I clean it with a scrapper once a week during the water changes. My tank is much smaller though. I can see how this would be almost impossible with yours.
Miami‘s Clam and SPS Tank
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- Thread starter Miami Reef
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Projects with Sam
5000 Club Member
I don't clean/scrape mine anymore. Its actually not too bad - has a cool layer of algae that my tangs and blenny love to eat.
OP
OP
Miami Reef
Clam Fanatic
I’ve been contemplating doing sand vs bare bottom in my head over and over and today I added 30lbs of sand to the tank.
I’m feeling…regret haha.
I’m feeling…regret haha.
Sean Clark
7500 Club Member
Sand is the way to true happiness.I’ve been contemplating doing sand vs bare bottom in my head over and over and today I added 30lbs of sand to the tank.
I’m feeling…regret haha.
Let's see!I’ve been contemplating doing sand vs bare bottom in my head over and over and today I added 30lbs of sand to the tank.
I’m feeling…regret haha. I am so scared that I am going to scratch the tank by accident.
I bet it looks nice
I promise I wont pick anything apart. Besides, if your change you mind and don't like it, it can be sucked back out.
It's not like the tanks entire structural integrity is at risk.
Sean Clark
7500 Club Member
I think this is a good example of people doing things (like bare bottom or sand) for the wrong reasons. People do things because it is the trendy thing to do for various reasons. A reef should always be about what you like and what makes you happy; that's it. If you do not love your tank the way that you have chosen to set it up, then you are doing it wrong. You should always go with your gut and what you want to see (even if that makes you wrong from my perspective). Hopefully now, having tried both, you will find out which way you prefer and be able to settle that twitch in Mr. Crab's eye.
OP
OP
Miami Reef
Clam Fanatic
From a design perspective, sand all the way. I think it looks much better.
At the end what’s most important is if the tank looks aesthetically pleasing. That’s been my priority with almost everything I try to do with my tank.
I will try my best not to scrape near the sand bed and I will make sure the sand is always clean by occasionally blowing it with a powerhead.
At the end what’s most important is if the tank looks aesthetically pleasing. That’s been my priority with almost everything I try to do with my tank.
I will try my best not to scrape near the sand bed and I will make sure the sand is always clean by occasionally blowing it with a powerhead.
OP
OP
Miami Reef
Clam Fanatic
Picture coming soon. I think I can take one around the evening time tonight.Let's see!
I bet it looks nice
Besides, if your change you mind and don't like it, it can be sucked back out.
OP
OP
Miami Reef
Clam Fanatic
OP
OP
Miami Reef
Clam Fanatic
Did I really not put enough? I can’t with you
OP
OP
Miami Reef
Clam Fanatic
Here’s the chromis. They appear so healthy and active. It seems like they grew since when I first bought them. The water is that greenish/yellow color from the antibiotic. Nitrofurazone.
I keep going back and forth.. at first I was like "yeahhh he needs more" but then when I look at the far away full tank shot, I think it looks "maybe kind of cool". Not sure... makes me tilt my head a lot trying to figure out how I feel about it.
But more importantly, how do you feel about it ... now that it's in?
OP
OP
Miami Reef
Clam Fanatic
Is it because there are some bare spots? That’s because of the powerheads.I keep going back and forth.. at first I was like "yeahhh he needs more" but then when I look at the far away full tank shot, I think it looks "maybe kind of cool". Not sure... makes me tilt my head a lot trying to figure out how I feel about it.
But more importantly, how do you feel about it ... now that it's in?
I really like the shallow sand bed. I feel like it has that “beach vibe”.
People in real life are noticing the difference. I’m happy I went with a sand bed. It looks really cool compared to the bare bottom.
A bare bottom tank is a house; a sand bottom tank is a home.
I agree that the shallow bed gives it a beach vibe. Good way to describe it.
OP
OP
Miami Reef
Clam Fanatic
Today I picked up 2 pincushion urchins! I already had 1, but after I saw the type of work it did to the rocks and algae, I just needed to get more!
(Urchins don’t need to be quarantined as parasites can’t encyst onto them.)
When I come back from my 5 day trip from Las Vegas, I will pick up a bunch of Mexican turbos:
My LFS had a bunch in stock, but I didn’t want to make any purchases for the quarantine tank right before leaving.
I learned that you cannot control algae by lowering phosphates/nitrates. In order to limit algae, you need to get phosphates below 0.03ppm IMO, and my tanks are prone to getting dinos when nutrients get that low.
I believe the recommendation to lower phosphates for the sole purpose of controlling algae is a fruitless endeavor. It’s just not going to work for most cases.
The best control for algae IMO is herbivores and allowing the rocks to get filled with beneficial organisms to outcompete the algae (like corals). Not to lower nutrients.
It took me a while to get to this mindset because I was indoctrination to believe acros need ultra low nutrients, but time and time again, people grow them in “high” nutrients, while the people trying low nutrients get dinos and possibly even bleaching.
(Urchins don’t need to be quarantined as parasites can’t encyst onto them.)
When I come back from my 5 day trip from Las Vegas, I will pick up a bunch of Mexican turbos:
My LFS had a bunch in stock, but I didn’t want to make any purchases for the quarantine tank right before leaving.
I learned that you cannot control algae by lowering phosphates/nitrates. In order to limit algae, you need to get phosphates below 0.03ppm IMO, and my tanks are prone to getting dinos when nutrients get that low.
I believe the recommendation to lower phosphates for the sole purpose of controlling algae is a fruitless endeavor. It’s just not going to work for most cases.
The best control for algae IMO is herbivores and allowing the rocks to get filled with beneficial organisms to outcompete the algae (like corals). Not to lower nutrients.
It took me a while to get to this mindset because I was indoctrination to believe acros need ultra low nutrients, but time and time again, people grow them in “high” nutrients, while the people trying low nutrients get dinos and possibly even bleaching.
OP
OP
Miami Reef
Clam Fanatic
Yes. This Derasa is a derp. Especially because when it tries to close its shell the side flesh is still very exposed lol.
Susan Edwards
5000 Club Member
wow, organized!!!
Susan Edwards
5000 Club Member
My last tank always had yuck when I siphoned. Gross. My new tank never has those awful clouds of nastiness. I think the flows (2 RS 45's gyres and 2 mp40's) make all the difference. There are a couple places that when I rake, there's a bit but the one time I tried to siphon/vacuum, there was nothing, or not enough to warrant the hassle as my landscape is a bit too fragile.
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