I'm trying to move up to a 180. In the past, I've always had sand bottoms in my tanks but lately, it seems I've seen many more tanks with bare bottoms. I'm interested in hearing pro vs cons and the reasoning between both.
Bare bottom vs not?
- Thread starter porpoiseaquatics
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I have never seen a bare bottom ocean. With that said...I have seen successful bare bottom tanks but they do not look natural to me. Just my opinion.
From my personal experience with a BB 465 so far:
plus:
-you can flow the heck out of the tank without worrying about sand getting moved around. More of a concern in an SPS system. I have internal peak flow of 40,000+ GPH in my tank.
-better organics control. Sandbeds are dirty, even with a good CUC/sand stirrers.
-with enough flow, the bottom of your reef always looks clean.
-you can always add substrate at a later date if you don;t like it as a BB tank. Much easier trying BB when you first set up the system than pulling substrate from an existing reef. Been there, done that. Not fun.
minus:
-doesn't look natural, but that is pretty much a given you know before getting into it. I've never heard any BB reef keepers all of a sudden post "man, this thing just doesn't look natural."
plus:
-you can flow the heck out of the tank without worrying about sand getting moved around. More of a concern in an SPS system. I have internal peak flow of 40,000+ GPH in my tank.
-better organics control. Sandbeds are dirty, even with a good CUC/sand stirrers.
-with enough flow, the bottom of your reef always looks clean.
-you can always add substrate at a later date if you don;t like it as a BB tank. Much easier trying BB when you first set up the system than pulling substrate from an existing reef. Been there, done that. Not fun.
minus:
-doesn't look natural, but that is pretty much a given you know before getting into it. I've never heard any BB reef keepers all of a sudden post "man, this thing just doesn't look natural."
Thanks all....keep it coming. I like the feedback.
I ran BB tanks for several years. I currently have sand, and while I do appreciate the look of the sand, I can't help but hate it. I miss my BB tank, and I may go back soon. Fortunately I don't have fish that really "require" it.....I do have a 6 line, but they don't sleep in sand, and a mandarin...I can add pods for food. Did I mention I miss it?? lol.
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I have seen some people put a kind a material down cant remember what it is, but it gives the look of sand.
Wasn't sure of a material that looks like sand...but I know people use "starboard" basically food grade cutting board for BB tanks. I know they use to put sand on that and epoxy over it so you had the sand look, but the benefits of a BB tank.
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I ran a bare bottom in my FOWLR.... unfortunately the light in there was not good for growing coralline so it stayed ugly, but It sure was easy to keep clean. If anything was sitting on the bottom just scoop it out or point a power head down there and it comes right up.
Sand bottoms look great right from the start, if anything degrade if you don't keep the sand sparkling and clean.
Bare bottoms can take some time to get them covered with coralline and other good stuff, but in the long run can really look very nice. Some of the most stunning tanks I've seen have been bare bottoms.
Obviously these are aesthetic thoughts.
Sand bottoms look great right from the start, if anything degrade if you don't keep the sand sparkling and clean.
Bare bottoms can take some time to get them covered with coralline and other good stuff, but in the long run can really look very nice. Some of the most stunning tanks I've seen have been bare bottoms.
Obviously these are aesthetic thoughts.
The ONLY BB I've seen that I liked is Dave's (Acroholic).
BB can limit your choices in fish & inhabitants as Ralph mentions as well.
I've always had substrate, and have always been DEEP (like 4-6"), but in my current build I went for about 1.5" and that is perfect for me.
BB can limit your choices in fish & inhabitants as Ralph mentions as well.
I've always had substrate, and have always been DEEP (like 4-6"), but in my current build I went for about 1.5" and that is perfect for me.
Besides I would have thought you saw lots of bare bottoms in the islands over the past couple of weeks.
So let's alter this discussion slightly....let's assume a sand bottom....then what is really the determining factor of how much sand? If there are benefits to being BB but also benefits to SB...then why not just go with let's say 1/2" sand base? This gives the asthetics but also provides a benefit for the fish. Doesn't sand also provide some buffering capacity or does it not because there is no actual flow through the sand?
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