BB is it really good.

[fkshiu]

I've got a mixed reef with a little bit of everything like you and I've found a happy middle with just a 1" sandbed in the front half of the tank. It's essentially just for looks, but keeps my gobies and pistol shrimp happy. Looks much better than BB.

[Skimmerking]

Originally Posted by fkshiu

I've got a mixed reef with a little bit of everything like you and I've found a happy middle with just a 1" sandbed in the front half of the tank. It's essentially just for looks, but keeps my gobies and pistol shrimp happy. Looks much better than BB.

how is your nitrates in your tank

[fkshiu]

Originally Posted by asmodeus

how is your nitrates in your tank

I haven't the faintest clue as I've never tested for NO3 in this tank. I'm assuming it's very low since my SPS are all nicely coloured up and growing.

I have a relatively low fishload for a 150 gallon system: 6" regal tang, 3" purple tang, 6-line wrasse, royal gramma, diamond goby and a couple oc. clowns. I feed once a day, skim wet and have a ball of chaeto in the sump on a reverse light cycle. I run purigen but have been too lazy yet to crack open the bucket of GFO that I just ordered. I also have some xenia in the sump which is the only unorthodox method of nutrient removal that I'm doing.

[danny zubot]

A shallow sand bed of 1-1.5 inches is all I've ever had until i went bare bottom. Never had any issues with high nitrates, in fact I think mine are worse now without a sand bed. I can't wait until I set up the new tank and go back to a sand bed.

[Psyire]

Well I hate my sand, so put me down for BB.

I would switch it in a heartbeat if it wasn't so hard to do.

The key is bioload and balancing your waste management. High bioload + a Sandbed is a recipe for disaster in the future. Unless of course you are the worlds best water changer. A sandbed will mask your high bioload problem until it no longer can, and then you're in for some major problems.

Having no sand will not mask this problem and you'll be forced to deal with it before you have major long lasting problems.

Flow is the other area of concern, 'high' flow rates are not possible using sand as it won't stay put. Flow is the #1 overlooked important thing in this hobby, water movement makes everything possible. Stagnant tanks aren't good for much..

[Der_Iron_Chef]

*casts his lot with the pro-BB crew*

[andresont]

Originally Posted by Psyire

Well I hate my sand, so put me down for BB.

I would switch it in a heartbeat if it wasn't so hard to do.

The key is bioload and balancing your waste management. High bioload + a Sandbed is a recipe for disaster in the future. Unless of course you are the worlds best water changer. A sandbed will mask your high bioload problem until it no longer can, and then you're in for some major problems.

Having no sand will not mask this problem and you'll be forced to deal with it before you have major long lasting problems.

Flow is the other area of concern, 'high' flow rates are not possible using sand as it won't stay put. Flow is the #1 overlooked important thing in this hobby, water movement makes everything possible. Stagnant tanks aren't good for much..

All above is very well said.
No3 will accumulate in a long run even with water changes.
Flow is very important.

BB here also.
.

[Reefer Rob]

Sand is a real PTA with the 50X flow in my tank. I only have 1/2" to 1" for looks, and I'd ditch it in a heartbeat if I didn't like the look of it so much.