Is DSB crash just a myth?

[Paul B]

I'm getting a headache and don't know why we all don't run reverse undergravel filters. :p

 

[flsalty]

I'm getting a headache and don't know why we all don't run reverse undergravel filters. :p

What do you think of a reverse undergravel with a deep sandbed?

 

[Paul B]

I think it is a stupid idea. :D

 

[tony'stank]

A plenum is unnecessary. Dr Jean Jaubert is widely credited as the originator of the DSB method. When I spoke with him after his lecture at the 2017 MACNA, he said his initial use of a plenum was an accident. His first DSB was in a tank with an under gravel filter he didn’t bother to take out. He doesn’t advocate the use of a plenum

 

[tony'stank]

I used DSB for almost ten years without problems. I believe that if you neglect a tank with DSB you will have problems. I would routinely vacuum the upper layers ( only) to remove detritus. As already mentioned the proper grain size (1-2 mm) was critical for a successful DSB. When DSB were popular there weren’t a lot of other options for nitrate removal. I current have a DSB only in my refugium. Also in the 80s and 90 s when DSB were popular we had a much better quality of live rock available. This led to the introduction of spaghetti worms, cucumbers and other beneficial hitchhikers that lived in the DSB. My current tank which was started with dry rock has virtually no spaghetti worms or visible inhabitants of the 2 inch sand bed

 

[Smokey101]

I can't tell you how many times I've read warnings on discussion boards about deep sand beds (DSBs) risking a tank crash if the anaerobic layer is disturbed and toxic gases are released. I am beginning to think this is a myth. There is no good evidence for it and very few first-person testimonials. On the other hand, DSB enthusiasts note that they've had them for years or decades with no problem (and lots of benefits, including stabilizing alkalinity).

Are there credible first person accounts of DSBs poisoning their tanks?

I've had a dsb this time for 9 years, sometimes clean 1/4 of top layer about 1" in a 60 gal show tank I have never had any problems caused by dsb. Also my sand came from Jacksonville beach, Same tank using St. Petersburg beach sand ran 5 years no problem. Some fish i have move sand, I move it back once in awhile, they just move it again, maybe this helps not sure. I've only lost fish & Inverts one being a Huge long tentacle anomie 10" or more due to ick breakout from new coral beauty, I didn't catch it soon enough. All but two out of 8 fish and 4 shrimp died. The survivors still living now about 12 years. I am the one to never recover and only added 1 fish since loss.

 

[Sltloser]

I would highly recommend reading sandbed secrets by Dr. Ron Shimek. An improperly cared for and maintained sandbed can be an issue, however with a small amount of maintenance you can easily keep a health sandbed that will not "crash".

Ron Shimek's Website...Deep Sand Beds

Dr Ron Shimek's Website - Information on animal groups, husbandry of coral reef aquarium animals, his passion for native Montana orchids, Ron's blog and online articles

www.ronshimek.com

 

[ricardh]

Hi.

Do you think it is feasible to go from BareBottom to DSB in a running tank (more than two years running BB), and if it is, what advice would you give me?

I live next to Mediterranean Sea (5 mins from my house) , where the salinity level is 38ppt, i read that some of you seed the sand with natural beach sand to get a biological vector, do you think that with this salinity level difference will be useful ?

thanks in advance.

Ricard.

 

[schooncw]

Hi.

Do you think it is feasible to go from BareBottom to DSB in a running tank (more than two years running BB), and if it is, what advice would you give me?

I live next to Mediterranean Sea (5 mins from my house) , where the salinity level is 38ppt, i read that some of you seed the sand with natural beach sand to get a biological vector, do you think that with this salinity level difference will be useful ?

thanks in advance.

Ricard.

If/when you do the DSB, it is important that you do it correctly and I am enclosing a link to brief article. Pay special attention the what he says about the size of the substrate. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-06/rs/feature/index.php

 

[ricardh]

If/when you do the DSB, it is important that you do it correctly and I am enclosing a link to brief article. Pay special attention the what he says about the size of the substrate. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-06/rs/feature/index.php

Ohh, thanks, i gonna read it now.

 

[beaslbob]

I think the best thing is to add macro algae.

my .02

 

[burgundy]

I have a whole bunch of leopard wrasses that cannot disturb the sandbed enough to notice. Conchs eat worms in the sand, among other things, but there is always enough for them to repopulate to equilibrium. Cucumbers eat some microfauna as well... but, again, they can repopulate with ease.

Do the micro fauna really reproduce fast enough? I'd like a goby but I also know that if there's no life in the dsb then what's the point

 

[Hot2na]

the good people @ carib sea once told me that 6" of florida crushed coral geo marine formula directly on the bottom of the tank would function the same as with a plenum in place(denitrify) and add back beneficial trace elements as the aragonite dissolved with low night time Ph...I tried it as suggested and it worked as well as my other plenum tanks...FWIW

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Good conversation here!