I received a box of rocks today.

[SKYHIGGh]

Congrats sir you have a great thread and been cool to follow along thanks for like on mines always l!

 

[NY_Caveman]

Congrats sir you have a great thread and been cool to follow along thanks for like on mines always l!

Thanks @SKYHIGGh !

 

[Katrina71]

I was adulting. Missed it. Did you at least save me some chocolate?

 

[NY_Caveman]

I was adulting. Missed it. Did you at least save me some chocolate?

Yes!

 

[Katrina71]

He's so cute. I don't think I could eat him. Wait, yes I could.

 

[NY_Caveman]

I cannot wait for post 2,000!

The Toadstool was doing well today

Sharkbait is out and all over the tank this morning

The Turbo Snails are... Hey! Wait a minute, buddy!

I am so nervous with them now.

 

[IgnatiusRath]

Better start preparing now, with how fast 1,000 came, post 2,000 will be here before you know it!

I cannot wait for post 2,000!

The Toadstool was doing well today

Really nice shot of the leather.

 

[Reefandthecurious]

loving your tank how come you chose bare bottom instead of adding sand? A little late to the party but interested to see what else you will be doing to the tank. following along!

 

[NY_Caveman]

loving your tank how come you chose bare bottom instead of adding sand? A little late to the party but interested to see what else you will be doing to the tank. following along!

Thank you! I have actually never used sand. No interest at all. The only purpose I see for it is aesthetic (which is a valid reason, of course). Otherwise, it just seems to be a place to trap waste. In this case I also wanted to be able to crank the flow.

To be honest, I really like the current look of this tank and never even notice the lack of sand. I almost think I would find the sand to look out of place. I am always curious though if others think it looks off.

Some say sand is natural. Honestly, when I have gone diving or snorkeling, I did not even really notice the sand. I looked along the sides or top of rock and coral structures. When I planned this reef, I pictured it as a cutout of the top of a reef structure, away from the bottom and the sand.

 

[WallyB]

Thank you! I have actually never used sand. No interest at all. The only purpose I see for it is aesthetic (which is a valid reason, of course). Otherwise, it just seems to be a place to trap waste. In this case I also wanted to be able to crank the flow.

To be honest, I really like the current look of this tank and never even notice the lack of sand. I almost think I would find the sand to look out of place. I am always curious though if others think it looks off.

Some say sand is natural. Honestly, when I have gone diving or snorkeling, I did not even really notice the sand. I looked along the sides or top of rock and coral structures. When I planned this reef, I pictured it as a cutout of the top of a reef structure, away from the bottom and the sand.

I agree with Cavemans points, and have actually lived them Twice in two tanks.
SAND is a TICKING-TIME-BOMB, that convinced me to remove it completely twice.

SAND in DT is Absolutely amazing look for tank at the START. Possibly useful if you have a Wrasse that needs, it. Good for some snails to hide in. And can keep your parameters balanced/stable (for a while).

But it's hard work to keep clean. Will eventually get full of difficult to clean waste, no matter what CUC you have.
Each time it has led to Cyano problems, and things like Fish/Gobies tossing it around on top of corals.
And I could never get my tank water to get crystal clear, since good circulation always get's fine sand dust going.

The best circulation setup you can have is to have a PUMP on the Bottom of your Tank to keep particulates/waste suspended (so it goes down into sump, and feeds your corals). THAT cannot be done with a SandBed.

With glass bottom, you can see your detritus piles and keep tank even cleaner with the odd WC sweep.

I have a THICK bed of SAND in one compartment of SUMP, for whatever bio-logical benefit it has.

 

[Victoria M]

Caveman, the idea of two threads for your tank? What are you thinking? Are you CRAZY? It will never work. You are gonna go crazy, shenanigans will abound. It sounds like you want a journal that documents your aquarium and its growth. As you know as a thread becomes more popular it becomes littered with friendships, commentary, shenanigans, silliness and all the above. Kinda like the aquarium is secondary. Good luck. I will try to keep the commentary here, though.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Caveman, the idea of two threads for your tank? What are you thinking? Are you CRAZY? It will never work. You are gonna go crazy, shenanigans will abound. It sounds like you want a journal that documents your aquarium and its growth. As you know as a thread becomes more popular it becomes littered with friendships, commentary, shenanigans, silliness and all the above. Kinda like the aquarium is secondary. Good luck. I will try to keep the commentary here, though.

I do not know if it will work, but I would like to think I am a pioneer!

 

[NY_Caveman]

SAND in DT is Absolutely amazing look for tank at the START. Possibly useful if you have a Wrasse that needs, it. Good for some snails to hide in. And can keep your parameters balanced/stable (for a while).

Good points, several fish, inverts and anemones need sand.

 

[Reefandthecurious]

I agree with Cavemans points, and have actually lived them Twice in two tanks.
SAND is a TICKING-TIME-BOMB, that convinced me to remove it completely twice.

