Are you a bare bottom or sand bed reefer?

[Richsoar]

Sand-- Never seen anything that looks like glass on the bottom of the ocean when I go Diving. I think of sand as a way to help anchor rock formations. Plus, many creatures like to dig and burrow into the substrate. I did have one of my 72s without any sand during a move, got pretty dirty quickly,

 

[HawaiiTime]

What is everyone using to supplement for bio-filtration that is running bare bottom tank?

For me it is lots of live rock in main tank and even more in the refugium, plus bubble skimmer.

 

[rusgum]

I like it with sand and without sand. It all depends on the design and location of the corals. :)

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I'm more for sand bottoms but I will say I have seen some really neat looking bare bottom tanks that stand out from the rest.

 

[Mark Gray]

I have done both I much prefer a sand bed mostly due to the fact it is hard to keep a bare bottom clean. Sand beds are easy

 

[AlgaeBarn Verified Sponsor]

Bare bottom in frag systems, sand in displays -Raven :-)

 

[Science/G]

ABS plastic sheet textured side up sand beige. Easy to clean natural color and appearance

 

[Crazy35111]

Always been a sand reefer, love the Pearlys so gotta have it.

 

[P.Janssen]

Has anyone experimented with a novel alternative bottom, like maybe laying a full floor of marine pure tiles (better color and texture than glass, and with less trouble establishing a tank) - all at a price, and leaving a grid pattern that might not be attractive?
Or even a bolder experiment - how about applying a layer of something like the BSR mortar over something like the tiles, a then pressing a little sand into the surface?

Seems there should be an opportunity to provide something more aesthetically pleasing than glass while maybe providing some bio filter area, all while avoiding the “litter box” issue.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I tried the Marco rock mortar and sand pushed into it for my 40g once. Just got dirty and tough to clean actually. I gave up and went bare bottom. I did try for almost a year.

 

[P.Janssen]

Good to know, thanks

 

[payrawsa]

I had bare bottom once. Wrasse did his normal thing where they sleep at night and release a bunch of mucus. Puffer had some spaghetti that night. Moral of the story is bare bottom limits your fish and invert choices quite a bit. If you're coral focused probably bare bottom is better in the long run. Easier to clean, and less sand blowing around everywhere is better for corals.

 

[Nano_Man]

One of my nano tanks is sand bottom and another nano nothing .Starting to go towards bare bottom tanks in the future

 

[Midrats]

What is everyone using to supplement for bio-filtration that is running bare bottom tank?

Pond Matrix, Siporax, and some old school CPR Bio Bale.