sand or bare glass bottom?

brizzo · #1 11-27-2008, 11:02 PM

I can't find the article I am thinking of, but there was an interview with Eric B about going skimmer-less and bare bottom. Was a good read regardless of opinion.

Personally I run bare bottom and skimmer-less in my nano with MUCH success. I wouldn't recommend this what so ever for someone who cannot give their tank attention everyday. I'm sure many people out there would disagree with my setup; but I am successful with my tank and have only had one crash (due to hqi lighting and no uv shield, not water quality).

My point here is there isn't a right or wrong, there is pros and cons, but every tank is different; and ultimately, a tank's health is up to the keeper! Sand or no sand, take care of your tank and monitor it!

kodak · #2 11-27-2008, 11:54 PM

The tank I have been taking care of for the past 2 months has a BB and no skimmer.. It's nice to have other hobbyists opinions regarding certain elements of keeping and maintaining a saltwater aquarium.. In cycling a tank, should one expect to see cloudy water and if not, would that mean the tank is past that stage in cycling. As stated in one of my previous posts, my tank has some cured LR in both filters and about 12-15lbs in the tank itself.. the water came from the same established tank that the rock came out of.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kodak

Well... I've had an established 10g BB nano running for about 2 months now, it was/is a friends tank

as for maintaining the tank for the last 2 months, I've had no major issues to speak of.. I am new to salt but I have kept african cichlids almost exclusively for the past 9-10 years.. Since this neat little salt tank was transplanted into my livingroom, already containing 6x 6 foot cichlid tanks and a 72g as well, not to mention one of the bedrooms... The little tank started to grow on me and the maintenance was not all that much for a tank of this size. I started to get a little curious of how difficult it would be to get one going... The tank & filters were just sitting around, so I set it up.. It's a 10g with 2x hob filters, live rock in one HOB, Caulerpain and small bag of aragonite in the other (all from a friends established tank) 15lbs LR from that same established tank, and water from the same tank, I have a single clown fish and a single pom pom crab, a few very small things on the LR besides a bit of coraline algae..

I like the idea of sand as far as asthetics are concerned, plus the extra critters in the sandbed. Still thinking....