Glued Sand Bottoms?

[Ruth]

So far I like it just fine - it's easy to see crappola on the bottom to vacume out but like I said I don't know that colour is going to make a difference once it is covered in coralline. I got it from the cutting board factory out of the US.

[deacon hemp]

Theres also a place in surrey that sells it www.plasticworks.ca,I have black starboard for a few tanks.A question ruth,did you silicon it down or just use the rock to keep it down?and are you worried about trapping detritus underneath over time?It turns out its cheaper than sand too.

EDIT:sorry ruth just curious.....did you do the recomended upgrades that go with the BB method? like oversize skimmer,or run ozone,uv,ect?

[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.