I went with sand on my new build as well. I've had bare bottom on multiple tanks for close to a decade now. It never looks as good as sand. More work? Maybe, but I'll trade that for better looks and happier fish.
Hydrored's 300 Glass Cages Build
- Large Build
- Thread starter Hydrored
- Start date
- Tagged users None
JCOLE
Grower of the Small Polyps
Having some issues I couldn’t solve without removing the star board. I cleaned everything out the best I could under it and caved to sand-
I may regret this…
Curious. What issues were you having with the starboard?
OP
OP
Hydrored
2500 Club Member
Well starboard floats, my 3 rock structures really don’t weigh anything as the are made from ceramic type media. The smallest snail gets under the corner of it and creates enough of a gap that it lifts and it becomes a huge detritus trap.
Got tired of blowing under it with a PMUP and vacuuming out while lifting the starboard. Giant PITA
Oversight on my part, if you were putting 100’s of pounds of live rock on it it would probably be a non issue. I keep all of that ocean live rock in my sump for visual appeal
I put PVC board under my rock and holy cow does it like to float! Took a lot of rock to hold the couple pieces down that I added. I just did small sections so rock wasn't sitting directly on glass
Btw @Hydrored how are the new fish doing? Did Mike take care of you?
I've been trying to spend $2k with him for weeks and going nowhere. I've reached out to 3 other places that QT fish and not one is responding. I can't believe it can be this hard to find QTd fish and want to give people money.
I've been trying to spend $2k with him for weeks and going nowhere. I've reached out to 3 other places that QT fish and not one is responding. I can't believe it can be this hard to find QTd fish and want to give people money.
OP
OP
Hydrored
2500 Club Member
All but then gem tangs made it and are doing great. I have been fish shopping as well as I really want to up my fish game. I feel the same as you, I can’t get anyone to take my money and I won’t give a penny to Marine Collectors.
I have even offered local hobbyist to do it for me and don’t have any takers. I used to quarantine all my own fish but can no longer do it with my schedule
I'm looking at TSM Aquatics currently. We'll see if they respond and are reasonable.
I tried Marine Collectors a while back and his prices were so stupid I actually sent back a laughing emoji. Never heard from him after that...
OP
OP
Hydrored
2500 Club Member
80 pounds of ocean direct and 80 pounds of special grade finally in. I’m shot and back is sore. Calling it good enough for now. Still cloudy but clearing up quick, sand is sucking up alk
80 pounds of ocean direct and 80 pounds of special grade finally in. I’m shot and back is sore. Calling it good enough for now. Still cloudy but clearing up quick, sand is sucking up alk
Very nice!
I went 40lbs ocean direct and 80lbs dry special grade. Rinsed for hours and it still made a giant cloudy mess.
Interesting the sand is sucking up alkalinity but makes total sense.
Do you notice any of your fish acting different?
OP
OP
Hydrored
2500 Club Member
My trigger seems to be a bit irritated other than that no, her house will open back up a bit once everything settles down.
I can’t get over how bright the tank is now, like blinding bright at 14k full. I just double checked my PAR lol
I’m more irritated as now I have to adjust my flow schedule. Along the front of my glass is a sand super highway.
JCOLE
Grower of the Small Polyps
Yeah I was originally going to use starboard but I heard it's a pain to keep clean if detritus, etc get under it. I am going acrylic now so it should be fine without the starboard.
JCOLE
Grower of the Small Polyps
80 pounds of ocean direct and 80 pounds of special grade finally in. I’m shot and back is sore. Calling it good enough for now. Still cloudy but clearing up quick, sand is sucking up alk
How do you like the special grade? Does it blow around easy? I was originally thinking of using all crushed coral but I like how the crushed coral and special grade look. I am thinking of a 50/50 mix of that.
OP
OP
Hydrored
2500 Club Member
Well special grade doesn’t blow around too easy at all, the ocean direct is mixed so it separates. I’m ok with that look
I’m not a big fan of crushed coral personally (larger stuff). I found when starting a new tank with it is a headache if any algae gets a hold it will grow in it. I ended up removing it and going bare bottom a few years ago until now.
I’m not a big fan of crushed coral personally (larger stuff). I found when starting a new tank with it is a headache if any algae gets a hold it will grow in it. I ended up removing it and going bare bottom a few years ago until now.
OP
OP
Hydrored
2500 Club Member
That's what I've should've done as well, but settling for sand has actually worked out, I do like the look better for sure.
I mainly run sand for the looks, but I think there are other benefits it brings to the biome. There are many different beneficial micro-critters (scientific term) that kinda need a sand bad. I do "manage" my sand maybe once a month. I just clamp a little pump to the glass and blast it with a hose until I can't see what I am doing anymore. Of course, then I have to pick up all the sticks I broke off and pop them in the frag tank.
OP
OP
Hydrored
2500 Club Member
Picked up 14 colonies today, mostly tenuis. They have been in holding for a month so I’ll see how long they last as they are maricultured. One has a SPS crab it that I have been looking for for awhile. Keeping them in my quarantine tank-
VanDalsenReef
Valuable Member
I do really well with maricultured. I've found they really like low nutrients with crazy high light. I acclimated them till I started to see color change and moved them up and up slowly over a month or two.Picked up 14 colonies today, mostly tenuis. They have been in holding for a month so I’ll see how long they last as they are maricultured. One has a SPS crab it that I have been looking for for awhile. Keeping them in my quarantine tank-
VanDalsenReef
Valuable Member
Lots and lots of flowPicked up 14 colonies today, mostly tenuis. They have been in holding for a month so I’ll see how long they last as they are maricultured. One has a SPS crab it that I have been looking for for awhile. Keeping them in my quarantine tank-
