Sand or barebottom
- Thread starter saltysailor
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old salt reefer
Valuable Member
Same here.
I will never have a tank without 2-3 inches of sand. What it does for me is just beyond what I care to do for myself. A cucumber, which will split and turn into many, and a few conchs keep it plenty clean so that I just vacuum them about every 4 years... no big deal.
I love that the sandbed keeps nitrates low, but not too low, will house a whole lot of microfauna beyond bacteria... the mini starfish, worms, all kinds of pods, etc. I like that the microfauna in the sandbed will destroy pests and ich tomonts once they drop from the fish - they don't stand a chance.
I also use the sand to regulate my flow. I get the flow so that just a bit of sand moves around, and then I dial it back just a touch. I am talking about mature sand with the film on it, not the fresh stuff that floats away when a fish rips a big fart.
Do not believe anybody who says that sand beds are time bombs or release deadly gasses... while there might have been some that got that way, you have to neglect the tank so much for this to happen. These are edge cases similar to the people who think that rocks falling in bare bottom will crack your bottom glass, which also has happened but are edge cases.
I love that the sandbed keeps nitrates low, but not too low, will house a whole lot of microfauna beyond bacteria... the mini starfish, worms, all kinds of pods, etc. I like that the microfauna in the sandbed will destroy pests and ich tomonts once they drop from the fish - they don't stand a chance.
I also use the sand to regulate my flow. I get the flow so that just a bit of sand moves around, and then I dial it back just a touch. I am talking about mature sand with the film on it, not the fresh stuff that floats away when a fish rips a big fart.
Do not believe anybody who says that sand beds are time bombs or release deadly gasses... while there might have been some that got that way, you have to neglect the tank so much for this to happen. These are edge cases similar to the people who think that rocks falling in bare bottom will crack your bottom glass, which also has happened but are edge cases.
Reeferstin
Active Member
ph swings are real with BB very hard to keep ph up with no sand
old salt reefer
Valuable Member
That's not completely true. Would depend on what living things are in tank as well as how often doing water changes, if dosing anything, maintenance, etc. I would say that with a barebottom it's easier to keep all numbers(parameters) in check in the long run. The first year after setup can be fun though if you start with dry rock.
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ZoWhat
10K Club member
Unless you siphon your sand (major PITA) .... any sand in a tank will eventually turn to almost concrete (which is a major league headache)
If feel BB are better if you're in the hobby for 10+ yrs
If feel BB are better if you're in the hobby for 10+ yrs
