Is my LR good?

[ReefStick]

Just want make sure safety first

I am taking the outlet on the left out, the remaining box is a GFI. Also it was Brandon's video in a previous comment that I am referring to.

 

[Brew12]

Any input on sand vs. no sand? A guy told me to just do without it (he has amazing tanks) because a lot of times it just makes the tank cloudy because all the current and current is much more important. The video with the sand makes me believe I shouldn't have to worry about it if I rinse it well before adding to tank.

Plenty of people have amazing tanks with a bare bottom. You just have to keep that in mind when you stock your tank. Some fish and inverts need a sand bed but most will do just fine without one.

 

[ReefStick]

Plenty of people have amazing tanks with a bare bottom. You just have to keep that in mind when you stock your tank. Some fish and inverts need a sand bed but most will do just fine without one.

So your saying sand allows me more options? Is there anything that requires a bare bottom?

 

[Brew12]

So your saying sand allows me more options? Is there anything that requires a bare bottom?

Some snails, blennies, wrasses, star fish and other critters need sand beds. Plenty of all species that don't need sand beds to chose from.

I'm not familiar with any species that require a bare bottom. Most don't care either way.

 

[4FordFamily]

It's impossible to tell for sure by photos but that looks OK as it can via photo.

Also, go sand!

 

[ReefStick]

It's impossible to tell for sure by photos but that looks OK as it can via photo.

Also, go sand!

Definitely going to go sand. Seems as if I rinse it well enough I won't have to worry about my tank clouding up or anything.

 

[brandon429]

It's true no cloud

The lfs guy is correct in saying it's easier without sand that's true. I'm rinsing my old reef to keep it young. Without sand I'd have much less work

Most just let the sand store up waste, that's the clouding he's right about

But my sand behaves like no sand :) ironically enough

It's too clean to ever store waste. I'm literally opting for more work load because I need my rocks in the curve of the vase top not down low

Sand is a pedestal in the case of a vase reef funny huh

I could do without its headache cleaning work in a heartbeat. But nothing looks as natural, so I forced the best of both worlds to coexist because I don't mind the work. Because my sand is not allowed to store waste it's effect on my biosystem is null. Take it in, put it out, slosh it around...neutral. It's for looks first and to hold my rocks up second
so it means you can have the same coral growth either way, sand or no sand only the work load changes.

 

[ReefStick]

It's true no cloud

The lfs guy is correct in saying it's easier without sand that's true. I'm rinsing my old reef to keep it young. Without sand I'd have much less work

Most just let the sand store up waste, that's the clouding he's right about

But my sand behaves like no sand :) ironically enough

It's too clean to ever store waste. I'm literally opting for more work load because I need my rocks in the curve of the vase top not down low

Sand is a pedestal in the case of a vase reef funny huh

I could do without its headache cleaning work in a heartbeat. But nothing looks as natural, so I forced the best of both worlds to coexist because I don't mind the work

So how much extra work would going with sand involve would you say? Just a good vac once a week or does it entail more than just that? I would rather put in a little more work also as it just looks much better.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Any input on sand vs. no sand?

Sand is pretty...... CLEAN IT! Oops,:oops: IMO....:p

Definitely going to go sand. Seems as if I rinse it well enough I won't have to worry about my tank clouding up or anything.

sugar sand and larger arent t0o cloudy..

ANd if you aquascape well and make it easy to stir the sand you'll be happier down the road. WE answer a lot of nutrient and algae threads. Can you tell?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

So how much extra work would going with sand involve would you say? Just a good vac once a week or does it entail more than just that?

If you hand is in the tank that day stir a piece. Dont skip too often. Its like flossing your teeth.

 

[ReefStick]

If you hand is in the tank that day stir a piece. Dont skip too often. Its like flossing your teeth.

So would you suggest mixing a bit around every day or so, what about vacuuming?

