....and that's the entire point of a sand bed! If it is the proper depth-4.5-6"-disturbing it, negates all of the benefits and from the look of your tank, it's obviously working well.I prefer my sandbed DIRTY with lots of worms and pods
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....and that's the entire point of a sand bed! If it is the proper depth-4.5-6"-disturbing it, negates all of the benefits and from the look of your tank, it's obviously working well.I prefer my sandbed DIRTY with lots of worms and pods
Well if that's the case, I don't think it really matters what you do, if you have the sand for aesthetic reasons only. Why not consider a DEEP sand bed, that will give you all of the inherent benefits? Fine sand, at least 4.5", with a thin layer of larger grain on top, to prevent it blowing everywhere and will never be disturbed? Apart from aesthetics, anything else is just a detritus trap.Nope that's an incorrect assumption. Sand is about an inch or maybe a little deeper. It's primarily aesthetic.
Well if that's the case, I don't think it really matters what you do, if you have the sand for aesthetic reasons only. Why not consider a DEEP sand bed, that will give you all of the inherent benefits? Fine sand, at least 4.5", with a thin layer of larger grain on top, to prevent it blowing everywhere and will never be disturbed? Apart from aesthetics, anything else is just a detritus trap.
I ran a DSB in my tanks for a number of years. I much prefer the shallow sand bed. The only reasons I have a sand bed at all is because I prefer the look of a sand bed over bare bottom and to allow for fish and critters that burrow in the sand to sleep.Well if that's the case, I don't think it really matters what you do, if you have the sand for aesthetic reasons only. Why not consider a DEEP sand bed, that will give you all of the inherent benefits? Fine sand, at least 4.5", with a thin layer of larger grain on top, to prevent it blowing everywhere and will never be disturbed? Apart from aesthetics, anything else is just a detritus trap.
I mean... talk about a detritus trap. That's what a DSB is! Our boxes of captivity are tiny. There isn't nearly enough pods/worms/bacteria/CUC that is going to clean up that cess pool. Not by a long shot.
The risks of a DSB faaaar outweigh the benefits, hence why the trend died long ago.
Well mine is great at CUC it is larger than a golf ball. I have never siphoned.
Hopefully you're wearing glovesI mix mine up by hand every month, and barely anything comes out. The tank is just cloudy for an hour or two.
Nutrient import/export balance is more important in my opinion. If you are not exporting well or maintaining the sand bed, yes, it will get quite dirty.
In my opinion, if done correctly, I see no risk at all and having been in the business for many years, I know of many deep sand bed tanks that have been running for decades. The key phrase here is “done correctly”.I mean... talk about a detritus trap. That's what a DSB is! Our boxes of captivity are tiny. There isn't nearly enough pods/worms/bacteria/CUC that is going to clean up that cess pool. Not by a long shot.
The risks of a DSB faaaar outweigh the benefits, hence why the trend died long ago.
I know of many deep sand bed tanks that have been running for decades
Amongst other things, the key is using fine enough sand, so that it does not “clump”. This is what will cause hydrogen sulphide to develop and build up over the years.I agree. AZDesert Rat is a poster who keeps a classic Berlin style and its about 20 now or maybe 25.
The key is variability and actually commutability in my opinion. Though classic Berlin style dsbs can work, they vary too much in 5 years time for the masses to keep repeating the method past the 90s.
when they work balanced they're awesome, but too rare. When advising others in setting up long term systems that are less likely to crash, or get an invasion that sometimes earns a voluntary takedown, cleaner vs stored up is winning bigtime.
Yes not much is there. The hermit stirs up sand digging holes and reburying them over and over all day.Have you ever stirred up a tiny section of your sand to see exactly how much detritus is really in there? You might be surprised.
The entire point of the DSB-done correctly-is that is NOT a "ticking time bomb" and is a perfect way to maintain a stable reef tank. If you set it up correctly, there is virtually no chance of it failing, period!Like I said in another comment, some will never have it blow up, but there is a reason people refer to it as a ticking time bomb.
There are a lot of things people do FOR YEARS and never see the consequences. But that doesn't mean its worth the risk, is all I'm saying.
If you set it up correctly, there is virtually no chance of it failing, period!
You haven't seen my pods and worms. I could drop a pot roast in there and it would be devoured in minutes. Although I don't do DSB, I don't want to give up that much volume in the DT.I mean... talk about a detritus trap. That's what a DSB is! Our boxes of captivity are tiny. There isn't nearly enough pods/worms/bacteria/CUC that is going to clean up that cess pool. Not by a long shot.
The risks of a DSB faaaar outweigh the benefits, hence why the trend died long ago.
A proper DSB has no detritus, precisely because of all of the pods, worms, etc. The key is, having sand that is fine enough, so it does not clump to the point that all of the DSB inhabitants can't get to it.You haven't seen my pods and worms. I could drop a pot roast in there and it would be devoured in minutes. Although I don't do DSB, I don't want to give up that much volume in the DT.
A proper DSB has no detritus, precisely because of all of the pods, worms, etc. The key is, having sand that is fine enough, so it does not clump, to the point that all of the DSB inhabitants can't get to it.