Sand or bare bottom. Need advice

[ReeferBill]

Hi gang,
So getting back into the hobby. I know enough to be dangerous. Need advice. Got a water box system. Will have skimmer, carbon reactor, etc. always loved sand bottom but people have said they create nitrates. Questions are this
1. Do they create nitrates?
2. Do I need to clean the sand?
3. How deep do you make it?
Any experience advice would be great. Thanks.

 

[Dburr1014]

Hi gang,
So getting back into the hobby. I know enough to be dangerous. Need advice. Got a water box system. Will have skimmer, carbon reactor, etc. always loved sand bottom but people have said they create nitrates. Questions are this
1. Do they create nitrates?
2. Do I need to clean the sand?
3. How deep do you make it?
Any experience advice would be great. Thanks.

It's really entirely up to you and how you like the look of the tank.
Personally, I like sand. I don't have a very deep sand bed, I used to vacuum it and now I have Critters to keep it clean for me. I haven't touched it in probably a year and it's clean. The problem is they trap detritus but as long as you clean it you're good. Hope this helps

 

[Slocke]

BRS have talked about it and said they take longer to settle but have fewer nutrient issues in the long term. I'll always have sand as it is important to many of my favorite fish.

 

[ReefGeezer]

Hi gang,
So getting back into the hobby. I know enough to be dangerous. Need advice. Got a water box system. Will have skimmer, carbon reactor, etc. always loved sand bottom but people have said they create nitrates. Questions are this
1. Do they create nitrates?
2. Do I need to clean the sand?
3. How deep do you make it?
Any experience advice would be great. Thanks.

Nice tank.
1. Sand does not, in and of itself, cause nitrates. It can be a home for organic waste that could contribute to nitrate levels if not removed. It might also keep you from having enough flow if you get sand that is too fine. Stay with something like Carib Sea Special Grade.
2. I disturb or vacuum the sand in the my tank when I do water changes. That removes some detritus and organic matter that might build in or on the sand and keeps it nice and white. I also have some sand dwelling snails and brittle stars to help out.
3. I'd keep it to a couple of inches. Don't sweat the exact depth.

I have some sand on the bottom of my 90 for my Wrasse. It has blow around a little so that it is deeper on the ends and corners of the tank and pretty much bare bottom in the middle.

 

[ReeferBill]

Do you guys know of a site that can help gauge how much I need? Thinking 1.5-2 inches. Bottom of the tank is 48” by 20”. Also do you recommend this? Seems like a good price.

 

[d2mini]

I always have sand and end up having to dose nitrates.
All those grains of sand are surface area for good bacteria and other things to thrive.
Occasionally stirring small sections of it can help alleviate any nasty pockets.
It's all part of the little eco-system.

If you want some really great sand that will help greatly shorten your cycle, check out Tampa Bay Saltwater.
I get it with their rock and pretty much skip the cycle all-together.

 

[Slocke]

Do you guys know of a site that can help gauge how much I need? Thinking 1.5-2 inches. Bottom of the tank is 48” by 20”. Also do you recommend this? Seems like a good price.

Fiji Pink is my favorite as its big enough not to blow around but is also good for burrowers like wrasse.

 

[ScubaShane]

Depends. Are you getting inhabitants that need sand? Like gobies and wrasses. You need 2-3 inches of sand for them. I like no sand for maintenance. I use Starbord. Don't go bare bottom glass use a sheet of white Starboard. Gives the look of sand except when Coraline grows over it. Bare glass bottom refects light up from the bottom and causes irregular coral growth. It also protects the glass from falling rocks. Here's a few pic with starboard bottoms.

1/2" x 48" x 48" White King StarBoard® ST HDPE Sheet | U.S. Plastic Corp.

King StarBoard® ST is our most scratch-resistant polymer making it an excellent construction material for cabinetry, case goods, and arch...

www.usplastic.com

 

[ReefGeezer]

I always have sand and end up having to dose nitrates.
All those grains of sand are surface area for good bacteria and other things to thrive.
Occasionally stirring small sections of it can help alleviate any nasty pockets.
It's all part of the little eco-system.

If you want some really great sand that will help greatly shorten your cycle, check out Tampa Bay Saltwater.
I get it with their rock and pretty much skip the cycle all-together.

I really like TBS's rock. Their sand is excellent too, full of life including nitrifying bacteria... BUT... It isn't the fine white stuff the OP might be expecting.

 

[Dburr1014]

Do you guys know of a site that can help gauge how much I need? Thinking 1.5-2 inches. Bottom of the tank is 48” by 20”. Also do you recommend this? Seems like a good price.

That says alive but don't count on it. If it was badged 5 years ago, nothing is alive.
I always rinse the sand anyways to get all the super fine stuff out of it. Better off buying dry sand, rinse, and buy live rock from a LFS or online if it comes to you in water.

 

[czoolander]

You can have a fish tank or a coral tank but if you want a "reef" then sand is a must. I have never seen a single reef in the ocean that is bare bottom.

Sand ! Looks better visually and natural something about barebottom tanks just seems wrong to me but hey to each their own

One of my biggest pet peeves is this site announcing " reef of the month" and the tank is barebottom. To me that tank shouldnt even qualify as a reef. Should be a seperate catergory fish tank of the month or coral tank of the month .

 

[HBtank]

I have never liked the look of any bare bottom setup.

 

[d2mini]

I really like TBS's rock. Their sand is excellent too, full of life including nitrifying bacteria... BUT... It isn't the fine white stuff the OP might be expecting.

Good point, definitely not fine white stuff.
But... even with the varied grain size and bits of shells and stuff, it still moves around a bit from powerheads. lol

 

[ReeferBill]

Thanks guys. Any idea how much I will need? Thinking 100 lbs.

 

[RedoubtReef]

I'm a sand guy. I'd say go with no less than 1" and no more than 2". Siphon/stir during water changes. Take a look at the Tropic Eden products.

 

[Big Smelly fish]

I been running BB for the past 20 or so years. I really like them and the look. The flow removes all the crap or collects it in one corner to be siphoned out. The only tank I have with anything on the bottom is a under gravel filter with crushed corals and live rock. But it just to remind me of the early days. A few corals and seahorses in it.

 

[Sebastiancrab]

I went BB several months ago and love it. It's easier to clean, don't have to worry about smell and I have been able to catch remaining hitchhikers. I don't have any critters that require sand.

 

[ReeferBill]

Yeah I like the look of sand much better. Going to be a mostly coral tank. No fish that will require sand. Just like the look.

 

[Midrats]

I prefer a more natural look, therefore I don't use sand. Sometimes I put sand in so I can take it back out again. If I do use sand, I prefer Tropic Eden.

 

[kevgib67]

I’ve never had a reef tank without sand and never will. Back in the say I would siphon it weekly to get the detritus out. Now I don’t touch it because my sand sifting goby, tiger conch and nassarius snails keep it sparkling clean.