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Going Naked - Bare Bottom Tanks
Interview with World Wide Corals Co-Founder, Lou Schiavo
Interview conducted by Mallorie Gaughran of Reef 2 Reef
Mallorie (R2R): When you started your first tank, was it bare bottom or did you have a sand bed?
Lou (WWC): I had a 42 bow front with a shallow sand bed for less than a week when Victor convinced me about the benefits of going bare bottom. That weekend we were cutting the starboard and rid of the sand. My second tank was a 25 gallon Perfecto Marineland Cube. I tried a shallow sand bed again but I took that tank down after 6 months because I had to move. Now that I am settled my current home tank is bare bottom (57 Rimless) and is planned to be predominantly SPS.
Mallorie (R2R): Do you prefer tanks with sand beds or bare bottoms and why?
Lou: I prefer bare bottom tanks. In the long run they are easier to manage plus there is so much more room for live coral on the floor of a bare bottom tank. (Yes I am a coral junkie!)The simple fact that I can feed the tank and its inhabitants more frequently makes it overall more enjoyable for me.
Mallorie (R2R): What advantages do bare bottom reefs have over reef tanks with sand beds?
Lou (WWC): Nutrient control allows for more coral and fish. In the long run managing a bare bottom tank is easier as it becomes more stable. Over time a sand bottom bed can work against you. When the sand bed is disturbed nitrates and phosphates are released back into your system. So with bare bottom tanks you are able to control nutrients by adding nutrients instead of trying to remove nutrients like you would in a sand bottom tank
Mallorie (R2R): At World Wide Corals, why do you predominately run bare bottom tanks?
Lou (WWC): We run low turnover, low nutrient systems at WWC. We rely on delivering the nutrients to the system by feeding the fish and the corals often. Any waste can be captured from our mechanical filtration (filter socks) and we tune our skimmers in to skim wet.
Mallorie (R2R):What equipment should one consider when wanting to go bare bottom?
Lou (WWC):
*Power heads that can be controlled with a controller/wave maker
*Sump style filter with filter socked drains and room for larger skimmer.
*A powerful, efficient protein skimmer
*Auto Top off System Computer and Top Off Box
*Starboard for bottom of tank (if tank is made of glass)
*Media reactor for carbon or other types of media
Mallorie (R2R): Do you suggest different equipment for bare bottom tanks than for reefs with sand beds?
Lou (WWC): A powerful, efficient protein skimmer that never stops working is very important and will help tremendously to keep the tank clean. Along with an Auto Top off System that will keep the water level consistent in the sump. This will allow an internal protein skimmer to work to its full potential. Along with a good set of power heads that can be controlled. This will give the tank random flow patterns that mimic the ocean’s flow.
Mallorie (R2R): What reef inhabitants shouldn’t be kept in a bare bottom tank?
Lou (WWC): Nassarius Snails, Sand Sifting Starfish, Conchs, Sea Cucumbers, Certain Sand Sifting Gobies and Wrasses that like to hide & sleep in the sand like the Yellow Coris Wrasses. However if you want to keep one of these Wrasses we have had success keeping a small sand box in a corner of one of our bare bottom tank for our Yellow Coris Wrasse to hide and sleep in.
Mallorie (R2R): Do water parameters differ in a bare bottom tank compared to a tank with a sand bed?
Lou (WWC): No matter what method (sand or bare bottom) stable water parameters in the tank relies mainly on your reef keeping practices and being consistent with those practices.
Mallorie (R2R): Are there any tips for success you would like share to keeping great bare bottom reefs?
Lou (WWC): When you find recipe or method that works well for you stick to it. Consistency is one of the main keys to success when it comes to keeping a successful reef tank. Also, always be careful on the advice you take and who is giving the advice.
Thank you to Lou and World Wide Corals for kindly obliging us with this interview!
Interview with World Wide Corals Co-Founder, Lou Schiavo
Interview conducted by Mallorie Gaughran of Reef 2 Reef
Mallorie (R2R): When you started your first tank, was it bare bottom or did you have a sand bed?
Lou (WWC): I had a 42 bow front with a shallow sand bed for less than a week when Victor convinced me about the benefits of going bare bottom. That weekend we were cutting the starboard and rid of the sand. My second tank was a 25 gallon Perfecto Marineland Cube. I tried a shallow sand bed again but I took that tank down after 6 months because I had to move. Now that I am settled my current home tank is bare bottom (57 Rimless) and is planned to be predominantly SPS.
Mallorie (R2R): Do you prefer tanks with sand beds or bare bottoms and why?
Lou: I prefer bare bottom tanks. In the long run they are easier to manage plus there is so much more room for live coral on the floor of a bare bottom tank. (Yes I am a coral junkie!)The simple fact that I can feed the tank and its inhabitants more frequently makes it overall more enjoyable for me.
Mallorie (R2R): What advantages do bare bottom reefs have over reef tanks with sand beds?
Lou (WWC): Nutrient control allows for more coral and fish. In the long run managing a bare bottom tank is easier as it becomes more stable. Over time a sand bottom bed can work against you. When the sand bed is disturbed nitrates and phosphates are released back into your system. So with bare bottom tanks you are able to control nutrients by adding nutrients instead of trying to remove nutrients like you would in a sand bottom tank
Mallorie (R2R): At World Wide Corals, why do you predominately run bare bottom tanks?
Lou (WWC): We run low turnover, low nutrient systems at WWC. We rely on delivering the nutrients to the system by feeding the fish and the corals often. Any waste can be captured from our mechanical filtration (filter socks) and we tune our skimmers in to skim wet.
Mallorie (R2R):What equipment should one consider when wanting to go bare bottom?
Lou (WWC):
*Power heads that can be controlled with a controller/wave maker
*Sump style filter with filter socked drains and room for larger skimmer.
*A powerful, efficient protein skimmer
*Auto Top off System Computer and Top Off Box
*Starboard for bottom of tank (if tank is made of glass)
*Media reactor for carbon or other types of media
Mallorie (R2R): Do you suggest different equipment for bare bottom tanks than for reefs with sand beds?
Lou (WWC): A powerful, efficient protein skimmer that never stops working is very important and will help tremendously to keep the tank clean. Along with an Auto Top off System that will keep the water level consistent in the sump. This will allow an internal protein skimmer to work to its full potential. Along with a good set of power heads that can be controlled. This will give the tank random flow patterns that mimic the ocean’s flow.
Mallorie (R2R): What reef inhabitants shouldn’t be kept in a bare bottom tank?
Lou (WWC): Nassarius Snails, Sand Sifting Starfish, Conchs, Sea Cucumbers, Certain Sand Sifting Gobies and Wrasses that like to hide & sleep in the sand like the Yellow Coris Wrasses. However if you want to keep one of these Wrasses we have had success keeping a small sand box in a corner of one of our bare bottom tank for our Yellow Coris Wrasse to hide and sleep in.
Mallorie (R2R): Do water parameters differ in a bare bottom tank compared to a tank with a sand bed?
Lou (WWC): No matter what method (sand or bare bottom) stable water parameters in the tank relies mainly on your reef keeping practices and being consistent with those practices.
Mallorie (R2R): Are there any tips for success you would like share to keeping great bare bottom reefs?
Lou (WWC): When you find recipe or method that works well for you stick to it. Consistency is one of the main keys to success when it comes to keeping a successful reef tank. Also, always be careful on the advice you take and who is giving the advice.
Thank you to Lou and World Wide Corals for kindly obliging us with this interview!
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