SAND in DT is Absolutely amazing look for tank at the START. Possibly useful if you have a Wrasse that needs, it. Good for some snails to hide in. And can keep your parameters balanced/stable (for a while).

But it's hard work to keep clean. Will eventually get full of difficult to clean waste, no matter what CUC you have.
Each time it has led to Cyano problems, and things like Fish/Gobies tossing it around on top of corals.
And I could never get my tank water to get crystal clear, since good circulation always get's fine sand dust going.

The best circulation setup you can have is to have a PUMP on the Bottom of your Tank to keep particulates/waste suspended (so it goes down into sump, and feeds your corals). THAT cannot be done with a SandBed.

With glass bottom, you can see your detritus piles and keep tank even cleaner with the odd WC sweep.

I have a THICK bed of SAND in one compartment of SUMP, for whatever bio-logical benefit it has.

That is some very useful information thank you. Now im just wondering with glass bottom does that mean your limited to what you can put in the tank or it doesn’t affect it at all just make its better for cleaning?

 

[Katrina71]

My zombie snail would not be able to creep me out without my sandbed. I do agree minimal sand is probably better for ease of cleaning.

 

[WallyB]

That is some very useful information thank you. Now im just wondering with glass bottom does that mean your limited to what you can put in the tank or it doesn’t affect it at all just make its better for cleaning?

Glass bottom changes nothing for putting stuff into tank, except like I mentioned....Some Wrasse fish like to burry into Sandbed, so won't be happy without one. Some learn to live without it (no choice). Some people put a dish in a corner filled with sand to accommodate sand creatures, like @Katrina71 's Zombie Snail, so they can being freaked out just like her.

 

[WallyB]

I do not know if it will work, but I would like to think I am a pioneer!

Just my two cents worth. Do what you want....if you enjoy the extra work.
But unless the new thread is totally different, or Just for yourself, it's hard to people to watch two threads. I barely have time for the ones I watch/participate.

People, including myself have ended threads, and continued with New Part 2 and linked back, if people want history.

I like this thread for many reasons. Just one about one-tank, information and social.
Even then.....Sometimes the posts get too frequent (not a bad thing, but overload) , and I want to turn off auto emailing.
Maybe you will find another audience on that thread.

I was about to start a sister thread like you, but simpler.
Just a Photo of the month, or 6 months (Same Framing of Tank or Frags). Then 1, 2, 5 years later gather those photos and make a growth movie.

This is not criticism, since just giving you my honest opinion for some constructive feedback.
Now 965 posts to go.....

 

[NY_Caveman]

Just my two cents worth. Do what you want....if you enjoy the extra work.
But unless the new thread is totally different, or Just for yourself, it's hard to people to watch two threads. I barely have time for the ones I watch/participate.

People, including myself have ended threads, and continued with New Part 2 and linked back, if people want history.

I like this thread for many reasons. Just one about one-tank, information and social.
Even then.....Sometimes the posts get too frequent (not a bad thing, but overload) , and I want to turn off auto emailing.
Maybe you will find another audience on that thread.

I was about to start a sister thread like you, but simpler.
Just a Photo of the month, or 6 months (Same Framing of Tank or Frags). Then 1, 2, 5 years later gather those photos and make a growth movie.

This is not criticism, since just giving you my honest opinion for some constructive feedback.
Now 965 posts to go.....

That is exactly what the new thread will be. Monthly FTS, Equipment lists, Livestock lists, etc. All reference material only, and to some degree, a reference for me. In general, it will have nothing separate from this thread, just consolidate the "best" so I can find it. Basically, I tried to do all of that in the first post of this thread, but it was just too much for one single post.

 

[WallyB]

That is exactly what the new thread will be. Monthly FTS, Equipment lists, Livestock lists, etc. All reference material only, and to some degree, a reference for me. In general, it will have nothing separate from this thread, just consolidate the "best" so I can find it. Basically, I tried to do all of that in the first post of this thread, but it was just too much for one single post.

Then it might be very handy for you, or possibly others to have a compact thread (without the noise of social fun talk). As you say a perfect, easy to track reference for you.
I've gone digging through some of my old threads, to remember what happened, how long a solution took, or what I did wrong.
Tank history can be very useful. In my case I look back through my last thread and can see exactly when soap (from dishwasher on floor above) started dripping into my old tank. . The clues were there at the time (but I was stumped for over a year). Now I see clearly.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Then it might be very handy for you, or possibly others to have a compact thread (without the noise of social fun talk). As you say a perfect, easy to track reference for you.
I've gone digging through some of my old threads, to remember what happened, how long a solution took, or what I did wrong.
Tank history can be very useful. In my case I look back through my last thread and can see exactly when soap (from dishwasher on floor above) started dripping into my old tank. . The clues were there at the time (but I was stumped for over a year). Now I see clearly.

That whole story is a needle in a haystack of a nightmare.