Dsb and refugium

[Savvka]

Hi every one,
I have some problems with nutrients...all the time.
Year ago i decided to małe dsb and refugium. My macroalgaes are ok but the sand got some dark spots. Os IT time to remove dsb? Do you have aby advices?


https://ibb.co/L9fr6gr

 

[KrisReef]

DSB never worked for me. Your's look like mine did. There should be a dark area/layer near the bottom where the sand turns black do to anoxic environment. That's the area where bacterial denitrification can occur. I have had better luck with live rock for nutrient management with a little gfo thrown in if I feed the fish too heavily.

 

[vlangel]

I have DSB both in my current display and sump. I have always had very good luck with them and when I took down a 10 year old tank with one, the sand smelled like fresh sea water. I also have a lot of live rock in the display and sump and I do not run a skimmer. My tank system is probably overstocked with 13 fish in an 80 ish gallon system. I have been keeping marine aquaria since the late 90s and a DSB is my preferred choice.

 

[Ariel1980]

I have DSB both in my current display and sump. I have always had very good luck with them and when I took down a 10 year old tank with one, the sand smelled like fresh sea water. I also have a lot of live rock in the display and sump and I do not run a skimmer. My tank system is probably overstocked with 13 fish in an 80 ish gallon system. I have been keeping marine aquaria since the late 90s and a DSB is my preferred choice.

Hi how are you?
Can you tell us how you maintain your dsb? What animals have you put in it?
Thank you!

 

[vlangel]

Hi how are you?
Can you tell us how you maintain your dsb? What animals have you put in it?
Thank you!

I don't do much; I have nassarius snails and an Atlantic cucumber that stir up the surface of the sandbed. And that is it. I don't do anything else.

 

[Mr Fishface]

I have had deep sand beds before. I didn't think it did much until I took the tank down. There was quite the black layer under it so something was happening! I don't think it will hurt at any rate. I would use more caution on removing it. Seems like there are lots of horror stories as people siphon it out and the tank crashing right after. Something about releasing built up nutrients that were under the surface? I think it is looking good! That is what I would expect it to look like anyways.

 

[Ariel1980]

vlangel thanks for the answer.
I'm thinking of building the DSB in the sump, in a compartment after the chaeto shelter on my new 170G tank when I move in in a few months.

 

[vlangel]

vlangel thanks for the answer.
I'm thinking of building the DSB in the sump, in a compartment after the chaeto shelter on my new 170G tank when I move in in a few months.

I agree that a DSB compartment in the sump is a great way to do it. That way if you are nervous it is easily removed.