Can I see your bare bottom (Reef tank!)

UltraKelius

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Hey everyone,
I’m looking for some inspiration, as my third 20g has arrived and this time I’m going bare bottom! Would love to see what you all have done with yours with regards coral along the bottom.

Show me yours and then I may show you mine!
 

Rick's Reviews

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Hey everyone,
I’m looking for some inspiration, as my third 20g has arrived and this time I’m going bare bottom! Would love to see what you all have done with yours with regards coral along the bottom.

Show me yours and then I may show you mine!
Following.. unsure if I've seen this before
 

old salt reefer

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Here's my 20, just turned 3 years old.
IMG_0294.JPG
 

Smite

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Consider taking some time to paint the outside of the bottom glass white. Spray paint works great. It reflects light back up and helps corals stay healthy on the underside as well. Has a better look to it also.
C3555710-55CF-4B13-A6D7-9D9329732AA4.jpeg

I was mostly acropora so the white was super useful for uplighting the sticks.
2318EC74-4976-4D1B-8991-4A046924A930.jpeg

4DA7A6D4-F1AB-4C49-AEF3-2929AC873B61.jpeg

It was my favorite tank to date. I recently removed my sand bed from my new build and am trying to mimic this precious system. Very easy to maintain and flow.
 

thatmanMIKEson

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Bare bottom is the only way to do it!

I dont have allot of coral along the bottom only because I'm keeping it open, but I wouldn't mind having it loaded with coral also. In time I will probably fill it up when I have a dedicated frag tank.

I use abs to line the bottom and I believe it to be a good way to go bare bottom, it protects the bottom and better yet the abs attracts coraline algae growth to start sooner, and corals to grow to it very well with a little bit of texture.
 

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Sebastiancrab

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Bare bottom is the only way to do it!

I dont have allot of coral along the bottom only because I'm keeping it open, but I wouldn't mind having it loaded with coral also. In time I will probably fill it up when I have a dedicated frag tank.

I use abs to line the bottom and I believe it to be a good way to go bare bottom, it protects the bottom and better yet the abs attracts coraline algae growth to start sooner, and corals to grow to it very well with a little bit of texture.
What is abs?
 
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UltraKelius

UltraKelius

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What is abs?
I was going to ask the same!
Unfortunately I’m unable to paint the bottom as basically I inherited this tank and fish from my brother who had to leave the hobby, so had to get livestock in asap.
Amazing pics so far! I’m thinking of maybe cyphastrea, Leptoseris or something like that along the bottom to make it more unusual.

has anyone else done anything like that?
 

thatmanMIKEson

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What is abs?
It's a sheet of plastic pvc basically have it cut the dimensions of the bottom, then aquarium silicone it into place. I even silicon around the entire edge, but not necessary.

ABS Plastic Sheet 3-pack 12" X 24" X 0.0625" (1/16") 3 Pack, Black Haircell, for VEX Robotics Teams, Hobby, DIY, Industrial. Easy to Cut, Bend, Mold. https://a.co/d/gFMJsNF
 

hart24601

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In my signature has my old tank from 2014 totm or r2r version. Can get starboard cut to fit bottom just make sure it isn’t exact just in case it swells a tiny bit. Suppose to be stable but not worth risking. Ime white bottom reflected too much light with starboard and washed out and bleached the corals.
 

exnisstech

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Mine but I did build a rock divider and add a section of sand at the end of the 180g
Reefer 170
20221006_140626.jpg


180 gallon
20220821_204752.jpg


Here is the reefer 170 before changing things around. The Cyphastrea on the right is now in a sump frag section waiting for me to frag it out. Half of it was killed by the pectinia behind it. I know not too smart
20220823_200957.jpg
20220731_133433.jpg
 
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Nate Chalk

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Here's it
 

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Looking back to your reefing roots: Did you start with Instant Ocean salt?

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