How do you guys do it?

[amoreira]

I use a DSB (deep sand bed). It is a 4-6" depth of oolitic sugar sand. I also keep nassarius sand snails that hang around under the sand and pop up at feeding time. As well I have sand dollars and sea hedghogs. At night I flash a light on the sand and see a million critters crawing and scurrying about on it. The only problem I have is the odd patch of alge showing up on it.

With the DSB, I don't need to siphon any detrius. It's very low maintenance. It's not to be disturbed. It keeps my parameters at good levels (almost 0 NO3/PO4). I do run carbon (ROX 0.8 in a reactor) and GFO. Those help also. I also don't need tremendous flows in the tank. Big flows will cause a sand storm.

A DSB might also give you algae problems to some extent and a pH drop at night. To fix that I run a sump/refugium with macro algae on a lighting cycle reverse to that in the display tank. pH stays stable and the macro helps nutrient update. A good skimmer helps on that note too.

One note, my tank is not sterile. Every part of it has something growing on it ... from misc. corals to various algaes and unfortunately aptasia. Some people might look at it and think it not aesethically pleasing (i.e. as in neat and tidy). It's more a natural system and resembles true reefs IMO (being a SCUBA diver, I can attest to that LOL). Those who like the sterile look might prefer another system.