To sand or not to sand (Poll)

[m and m]

Ok so im so turn this is what im turning to. I can deside if i want to add a sand bed, a black one inch or so very big grain black sand bed. The only reason i would be doing this is for a blenny and so i can stick chalic's/zoa's on it. Also how hard is it to add a sand bed to a already established sand bed.

 

[Big Smelly fish]

I like BB , but it really depend on what you want to keep and like

 

[FateX8]

my next tank will be bb
after having every tank filled with sand and hating to siphon with sand...bb is the only way to go

 

[ficklefins]

What blenny needs a sandbed?

 

[Russellaqua]

I like sand beds. They add surface area for bacteria, help things look more natural, and protect corals if they fall from the rock work.

 

[JR's Reef]

My tank was BB for yrs and just decided to put sand in it again. Now Im about 2 months in and still undecided. I like the look of sand but BB was so much better to keep clean. There needs to be away for best of both worlds.

 

[litenyaup]

sand beds make the reef look real. i like to have my tank look like it is a piece of the ocean in my house! bb is for frag tanks

 

[killingseed2000]

like to vote but but its hard to vote on this topic and that can depand on if you like it , what you might keep or the system setup. my current system i can have sand but would have added it if i could have. my powerfull close loop system will not allow me to add sand in the main. i do have it in my fuge but thats not the same.

but also keep in mind that black silicate sand not the same as white aragonite sand. the mixed version out there are nice.

 

[Tankguy001]

I voted for the sand bed but thats because its what I like. I also love getting wrasses that love to burrow so I need it

 

[Suppressivefire]

I say sand, my tank is currently bb but im adding sand, it wasnt natural enough plus I miss the sand. Its very easy to switch if you use prebagged live sand.

 

[m and m]

You see this really isnt a do what you like for me im trying to weight this. I see sand bed adding a hassle, the cleaning and what not and i run alot of flow in my tank so it will be fun truing to get the right placement of powerheads. Then on the other hand i think a nice black sandbed would look nice. Im not sure im torn between the black and the very thick gran gravile. Like i said i do have alot of flow so i think somthing that weights a little more will be better, i also happen to like it more. So im still torn on what to do here.

 

[droblack]

BB is way cleaner, looks great, and is much easier to maintain.

 

[SVYNX]

There is a way to get them both. A faux bottom that is pretty much a sheet of plastic with sand/crushed coral glued to it. It gives the look of a shallow sandy bottom, but is easy to clean up without fear of sucking up sand.

 

[droblack]

I like that idea SVYNX, brilliant!

 

[livingstone]

I love complete denitrification!

And I can't believe I'm participating in yet another sand bed discussion!

:squigglemouth:

 

[trancestate2004]

Never clean my sand bottom. have 5" in my 90g. looks natural and the diamond goby loves it! If you want a sand bed and are worried about cleaning get a diamond goby or some sort of sand sifter. Flow is always an issue with SB's but a little ajustment and time will fix the flying sand problem.

 

[johnanddawn]

You see this really isnt a do what you like for me im trying to weight this. I see sand bed adding a hassle, the cleaning and what not and i run alot of flow in my tank so it will be fun truing to get the right placement of powerheads. Then on the other hand i think a nice black sandbed would look nice. Im not sure im torn between the black and the very thick gran gravile. Like i said i do have alot of flow so i think somthing that weights a little more will be better, i also happen to like it more. So im still torn on what to do here.

this is why you are torn. both have advantages/disandvantages and both work

you need to decide on theme first - then the choice becomes more obvious

some themes need sand - goby/shrimps, lagoons, black sand hawaii for example
some themes are better without - SPS, reef crests, any huge flow tank
some can go either way
you need to decide where you want to take your tank - what environment/corals/fish/inverts you are interested in and how you can best suit them, then the sand no sand answer will reveil itself

jmo THEME first then tank parameters and conditions