Sand beds: What do you need and why.

[Doug]

Brad, I added between 1 or 2in. of sand to my 90g. Its a larger grain size also or at least larger than the really fine bed. Just regular Carib-Sea, likely 1 -2mm in size.

Now dont ask me why . It looks purdy for now. As you know, I really am a bare bottomed fanatic. I was going to run a plenum in this tank but a few things turned my thoughts this way.

I,m prepared to siphon and replace some on occasion if thats needed to maintain it plus I plan on adding a lots of narcissus snails and some fighter conchs when the bed is mature enough for them. Its been close to 10 yrs, since I have run any sand in one of my tanks, so I guess we will see how it goes.

I may add I have never had any cyno since not having any sand. One sign of it and out it comes. Cyno and sand seem to go hand in hand.

[o.c.d.]

I have ran a DSB for over 7 years, 6" to bare glass in some places(Due to clownfish). Over the years I have vac small areas but other than that I don't touch it. It produces food for my copperband and mandarin who both pilfer through it on a constant basis. I would attribute no problems from the large amount of flow that crosses over the DSB then is pushed up in the water column. My 2cents

[Doug]

Well now I remember one reason I dislike sand. My 6080 cleared one end, 4ft. away.

Yea, clowns are bad for fanning it clear, likely out of habit to lay eggs, even if they dont. When I set my 90 up again, I put their pipe/eggcrate home back for them again.

http://216.187.96.54/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=41750

Even though some of the pipe has sand on the bottom, they lay their eggs on the top, so hopefully thats ok.

Now I need to stop it from blowing around. I can point my 1200gph Hydor straight at the stream pump and its just overpowered.

[gbeef]

I had a 3" sand bed in my old tank.. i have algae problems because i wasnt getting all the deitris... my new tank is BB.. heres the difference with both. I personally think sand is for asthetics unless over 4".... Why go barebottom?

Heres the difference "TIME"
Its faster to do a water change and clean with a BB water change will probably take 5 mins to get all the deitris from the and tank floor if there is any.

With sand its a crap shoot of 20 mins or more depending on much is in the sand floor and also being careful not to distrub the sand.

Personally i dont think theres a benfit to any other than looks and maybe Bacteria growth.

[ElGuappo]

in my rsm i had a 3 inch sb and never had any issues of any kind. what i did have was people telling me my CUC was too big. however after about 6 monthes none of the CUC had died of starvation and people had begun to compliment the cleanlyness of my SB. my 33g RSM contained 6 turbo snails 12 marg snails 3 dovetail snails and 2 sandsifting stars. as well as about 15 hermits of varying size.

Now i did overfeeed on occasion just too be sure they were getting some food, but i almost never had any visable poo in my tank. also during water changes i almost never attempted to remove more than water.

As far as filtration goes i am unaware if this is enough sand, but i never had any spikes of any kind.

Just my 2 pennies.

Edit. i do however find my bb temp tank to need more maintanece then a tank with SB. between the turkey basting and water chages.