bare bottom vs sand bed, pros/cons, your preference?

[ReefRogue]

Has anyone ever tried somehow gluing sand to the bottom to get the look of a sand bed?

 

[JonasRoman]

My experience is that an open sand bed is superior as biological filtration, and necessary to get a stable tank. I have never seen a bared bottom tank that is stable. But its important to have as much free area as possible, as when you place a stone on the sand, the sand beneath will be not so biological active. So the key is (AMO):
1) to have large open free sand areas.
2)The deep is 5 cm, thats sufficient for denitrifiaction.
3) No fish that can disturb the sand=destroy anaerobiz zoones.
4) Invertebrates in the sand like sand stars, sand dollars etc
5) Fine sand, not too coarse. Thanks to small grain size the organic will sediment more slowly through the sand, so bacterial activity will have time to digest it, and make different zoones in the sand bed.

Check my tank thread, I discuss this subject there and show my tank based on this.

/Jonas

 

[Justfebreezeit]

My experience is that an open sand bed is superior as biological filtration, and necessary to get a stable tank. I have never seen a bared bottom tank that is stable. But its important to have as much free area as possible, as when you place a stone on the sand, the sand beneath will be not so biological active. So the key is (AMO):
1) to have large open free sand areas.
2)The deep is 5 cm, thats sufficient for denitrifiaction.
3) No fish that can disturb the sand=destroy anaerobiz zoones.
4) Invertebrates in the sand like sand stars, sand dollars etc
5) Fine sand, not too coarse. Thanks to small grain size the organic will sediment more slowly through the sand, so bacterial activity will have time to digest it, and make different zoones in the sand bed.

Check my tank thread, I discuss this subject there and show my tank based on this.

/Jonas

While I don't dispute any of your other claims. It is not necessary for a stable tank. WWC for example has a few barebottom show tanks that grow acros like weeds.

 

[JonasRoman]

Well that's my opinion. There is always a few exceptions based on for instance huge efforts to compensate for lack of biofiltrarion. And its not just how acro is growing, but overall health like appearance of dino, cyano
I have seen so many unstable bare bottom tanks so I would never recommend that.
I do not say that sand bottom are a guarantee though, the sand bed must be in balance. But that's the whole key with this hobby, to get a closed system balanced. Its not easy.
And its ofcourse ok to have different views.

 

[Paul B]

Has anyone ever tried somehow gluing sand to the bottom to get the look of a sand bed?

This would be a very bad idea.

I use gravel, (dolomite) over a reverse undergravel filter. Running 55 years so far, no problems yet.

 

[Freenow54]

Is it better to run a clean glass floor or a natural sand bed?

I'll start, I love the look of sand but I do believe it would be a lot easier to have gone bare bottom.

I do like the idea that it provides more biological filtration as well, but I am unclear just how much of my biofilter is due to the rock vs the sand.

I want a Diamond goby so I think I will run my new tank half and half especially since I am being told a bare bottom encourages coralline algae growth . Like an underwater beach

 

[Freenow54]

I have sand, although i cant see much of it these days!

Just prefer the natural look, however it would be a lot easier to go bare bottom in terms of cranking up flow for Acropora and other SPS corals.

That is a good point

 

[Freenow54]

I definitely agree even though i currently have sand but would love to eventually have a bare bottom tank. I don’t have issues with sand yet as tank is new but unlimited flow options for heavy sps tanks are great and can get all detritus out. Although if starting from scratch they do take some time to get going

My only concern with bare bottom at this point is that the bottom glass is tempered so can shatter . I would like to find something to put the rock on besides acrylic

 

[1ocean]

I am setting up a 90x36x23 and will have 40 pounds of sand in the far left of the tank for wrasses.
With mp40 pushing water from right bottom to left.
Plan is to keep sand to the left

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Is it better to run a clean glass floor or a natural sand bed?

I'll start, I love the look of sand but I do believe it would be a lot easier to have gone bare bottom.

I do like the idea that it provides more biological filtration as well, but I am unclear just how much of my biofilter is due to the rock vs the sand.

I am definitely team sand! I do get the idea of bare bottom. But i like my wrasses and gobies. Also prefer the look of a sandbed.

 

[Troylee]

I have both and my ocd can’t take the bare bottom anymore lol… cleaning the bottom of the tank just allows for new algae growth a problem you don’t have with sand. I’ll never run a bare bottom tank again. That’s just me.

 

[VintageReefer]

10 years old here and never vacuumed once

 

[BryanM]

@VintageReefer Theres no room to vacuum, LOL!

 

[VintageReefer]

@VintageReefer Theres no room to vacuum, LOL!

There’s…some lol

That’s your issue! Too much sand exposed. Load it up with coral!
You know…they consume phosphates from the water column…

 

[risiy]

I actually have a bare bottom tank up and running but its my seahorse rearing tank just to help me keep the water pristine but i find it ugly and thats my thoughts about it i Will attach a Photo of my biggest mixed reef tank and my seahorse cube (not rearing tank)

Yellow filter:

No filter:
I've been playing Subway Surfers for years because it's simple, fun, and easy to pick up anytime. Download subway surfers mod apk is something many players search for to explore different gameplay features, but I still enjoy the core mechanics that make the game so popular. The frequent updates and new locations are what keep me coming back for another run.

thank you so much for your suggestion

 

[glmory]

I will probably stick with reborn media.

Sand is the prettiest, but probably the most work.

Bare bottom is easier (once established) but just looks unnatural.

The thing that settled it though is that I am using acrylic. It is way harder to protect the acrylic when you clean if you use sand.

 

[Waters]

Acro tanks I prefer a BB painted white. Everything stands out, powerheads can be placed on the bottom (I currently am running 5 MP40s at 100% which I wouldn't be able to do with sand), and everything is easier to keep clean (IMO). LPS tanks I prefer (clean) sand.

 

[Koty]

Got to have sand because got to have wrasses. They turn the sand when they look for food and when they go to sleep. Also two sand sifting gobies that keep the sand Bali white.

 

[SpartaReef]

Bare bottom with rubble

 

[gastone]

First SW tank in 1996. First reef tank in 2002/03. I remember the days of Dr Ron (Shimek) and the old dsb vs bb debates. I've always liked the look of substrate. I've seen very few bb tanks that I've thought attractive, and those I did were very mature. I did contemplate going BB on my current main display, a 90g cube. In the end I just couldn't bring myself to do it. No DSB this time around, but I probably have an inch or so of coarse gravel/crushed coral. I do worry a bit about detritus buildup, but I'm trying to keep on top of it with a good amount of flow and turnover, heavy skimming and a healthy chaeto refugium for heavy nutrient export. I also utilize an oversized uv. Can't say I know what I'm doing, but I'm happy with things overall.