DSB design in my fuge

[jonboyb]

Setting up my 12 gallon stand-alone fuge and trying to decide on what substrate to use. Don't want a DSB in the display so I'm going to put one in the fuge for some minimal denitrification help. Have several questions.

1) I'm guessing just plain old oolite or sugar sand will suffice?

2) On another note, since I have a significant footprint (long, skinny tank) I've been considering putting in an acrylic divider on the bottom and running a dual bed, like 2/3 DSB and 1/3 refugium mud. Worth a try or waste of $$$? Seems refugium mud is a love-hate thing and no one ever seems to be in the middle

3) Can I just seed my DSB using a cup of my crushed coral/reef sand or should I find someone to provide me some fine sand to seed it with?

 

[jennm]

I'm not a "mud" fan. Waste of money, IMO.

Of course, I'm not a dsb fan either I'm more of a rubble fan.

Jenn

 

[jonboyb]

Hence why I'm only "playing" with the 12 gallon fuge. Push comes to shove I can remove it from the system and break it down if issues develop. I've never run a DSB and don't want my first attempt to be on a 93 gallon tank I never plan to vacumn or do significant maintenance to the fuge, so it seems like a DSB would be spot on.

 

[serpent]

Answers in bold, couldn't figure out different text color.

jonboyb;397851 wrote: Setting up my 12 gallon stand-alone fuge and trying to decide on what substrate to use. Don't want a DSB in the display so I'm going to put one in the fuge for some minimal denitrification help. Have several questions.

1) I'm guessing just plain old oolite or sugar sand will suffice? <span style="color: black">Will you be putting any sea grass into the sand bed or just regular macro algae?</span>

2) On another note, since I have a significant footprint (long, skinny tank) I've been considering putting in an acrylic divider on the bottom and running a dual bed, like 2/3 DSB and 1/3 refugium mud. Worth a try or waste of $$$? Seems refugium mud is a love-hate thing and no one ever seems to be in the middle Don't know about this. Still researching the benefits for sea grass/planted tank though.

3) Can I just seed my DSB using a cup of my crushed coral/reef sand or should I find someone to provide me some fine sand to seed it with? Do both, the more you can seed the better diversity it will have.

 

[jonboyb]

No sea grass....just 3 or 4 macros

 

[serpent]

Since it will be low flow and no sea grass, then either one is fine. Don't recommend the mud either.