Going bare bottom- glass or starboard?

[Marc11]

Thinking of going BB this time around. I don't see too many posts about starboard anymore. What are people's thoughts who have BB.

 

[chopper320]

I like glass with bottom of tank painted white. It looks nicer with it painted until you get coralline covering it and it helps reflect light back up on the corals a little.

 

[Bernard]

I bought starboard just cause I was scared of a rock slide. I ended up not using it and just going bare. Sprayed the underside with plastidip. The original owner sprayed it with blue plastibip and when the sump light came in it looked like water. But I blacked it out. Plastidip removes a lot easier that paint.
Have to say I like the way it looks more without the starboard. Think I'll just build me a chopping table or deer processing table with the starboard now.

 

[Marc11]

So when you say paint the bottom of tank you mean the underside. I thought about this but I figured the reflection of the glass would take away from the paint look. Or did you mean pain the bottom inside. Even with something like krylon fusion this would scare me. Please clarify.

 

[Coastie Reefer]

I painted the outside bottom of my frag tank black. Hides most algae, and after a while it'll all be purple anyway. I have just a couple pieces of rock so I don't have to worry about falling and breaking the bottom though...

 

[Marc11]

Has anyone painted the outside bottom white. Does it give a sand appearance or does the glare on the glass not allow you to see the white?

 

[Anirban]

I use it for my bb build and I like the look.

 

[luke33]

I've seen painted white and black bottom's, they look nice. My current tank has a black back and black bottom, its the acrylic color. Its about covered in corraline.

 

[hart24601]

I have used starboard before and have also painted the bottom exterior white with plastidip spray. The painted white works really slick. I have done a few with that now and like it.

I use starboard in my 180 as I had it made with a black bottom and as it's a custom rimless it's heavy and so I just put starboard in it rather than remove the black coating.

 

[chopper320]

So when you say paint the bottom of tank you mean the underside. I thought about this but I figured the reflection of the glass would take away from the paint look. Or did you mean pain the bottom inside. Even with something like krylon fusion this would scare me. Please clarify.

Sorry I should have clarified. Definitely the outside bottom glass! I used a white latex on mine.

 

[kalare]

I've used both starboard and glass barebottom. I'm back on sand, but that's personal preference. If I had to chose, I'd go glass, easier IMO, so long as you epoxy your rocks so their stable.

With regards to starboard, if you do use it, please silicone around the edges so you don't get a detritus sink underneath the board. That was one of my main regrets.

 

[Marc11]

Thanks for all the insight. Debating maybe painting bottom white

 

[reef life]

I have BB and used a PVC board. It was aprox. half the price of starboard. PVC on bottom is like insurance. I am redoing my 180 and like kalare said that is one thing I will definitely do this time(silicone edges).

 

[nova65ss]

I have BB and used a PVC board. It was aprox. half the price of starboard. PVC on bottom is like insurance. I am redoing my 180 and like kalare said that is one thing I will definitely do this time(silicone edges).

How thick was the pvc board 1/2"?

 

[1stNoel]

I bought 1/2" starboard for my 300 gallon tank. Absolutely love it. I didn't care much for sand, as the water flow in the tank always created bare spots.

Only thing I would change is possibly buying it in black instead of white. It cuts very easy. Here's a few pictures... (couldn't figure out how to rotate the last one)

 

[Bernard]

So when you say paint the bottom of tank you mean the underside. I thought about this but I figured the reflection of the glass would take away from the paint look. Or did you mean pain the bottom inside. Even with something like krylon fusion this would scare me. Please clarify.

Painted the underside. Well I plasti sprayed the underside. Doesn't mirror as much with the black under. I'll get you a pic tomorrow.

 

[Larry Frost]

I bought 1/2" starboard for my 300 gallon tank. Absolutely love it. I didn't care much for sand, as the water flow in the tank always created bare spots.

Only thing I would change is possibly buying it in black instead of white. It cuts very easy. Here's a few pictures... (couldn't figure out how to rotate the last one)

 

[Larry Frost]

Nice rock scape

 

[hart24601]

I am surprised you got detritus underneath it. I have never siliconed any ofy starboard, by the rocks keep it flat and have had minimal to no build up. Here is a shot of my FW tank with starboard. One nice thing to keep in mind, if you keep white clean it will reflect light upward and helps with shading.

 

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Square tile will work as well(and you can remove it and frag if you put corals on it)
However, it is admittedly not the most attractive look