Wanted to start a discussion on the use of DSB's and remote DSB's in reef tanks and how they work for everyone. Are you running one, how large and deep is it, what's it composed of, who lives in there, how much flow is in it, how did you seed it, is it dark/ light and the most important question
"Do you think it works?".
I'm currently running two but I can't really consider either of them anaerobic. The first is a 30g fuge with a 6-8 inch bed, this tank is full of mangroves and a pistol shrimp/ goby pair which would eliminate any anaerobic areas. The second is about 12X12X10 inches of sand in the return area from my main tank, excuse my paint skills but here's a basic drawing:
So water comes from the main tank and is injected under the sand, the process looks really close to a phosban reactor just with allot more flying media.
30g Fuge/ DSB
Seeded from old tank sand
Pistol Shrimp/ Goby pair and a ton of mangroves/ cheato live there
Sand is aragonite mixed with rubble and reef mud
appx 5X turn over per hour through the fuge
Lighted for 12 hours per day
29 Sump/ DSB
Seeded from old tank sand
No fish, TONES of feather dusters and macro inverts
Sand is aragonite and larger gravel pieces
Appx 60X turn over through the sump
Non-lighted
I have a feeling my almost non existent cycle (and my lack of pest algae) in my new 170g is because the transfer of 2 established DSB's from my old systems to the new one. Since adding them I have seen my water quality improve (Reduction of Nitrate, Nitrate and PO4) and a dramatic increase in the ability to successfully keep different species of cnidarians/ fish.