I will be the first to admidt that I went with a sandbed because everyone else was and all I could find to read about them was good.
I don;t understand how a remote sand bed could be not as good for nitrate reduction, if you get good flow throught it it will reduce. I to also think a bare bottom tank looks unfinnished, this is why I sugested making a bottom that looks like a sand bed.
the only regreat I would have is not haveing the feather dusters and such that grow out of the sand. but this could be acomplished by making holes in the bottom agracreat and filling them with sand
the reason I want to get the sand out of the main tank is that if infact they are a proverbial "ticking time bomb" then you can change out the bed with out disrupting the main tank simpaly by isolating that tank for a couple weeks while you pull out the sand and let the new stuff settle.
also this would allow you to stir the bed up when you do water changes and syphen out the junk with out clouding your main tank.
Steve
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*everything said above is just my opinion, and may or may not reflect the views of this BBS, its Operators, and its Members. If cornered on any “opinion” I post I will totally deny having ever said this in a Court of Law…Unless I am the right one*
Some strive to be perfect.... I just strive.