DSB Dynamics- To use or loose?

[Zoaelite]

Some great reading here if anyone is interested:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-0...ture/index.php

And a good quote:

Here, bacteria and chemistry combine to produce conditions that result in the precipitation of many toxic heavy metals such as sulphide and iron hydroxide minerals. (Pincher, et al., 1999, 2000) Such materials accumulate in the tank with time, but as long as these sediments remain anoxic, those poisons are locked there and can be considered "safe."

Crashes from a DSB would only happen if this concentration over time became deadly enough to wipe the tank with a complete stir up. The only case where I could see this happen is if you had a VERY large reef tank with a DSB display which for some reason had a large area become anoxic and then this complete bottom layer was mixed up again. The limiting factor in this case though is that in a reef tank we shouldn't see a large anoxic area form (due to our large clean up crews & healthy sand beds) and because of those clean up crews the sand bed should already stay mixed.

Now in the case of a tank with liverock and a skimmer as quoted from here:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-04/newbie/index.php

This produces hazardous gasses like hydrogen sulfide and shuts down the ability of beneficial bacteria to effectively convert nitrate to nitrogen. A heavily stocked tank with only a skimmer and live rock is asking for trouble over time.

Interesting... very interesting...
and to finish off the post, a quote from Tom Murphy

Well, I'm getting ahead of myself here. I'll be talking about deep sand beds next month which, at least in my opinion, is the best way for a new reef keeper to set up their first tank.

[Zoaelite]

Another great read:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-05/newbie/index.php
Second header in has a whack load of info on DSB's.

[hillegom]

Thanks zoaElite.
Very good information there.

[aquajeep]

i use a fluidized sand bed filter.same idea but in a tube that hangs on to the side of my refugium. i can tell it helps but not a whole lot.if it was bigger i bet it would be more beneficial.i doubt there is a huge difference between dsb and bare bottom tanks as long as you clean detritus regularly and turn the sand bed up (natural hurricane effect) once in a while.