DSB aka deep sand bed

[mpishi]

i've never seen this addressed but i have a dsb in my 33 gallon tank that is about 5 inches level deep ( or at least it used to be )

but the burrowing, digging, landscaping of brittlestars, crabs and shrimp create hillocks, hummocks and trenches almost down to the tank bottom in some places with sand piled higher correspondingly

any suggestions as to how this would affect the effectiveness of a deep sand bed

tia

[kari]

Probably a benifit to the system. I haven't witnessed any problems with this.
I'm not even sure why a DSB has to be deep anyway. My tank has a thin layer of fine sand with part of the tank bare glass. I have not performed water changes as many do (I am sensing arguements coming already) and have not seen a rise in nitrates or phosphates. This is just how I have gone about it and don't recommend any particular method since I don't know as much as most others do.

[ABreefkpr]

Originally Posted by kari

Probably a benifit to the system. I haven't witnessed any problems with this.
I'm not even sure why a DSB has to be deep anyway. My tank has a thin layer of fine sand with part of the tank bare glass. I have not performed water changes as many do (I am sensing arguements coming already) and have not seen a rise in nitrates or phosphates. This is just how I have gone about it and don't recommend any particular method since I don't know as much as most others do.

Probably right about the arguments Kari but I know a guy who swears you don't need a sand bed in a reef tank(remember I'm just passing this on). He doesn't do water changes either. He has different corals in his tank but it is no less impressive (insert spectactular) than yours.


Keith

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by kari

and have not seen a rise in nitrates or phosphates. This .

do you have a nitrate level and it has not increased or do you have 0 nitrates?

the reason for a DSB to be a deep bed is two fold. the first is for nitrate reduction (which is also acomplished by live rock so this might be the reason you don't have any, but the DSB is more effective at it. the misconception is how deep you need to go to obtain this.. the answer depends on the grain size of your sand.. if it is a sugar sand you can get a good nitrate reduction in as little as 1"

the second is that a lot of the "critters" that you want for a DSB to function properly need more than 1 or 2" of depth (weather we have these critters in our tanks I am not sure) Dr Ron, although gruf and stuberon , does know about the critters in a sand bed and for a diverse comunity he recomends at least 4". can we get away with less ?probably but why not give everything as much of a chance to thrive as you can.

Steve

[Aquattro]

Here's an interesting link on sand beds..or not.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=210605

[Buccaneer]

I have been following that thread at RC for some time now Brad and am still as confused about deep beds or bare bottom tanks as I was before ... on one hand you have a DSB that has to be replaced every 4 years or so and on the other you have a high maintenance shallow/no sand bed that you have to siphon ALL the time ??? ... I have a DSB in my sump and refugium and about a 1" sloping back to about 3" in the display tank ... nitrates are undetectable ( probably get another kit for a second opinion ) ... but I do have Macro algae and about 450 pounds of Live Rock as well so who knows what is doing all the work. Might consider doing what Kari does in the display and leave the DSB in the sump and refugium ... maybe change those out every 2 years or so ... will see how far the debate goes on over at RC first.

Cheers

[Aquattro]

Steve, I ran about 2" of sand and my NO3 was undetectable also. I added more sand to bring it up to about 3.5", and I don't see any benefit. Jamie just removed his DSB about 2 months ago, and I'm waiting to hear back from him regarding his thoughts so far.
My sand is about 4+ years and I'm starting to get some ugly algae problems on the sandbed, so I'm also following that thread closely!!

[kari]

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

do you have a nitrate level and it has not increased or do you have 0 nitrates?

.. if it is a sugar sand you can get a good nitrate reduction in as little as 1"....

the second is that a lot of the "critters" that you want for a DSB to function properly need more than 1 or 2" of depth
Steve

Steve;

Nitrates and phosphates tested at 0. After about 2 years I got tired of testing them since you know what the answer is before you test. Maybe its time to test again.
Yes- it is sugar fine arogonite with a cucumber and scarlets for maintenance (and a fine job the cucumber does )

My previous 230gal tank needed to be taken down due to moving a few years ago. It used a plenum with about 3" of various grades of aragonite. I presume many of you have already had to cleanup one of these . Its about as pleasant as going for a swim in a septic tank.

Kari