 

[brandon429]

Even that part is variable

The only way to know what type of work will be needed is to pick some up, drop it down in the tank water and see if it clouds

If it does, that's the bad stuff he's talking about

Because my system is small it can be treated lazily then rip cleaned to new

A 180 gallon sandbed in contrast should not be allowed to store or catch-up will take years not minutes as mine does to rinse the bowl out

can say in good faith that the more gallons of water I kept or the more rocks I stacked on sand to make me not want to access it, the less deep I'd have a sandbed and would be at no sandbed in a display tank anywhere above a forty gallon setup because I'd be too lazy to keep it clean.

Since I know the key to indefinite biological lifespan in a reef aquarium is not storing up detritus I just don't store it

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

So would you suggest mixing a bit around every day or so, what about vacuuming?

One a week prob. before water changes etc. You can set a schedule or just go with it. If you stir you won't need to vacuum really. Vacuum will pull really nasty funk if you haven't stirred it up often.

 

[ReefStick]

One a week prob. before water changes etc. You can set a schedule or just go with it. If you stir you won't need to vacuum really. Vacuum will pull really nasty funk if you haven't stirred it up often.

Just to cover my bases I want to be sure that by stirring you mean literally to just mix it up a bit where it lays in the tank?

 

[ReefStick]

Even that part is variable

The only way to know what type of work will be needed is to pick some up, drop it down in the tank water and see if it clouds

If it does, that's the bad stuff he's talking about

Because my system is small it can be treated lazily then rip cleaned to new

A 180 gallon sandbed in contrast should not be allowed to store or catch-up will take years not minutes as mine does to rinse the bowl out

can say in good faith that the more gallons of water I kept or the more rocks I stacked on sand to make me not want to access it, the less deep I'd have a sandbed and would be at no sandbed in a display tank anywhere above a forty gallon setup because I'd be too lazy to keep it clean.

Since I know the key to indefinite biological lifespan in a reef aquarium is not storing up detritus, out of sight is never out of mind for me. A sandbed literally has to pass a drop test or I will feel like I just put my dinner plate up under my bed so that it can't be seen and could call the house clean because it looks nice topically just don't go poking around

Seeing as how 40 is your cut off and I'm running twice that I may need to put a little thought into the endeavor. Although I would really appreciate the look of the sandbed at the same time with the tank I was looking at was so magnificent that you didn't even notice it was bare bottom.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Just to cover my bases I want to be sure that by stirring you mean literally to just mix it up a bit where it lays in the tank?

yea.
Just make sure you dont stack your rock on the sand or use sand to support structure.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Seeing as how 40 is your cut off and I'm running twice that I may need to put a little thought into the endeavor. Although I would really appreciate the look of the sandbed at the same time with the tank I was looking at was so magnificent that you didn't even notice it was bare bottom.

I would go bare bottom in that tank too.

and I wouldn't recommend that rock work and style for a newer reefer. thats gotta be a pain to work on(in).

 

[ReefStick]

I would go bare bottom in that tank too.

and I wouldn't recommend that rock work and style for a newer reefer. thats gotta be a pain to work on(in).

That was a really advance set up (to me anyways) they had systems continually feeding nutrients to the tank etc etc, much beyond my skill set. I will start with the basics. Do you recommend I start with some easy LPS? I can't say that I like them nearly as much but you have to start somewhere and I will do as such.

 

[ReefStick]

I would go bare bottom in that tank too.

and I wouldn't recommend that rock work and style for a newer reefer. thats gotta be a pain to work on(in).

I really would like to have a clown fish with something to host in, the little one wouldn't let me live it down if not so I'm hoping there is something that I can make work.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

o you recommend I start with some easy LPS? I can't say that I like them nearly as much but you have to start somewhere and I will do as such.

its not about livestock really. More about STUFF happens. Dead fish. dropped tool. awful alge missing BTA etc. If you can pull the rock out easily and not stirr up death juce from the sand you'll be ahead of the game. S a big rock or build a structure. I think of my tank as kind of modular. (even though I have a Deep sand bed and dont stir anymore.) I can pull the rock out quick. Coral and all.

For coral go with what ya like but realistic (acropora :rolleyes:).