Nano,
Yup this tank will be BB. Sorry, but I don't think I can contribute any more to the debate than what has already been said. My advice would be to just try it both ways and see what you like better. Start with sand and if it starts to give you trouble, syphon it out. If it doesn't give you trouble - then rock on.
For me, BB allows me to keep a way cleaner system with higher flow and easier cleanup of detritus. I don't have/plan to have any sand dependant livestock, so my reason for keeping a sand bed would be purely for aesthetics. Now that alone is a pretty good reason - I put a lot of effort into trying to have things look good - but for me, my sand beds have only looked really good for about a week. After that golden week, the sand loses some of its brilliance and gets dulled by the bio-film that grows over each of the grains. I have tried different sifting critters and daily stirrings but I have never been able to maintain that beautiful white look. At that point, aesthetics is no longer enough reason to overweigh the drawbacks of sand and I go back to BB.
This time around I am going to try and cover the bottom of my tank with meadows of gsp, zoos, and mushrooms - should look alright...
- Chad
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Returning to the hobby after an eight year absence.
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