Barebottom Reefers vs Sand Bed Reefers: Which one are you?

Are you a sand bottom or a bare bottom reefer?

  • Sand

    Votes: 757 79.6%
  • Barebottom

    Votes: 158 16.6%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 36 3.8%

  • Total voters
    951

revhtree

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Today let's talk about the substrate or the non-substrate of your reef tank! Some reefers like the look of a sand bed and others like the maintenance of a barebottom reef. What about you? Let's talk about it today.

1. Are you a sand bottom or a bare bottom reefer?

2. Why do you choose one over the other?


image via @dr.dator
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RC51

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Today let's talk about the substrate or the non-substrate of your reef tank! Some reefers like the look of a sand bed and others like the maintenance of a barebottom reef. What about you? Let's talk about it today.

1. Are you a sand bottom or a bare bottom reefer?

2. Why do you choose one over the other?


image via @dr.dator
_MG_9740.jpg
Definitely sand. Adds more surface area for bacteria and is good for sand sifting animals. Might be hard and tedious to maintain for some people but it definitely is worth it in my opinion
 

CNDReef

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I said other.
my current tank is very shallow and for the amount of flow I have it’s bare bottom but when I get another taller tank I will use sand because it looks more natural to me. The bacteria thing will take longer on a bare bottom but I don’t want to see all my sand piled up on the side of the tank either lol
 

Big Smelly fish

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BB for me in reef tanks , I find it easy to keep clean, I don't like the look of dirty sand and really hate siphoning out the sand bed. easier just using a siphon hose to before anything that collects in different spots of the tank. For fish only tanks I do like sand. I think BB tanks look great.
 

USMA36

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I have a sand bed and probably would never go without. However I just listened to a reef therapy podcast and they spoke heavily of sand beds and why they are a major factor in low ph. More so than co2. I can’t explain it as well as they do They state that the sand bed uses more alk and other resources than benefits gained. One quote was something along the lines of having a sand bed is equivalent to having a huge grouper in your aquarium. Also that the reported benefits of beneficial bacteria in the sand bed only last a few months before the sand gets covered in other things. I’m really butchering the conversation but give it a listen. It won’t personally change how I run my tank because I absolutely love the life in my sand bed.
 
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