Shallow Sandbed or No Sandbed

[digital canuck]

Originally Posted by Beverly

I understand why folks would use starboard or similar products in a bare bottom tank, and that is to more evenly distibute the weight of the rock over a larger area. I'm thinking, though, that unless the starboard is siliconed all around the perimeter to the tank walls, detritus will accumulate under the starboard

Silicone doesn't adhere to the HDPE types of plastic - tried - even after I'd read it wouldn't work

I put my plastic real close to the sides. I figure even if some stuff gets in there, it's a heck of a lot less than in a gravel or sand bed

If you leave a larger "trough" around the edge, your flow may move any detrius out back into the water column. The key here as I mentioned before is maximum flow, so detrius can't collect, but gets skimmed out.

Rick