BB is it really good.

[untamed]

I went with a compromise. There's a layer of sand covering all the viewable front/sides that varies from nearly nothing to 2" in some areas. MOST people would also view my sand to be dirty looking. I make few efforts to clean it and I believe that disrupts all the critters who are trying to make a living there.

The back (and other less visible areas) is completely BB. All the rockwork is also sitting directly on the bottom of the tank.

When I installed the small refugium, it has a DSB about 4" deep.

I didn't get my nitrate monitor until after the refugium was running, but I have no measureable nitrate in my tank. (I also have more algae than most people seem to want, so I can't conclude that my sand, refugium w/DSB are necessarily the cure)