Which do you prefer, bare bottom, sand bed, or deep sand bed?

[AZDesertRat]

DSB. I have owned them all over the last 30 years and much prefer the 5-6" DSB using Southdown sugar sized sand.
My current 100G is 9 years old, the nitrates and phosphates are undetectable and the 6" DSB has never been vacuumed or cleaned ever. The secret is good circulation, minimal digging critters and leave it alone so the anaerobic and anoxic bacterias can do their job.

 

[Salty Dog]

nothing nicer than a deep bed of sand. looks natural and enables you to keep garden els and other sand dweling creatures. More work but well worth it in my opion

 

[jformani]

It depends on what type of tank. Dont like the look of DSB. Also dont really like the look of bare bottom, but in my frag tanks bare bottom is the way to go and looks great.

 

[myzislow]

I very much dislike the way a DSB looks. Nothing more unsightly then a nasty thick sand bed smashed against the glass.

 

[brahm]

I prefer the look of sand, I prefer the ease of maintance of no sand.

 

[1.0reef]

SSB in DT, DSB in fuge.

 

[s2nhle]

BB for my next DT. I have SSB now and did not like the sand cover corals.

 

[clownfitch]

Shallow sand bed for me. I keep it cleaned and have sand dwelling critters that makes it seem to be a more complete ecosystem. I understand the reasoning behind bare bottom but it just makes an otherwise beautiful tank look like it is missing something in a big way.

 

[KJAG]

BB Starboard. Will never go back to a SB

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

I have a deep sand bed in my 20 gallon fuge, and just a 1 inch sand bed in my DT.

 

[pickupman66]

after having ~2" of sandbed for 15 years, this past july I setup a tank with barebottom. I absolutely love it. LOVE IT. cleaning is so easy, it looks great and is super easy.