had no problems at all, and I intened on keeping it when I upgrade!

Wy Renegade · Mar 7, 2011

Too bad, I've had some going on ten years now, and no issues. But, you gotta know what you are doing; not just dump and bunch of sand in the tank and forget or constantly be in there stirring stuff up. Either approach will get you in trouble quickly.

Troylee · Mar 7, 2011

ask paul b his has been running 40yrs lol.... if you maintain them they work great those who fail to clean them have the problems.."that would be me" for that reason i run a shallow sb.

Wy Renegade · Mar 7, 2011

Troylee said:
ask paul b his has been running 40yrs lol.... if you maintain them they work great those who fail to clean them have the problems.."that would be me" for that reason i run a shallow sb.

Actually Paul's is a shallow dolomite bed, he doesn't think much of DSBs at all. I actually have a picture of Paul's substrate to use in my substrate thread.

Troylee · Mar 7, 2011

i thought it was kind of deep... not 6" or so but 3 or 4...hmmmmm mine is 1" lol

beaslbob · Mar 7, 2011

Wy Renegade said:
Actually Paul's is a shallow dolomite bed, he doesn't think much of DSBs at all. I actually have a picture of Paul's substrate to use in my substrate thread.

and he uses a reverse flow ungravel filter as well so I think that's kinda outta the DSB type operation.

AZDesertRat · Mar 8, 2011

As I said, mine is 7 years old and has never been cleaned at all. It is 330 lbs of Southdown in a 60" 100G display, 5-6" deep. I avoid stirring or moving the sand and do not have digging or sand sifting critters. i do use lots of snails, especially nassarius and have lots of mini brittle stars and spaghetti worms which do a good job without any intervention. I have no intentions of cleaning or disturbing it as long as my nitrates and phosphates stay undetectable with Salifert kits and my tank is healthy.

beaslbob · Mar 8, 2011

I know mr. Califo is a well respected person.

I know DSBs work and work well.

But can anyone explain to me any advantage a dsb has over a refugium with macro or other algaes?

I have heard arguments pro and con but still no advange over a refugium but plenty of disadvantages.
(or at least advantages for the refugium)

my .02

mdb_talon · Mar 8, 2011

A dsb and a refugium are not mutually exclusive. There is nothing that says you cannot have a DSB in your refugium. To compare which is better in my understanding would miss the point. Done properly you can get benefits from both. Would kind of be like asking is a refugium better than a protein skimmer. They can both be beneficial.

beaslbob said:
I know mr. Califo is a well respected person.

I know DSBs work and work well.

But can anyone explain to me any advantage a dsb has over a refugium with macro or other algaes?

I have heard arguments pro and con but still no advange over a refugium but plenty of disadvantages.
(or at least advantages for the refugium)

my .02