Going Bare Bottom

[Campy10]

Has anyone put something thicker than Mylar on the bottom, like starboard? I have gone bare bottom and like it but am concerned about the lack of protection sand gives for rocks falling.

 

[cracker]

I'm considering trying some white plastic cardboard it's pretty flat white & might get some reflection . It will keep the ref light from bleeding up thru the bottom glass .

 

[CC13]

I honestly want to get rid of my sand. I have a super high flow tank from SPS and I have had to dim the flow back because the sand will not stay put and I use a larger grain size sand.

On one hand I want to get rid of my sand.... I need to figure out what to do with the egg-crate I placed under all my LR islands. My tank is too large to break down, and if I take the sand out, the egg-crate will be exposed completely.

 

[Ocean Lotion]

Not to hijack the thread but apart from tearing the tank down, what are some of the best ways to remove a sandbed from an established system?

I put 1/4" thick starboard on the bottom of my tank. Google plastics companies and ask them to cut you a piece to fit your tank. The plastic is polyethelene. Leave a gap all the way around for your silicone so the edges of the board are not held up so detritus can get under it.

 

[CC13]

I put 1/4" thick starboard on the bottom of my tank.

I don't think this is an option right now. My tank is already established and has been running for over a year at this point and very honestly, tearing it down just is not an option. I really want to get rid of the sand, but I have egg crate under my LR which will be exposed if I remove the sand..... so looking for ideas on how to make it look good or hide the egg crate.

 

[Ocean Lotion]

Unless your tank is a monster pick up a stock tank, put your rock in it, scoop out most of the sand with a flat bottomed scoop, syphon out the rest putting the water that comes out during the syphon back in the tank. Set in starboard and restart rock.
Afraid I do not have any idea on how to hide the egg crate. Good luck.

 

[CC13]

Unless your tank is a monster pick up a stock tank, put your rock in it, scoop out most of the sand with a flat bottomed scoop, syphon out the rest putting the water that comes out during the syphon back in the tank. Set in starboard and restart rock.
Afraid I do not have any idea on how to hide the egg crate. Good luck.

Its a 550 gallon main display, so not really an option. Tanks is also 3 feet in height so I would literally have to get into the tank to attempt this.

I have pretty decent coraline growth, I'm assuming over time it will cover the egg crate no?

 

[brandon429]

Rev had to pull his sand too in order to get control of his large tank if I’m not mistaken. I’ll go re read his dino challenge thread to see


From these recent posts I must have as takeaway:

Using sand in any large tank is a liability though there are two large threads kicked up right now where everyone is touting the benefit of detritus and loving it. detractors run thin

Using sand in a small tank is still a liability, but due to simple access we can just clean it or remove the bed.



Sand in any configuration hampers fixing invasions of any type. It harbors, insulates and feeds them.

Sand is a giant huge deal with powerful impacts in the reefing hobby, and the pro reefers with tanks not under challenges write the sandbed rule books and the tanks with sandbed problems don’t have any guides or rule books we have to tread our own way.

 

[brandon429]

Toadstool did you rip that bed out yet

 

[ZoWhat]

I've often wondered if it would be cool to get mirrored glass cut2fit the bottom of the tank and mount the mirrored glass OUTSIDE the bottom of the tank.

Wondered if fish would FREAK OUT seeing their reflection underneath them (?)

.

 

[A Toadstool Leather]

Toadstool did you rip that bed out yet

Im going to today since its the day of my water change.

 

[Ocean Lotion]

Could you use side cutters to cut the egg crate at the edge of the rock so none protrudes past the rock base? You would still be snorkeling but the job may go a lot faster.

 

[A Toadstool Leather]

Just as an update I moved the sand from under my rocks and siphoned some of it out. I have decided to keep a thin sandbed for my brain coral. However since the sand is old and crusty most of it will go.

 

[brandon429]

If poss pls take pics of all that so we can collect the before, during and after for the sand rinse thread. What you are doing is basically reef surgery, it's a big deal though it is safe to do using ordered steps, people really value seeing something documented to completion.

 

[Ocean Lotion]

Agreed. Would like to see a pic of your larger than normal slice of the ocean.

 

[CC13]

Could you use side cutters to cut the egg crate at the edge of the rock so none protrudes past the rock base? You would still be snorkeling but the job may go a lot faster.

Not a bad idea. This might be what I’m going to do.

I’ll drop the water about a foot and then I’ll have to get wet but, that’s what I asked for with a 3 foot high tank right.

 

[Ocean Lotion]

Not a bad idea. This might be what I’m going to do.

I’ll drop the water about a foot and then I’ll have to get wet but, that’s what I asked for with a 3 foot high tank right.

Good luck. If you think of it let us know how it turns out.