What's on the bottom and why do you love it or hate?

[mitch91175]

Bare bottom tank here. I don't like cleaning the detritus that builds up. I've been meaning to fashion some sort of vacuum cleaner to do it without doing a water change. once that's solve I will be golden!

You can place a powerhead to keep it circulating to be collected via filtration. Mine collects in an area and every once in a while I'll siphon it out when I do a water change. Not doing many water changes these days anyways so when I have to it helps me stay in tune with the tank.

 

[Brad ward]

Today I have a simple question for you! Us reefers change our mind about things and decisions all the time when it comes to our reef tanks. This includes our aquarium substrate! Are you happy with what you got?

1. What substrate are you using in your reef tank?

2. Why do you love it or hate?

3. What would you or are you going to change it to?

image via Ryunosuke Sera

Bare bottom covered with beautiful coraline algae until the Dino’s decide to carpet it

 

[saltyhog]

CaribSea Aragonite Special Grade. Love it. Small enough to be ok for sand sleepers but large enough to stay put with heavy flow.

 

[MaugieDawgieCorals]

Fiji pink. Absolutely love it. Also extremely white and clean from the diamond goby. Moves around a little bit but not enough to regret having it. A reef tank with white sand looks so much better imo. Don’t think I would ever go bare bottom.

 

[mitch91175]

Fiji pink. Absolutely love it. Also extremely white and clean from the diamond goby. Moves around a little bit but not enough to regret having it. A reef tank with white sand looks so much better imo. Don’t think I would ever go bare bottom.

Well a reef tank with a covered bottom of zoanthids also look really good

 

[RosieSkys]

In my 55G DT, I have crushed coral. Don't remember the brand because I've had it since the 90's. I would really like to add some wrassesto my tank so I'm thinking of adding something a little finer grind that is more wrasse friend. I have plenty of critters that keep it turned such as my burrowing gobies and Pistol shrimp, my sand shifting stars, conches and blue leg hermits. I do siphon clean a bit from time to time but not often.
My 10G coral QT I have lots of live rock, caulerpa, a few hermits and a ton of little abalone-type algae eaters but it is BB. Easy to siphon or use a turkey baster to clean out debris.
Both work but I really prefer my DT with substrate on the bottom.

 

[mtnrunner]

Bare bottom. so easy.

 

[Arabyps]

CaribSea Fiji Pink. Stays manicured with weekly gravel vacuum as part of water change routine.

 

[Bob Lauson]

Lately i been noticing lots of tanks using GSP to cover the bottom of the tank and it looks beautiful, heres a pic, is NOT my tank, i think is very cool. may do this on the future.

I am embarrassed to say I never thought of grass on the bare bottom. It looks really great but would just have to keep it off the side glass.

 

[mariano]

I am embarrassed to say I never thought of grass on the bare bottom. It looks really great but would just have to keep it off the side glass.

True. you would have to be trimming that GSP weekly , they grow so fast.

 

[saullman]

How old is your set up?
[/QUO
My setup is a few years old now. I can never kick this algae problem. I just deal with it.

 

[JoshO]

@saullman

Have you tried to use vibrant? Also weekly cleaning may help

 

[tamanning]

I have sugar fine sand ranging from 4 to 6 inches . I'm very happy with it . I've had it for 4 years now with no problems. My fish and crabs dig in it so from day to day it looks different.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

CaribSea Aragonite Special Grade. Love it. Small enough to be ok for sand sleepers but large enough to stay put with heavy flow.

Is this what you got?

CaribSea Aragonite Aquarium Reef Sand | fish Gravel, Sand & Stones | PetSmart

CaribSea Aragonite Aquarium Reef Sand at PetSmart. Shop all fish gravel, sand & stones online

www.petsmart.com

 

[saltyhog]

Is this what you got?

CaribSea Aragonite Aquarium Reef Sand | fish Gravel, Sand & Stones | PetSmart

CaribSea Aragonite Aquarium Reef Sand at PetSmart. Shop all fish gravel, sand & stones online

www.petsmart.com

Yes sir!

 

[bdehlin]

Currently using Caribsea Special Grade dry sand and like it a lot! It looks more like a natural reef to me and doesn't blow around like the Fiji Pink I've had in past tanks