Glued Sand Bottoms?

[Ruth]

I always recommend overskimming (honestly, I don't think you can) and do on this tank. I am running zeovit on this tank as well. I don't use ozone - it scares me and don't have a UV sterilizer. I have never (touches wooden head rapidly) had a problem with ich or other diseases or parasites. Will probably do like I do with most things and react in that case. All my systems are pretty well stocked now so only have room for a few more fish anyways and I will quarantine them. I know that there are more uses than this but this would be my main reason for using.

Edit - no I didn't silicone it down. I figured that 300lbs. of live rock and however many pounds of water should do a pretty good job.

[deacon hemp]

Cool thanks,i just wanted to know if your using full BB methology.I forgot your zeo aswell,and one other thing that has interested me lately is most ppl using BB method have had to dramaticly lower their photoperiods.Most are down to 4-6 hours a day with MH and a 3 hour dawn dusk.This might be due to ozone clearing the water and too much light penetration.

What photoperiod do you run your halides? sorry for all the annoying questions.

[Joe Reefer]

most ppl using BB method have had to dramaticly lower their photoperiods.

Is there a reason?

[Ruth]

Not really. I started this tank out as a BB. I run my T5's for about 13 hours, 2 MH for 10hrs and one MH for 8hrs. Not have any issues with algea at all other than the usual diatom bloom during the first 2 weeks or so. Zeo creates a nutrient poor environment though so don't know if that is connected in any way. I also skim the crap out of this tank and get up to 1/2 gallon of wet green skimmate a day.

[deacon hemp]

Originally Posted by lyohemas

Is there a reason?

Thats what i have been trying to figure out.Most ppl either use UV or ozone or both with BB,and all of these ppl have lowered their photoperiod to 4 hours because any more and their sps lightens up or bleaches.Even if they step it up slowly to 6 hours,they still see lightening.Im trying to figure out if its a BB thing as some ppl (on RC) say it is,or if its an ozone/uv thing in correlation(sp) to using a BB.Ruth has a long photoperiod still and has good colors ( i assume) so i think its an ozone thing.

[adidas]

you guys should post some pics of your starboard tanks... I'm definately doing away with sand when i move.

[Psyire]

Thanks for answering my question Ruth, I'm thinking I should have gone the way of black starboard from the beginning... now it would be a huge pain to switch.

[mark]

Hey Chris,

Did you end up going with the glued sandbed. If so wondering on the coralline growth and appreciate any other observations.

MP

[Funky_Fish14]

Guess it might help to update this, it did progress quite a bit while I wasnt looking! Hehe.

I did end up trying this out. The epoxy I used is a two-part expoxy called Envirotex Lite. I bought the one gallon kit, which cost me 90 bucks, and use 3/4 of it mixed with sand to put a 3/16" or so layer on the bottom of the tank. I also sprinkled alot of sand ontop of it. It leveled out, hardened, and made a perfectly flat sandbed look. My mom wanted the sandbed look, I wanted the barebottom effects. I have yet to see any corraline growth on the bottom(has been up for a month) but I also have cyano on the bottom.... I guess it would help if I had my skimmer finished, lol. Syphoning off the bottom is quite easy, I can syphon crud out really well, and you dont suck up all your substrate. The rocks stay in place well, the glass is protected, and I get the sandbed look. I will update again in about a month when my cyano should be gone, lol.

So far I love this. No problems with it cracking the tank like I heard happening with one guy. The sand stays down fiarly well, its hard to get grains loose.

Here is a pic of the tank. It looks bad haha, but were talking about the sand. Tank looks better now though.



Hope this gives a little more insight for all of you thinking about this.

Chris

[michika]

It looks really nice Chris. Everything in your tank looks like its doing really well!

Are we going to be seeing you this Sunday?