Question About HDPE Replacement for Sand

[Nick Kohrn]

Hello everyone!

I have a question regarding using HDPE instead of sand, specifically the maintenance routine.

I just bought a sheet of 24" x 48" HDPE, and I had it cut so that I was able to get two 11" x 11" x 1/4" sheets pieces and the scrap pieces. I want to pass on using sand since I tend to move regularly, and this will help me tremendously with maintenance.

I had two pieces cut because I would like to switch the in-use piece of HDPE out each week during maintenance. This shouldn't be a problem because I have an Innovative Marine 10 Gallon NUVO Fusion aquarium, which is pretty small. I plan on creating a pillared aquascape when my Bulk Reef Supply Reef Saver Rock comes in this week, which implies that I should be able to just lift the rock structure out of the tank, set it into a bucket with the water that I remove from the tank, and then replace the HDPE after siphoning out any detritus. Easy, right?!

Also, I love coralline, but only on the rocks. This will allow me to scrape any growth off of the replaced HDPE sheet during maintenance. This brings me to the reason for my question:

I realize that I will get an accumulation of detritus underneath the in-use sheet, and so I have thought about the fact that most people recommend the sheet to be siliconed to the bottom of the tank. However, since I will be replacing it weekly I don't feel the need to silicone it to the bottom, which allows me the freedom to clean and replace the sheet.

My question is then, do you see any issues that I may potentially face in the future by setting up my tank in this manner?

Thanks so much!

 

[The Rook]

That's gonna stress your tank every week. I'm of the "keep your hands out of the tank" style of reef keeping. Don't think you'll get good growth if you constantly remove everything.

 

[Nick Kohrn]

That's gonna stress your tank every week. I'm of the "keep your hands out of the tank" style of reef keeping. Don't think you'll get good growth if you constantly remove everything.

Would you recommend using silicone to seal the edges of the HDPE to the bottom then? I don't mind doing so. I just want a nice way to keep the bottom of the tank clean and looking pristine without a lot of coralline growth.

 

[brandon429]

You can do it. We've been running pico reefs like that online for ten yrs. just take advantage of the large water change options, and feed that tank well since you w be actively exporting it

 

[Nick Kohrn]

You can do it. We've been running pico reefs like that online for ten yrs. just take advantage of the large water change options, and feed that tank well since you w be actively exporting it

I won't be running a skimmer which should help keep some dissolved nutrients in the system for feeding corals. Also, I plan on performing target feedings with Reef-Roids every few days.

I love the look of sand, but I absolutely hate the sandstorms that happen when doing maintenance. Also, with it being an SPS-dominated system, I love the idea that I will be able to keep the flow cranked up.

Do you have any build threads for your tanks?

 

[brandon429]

Sure deal this is one gallon sps/lps ten yrs
http://reef2reef.com/threads/one-gallon-reefbowl-still-going-strong.105291/#post-2640815

when I do water changes sometimes I rinse out the entire sandbed with tap water (the reef is taken apart and corals housed in sw while parting out empty) because sand filtration is optional. Mines for looks...rinsed so it doesn't store waste, the ends you are heading towards.

Others use the sandbed untouched to reduce nitrates, two different ways to use sand.

It's true that the opposing method of hands off and store a little more is the majority technique in the hobby, the more active forms are just more side branching for ways and means and they're work intensive comparatively. I stay busy because it forces all params to comply always and things adapt to the rip cleaning. I leave the entire reef drained in the air up to 20 mins when working on it, so that it is strong, and not wimpy. This is handy when reefers make mistakes, like last mo when I accidentally dumped waste freshwater in the reef and killed only a crab...worst mistake in a decade but the conditioning resulted in only that loss. After the change and using the wrong blue water bottle to refill, the corals were so mad for ten mins I knew something was off. Had the correct sw on hand and just changed it out again w seawater thankfully. Lost a boxer crab.