went BB

[glxtrix]

so I finally went BB after a long haul on trying to get the tanks and pumps to work right, guess my planning in the beginning was not as well thought out as I thought, lol. But the final outcome was well worth all the p.i.t.a Ended up going with the 15g long instead of the 18g quazi cube. Also has a SCWD and an AC500 with surface skimmer which also houses the heater and pump for my skimmer.

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[glxtrix]

afternoon shot, first one was taken about 1/2 hour after the lights turned on.

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[broreefr]

glxtrix wrote: But the final outcome was well worth all the p.i.t.a

Still not that Knowledgeable about systems without substrate - what do you see as the advantages - I continue to read about caretakers of these tanks fighting with high nitrate levels.

 

[glxtrix]

it all runs hand in hand really, lots of flow, and wet wet skimming, those are the two main keys here. Sadly enough tho, you dont even need much like that, I mean look at some of the fish stores out there, lots of tanks are BB and dont have ample conditions to keep them that way but they work. I guess for me I just see sand as a trap and I'ld rather have all the crud out asap. This is all trial and error with me on the BB tho, I've done just about all the reading I can, including that 12 million page one that RC has. I just think it looks nice and clean.

 

[broreefr]

thanx for the reply - please keep us up to date

 

[tsciarini]

ohhh... I cant see the tank with the light reflecting off those bright white pvc 45s!!! LOL

 

[tsciarini]

...looks good Lee

 

[gwen_o_lyn]

Very nice. I also like the clean look.. I just joined the BBB (bare bottom BABY!!) club myself as of yesterday!! Had to move the tank so I took the rest of the sand out. I'm very happy!

What kinda lights u got?

 

[glxtrix]

yesss, glad to hear we have you aboard gwen As far as my lights go, I have a Helios fixture with 1x150W 10K Ushio HQI and 2x 24W antitic pc's. Runnin quite a bit of light, but thats how I like it Yeah Tony I tried to use the tank that I got from you, but thats just best as a pure frag tank, or someone who has the money to set up the flow with larger pumps. And you leave my pvc 45's alone! lol. They will look sweet once covered in coraline Post some pics of your tank gwen!

 

[mojo]

You know, you could dye those blindingly white 45degree elbows in Rit dye to make them black... I've done it plenty of times.

Looks great otherwise!

 

[jmaneyapanda]

I love the idea of bare bottoms, and have seen some that are really beautiful, but with most, I just cant grow to like the look of the glass bottom. It almost always seems so...artificial. Like the plumbing we see, and so forth. The ones I have seen and liked have been totally covered by coral growth.

I have grown used to, and even rather enjoy tending to my substrate bottom. I guess I am in that rare crazy/delusional state, huh? It just one of those things I understand I'll have to tend to in order to have the look I want.

Just my impression.

 

[mojo]

jmaneyapanda wrote: I guess I am in that rare crazy/delusional state, huh? It just one of those things I understand I'll have to tend to in order to have the look I want.

Nope - there are plenty of us out there that like the substrate look. I agree it looks a bit artificial. I've come to accept that my shallow sandbed isn't the absolute best for my tank, and must be replaced periodically, but it's the best for me.

 

[george]

Chris, I too can't really get myself into the BB thing. How often do you change out your sand and is it a complete change or just a replacement of vacuumed material?

 

[glxtrix]

to each is own, but I too do like the sand look, its just natural to see sand in a fish tank, espically one being saltwater. I guess I'm just done with the phase of playing with sand. As to dying the pvc, it crossed my mind several times but it came down to I needed to get the tank swapped and didnt have time to get and dye the pvc, although it still can be done.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Lee- I hope I didn't infer I thought your tank looked bad- far from it. I think it looks great. It's just one of those things. For example, I dont like tanks that are packed from top to bottom with rock. I also think beautiful tanks sometimes have spots which look less than perfect to me. For example, I cant stand when I see pictures in books or magazine of tanks with corals crammed together in every square millimeters of available space, with no room for growth, especially when the corals are still relatively small.

Besides, I still like to play in sand (and mud, and snow, etc etc etc).

 

[mojo]

George wrote: Chris, I too can't really get myself into the BB thing. How often do you change out your sand and is it a complete change or just a replacement of vacuumed material?

Whenever it starts to look less than perfect- like when it starts to clump, become off-white, or just not look great. I don't have any set schedule. I also don't bother changing the sand under my rocks; yes, I know it's a potential place for nitrate buildup, but I'm not risking my tank by potentially unsettling rocks...

 

[kappaknight]

I dunno... BB seems like a fad. With so many critters and some fish that depend on the substrate for protection, I don't know how one could have a reef w/o any sand.

 

[pillz]

I dont think its a fad as much as a different way to do things. Just like liverock over Bioballs and so forth. I dont think BB should even be looked into unless you A have a large fuge and or a really good skimmer, since really thats all BB is about. I like the look a lot. I dont care much for just glass bottomed but I really like the look of starboard. I also think it would be cool to do a seamat bottom with GSP and zoas as a substrate.

 

[glxtrix]

yeah I actually have gsp and some white looking stuff that resembles gsp on the bottom and in time that will take over the bottom. jmaneyapanda you didnt offend me, ha I'm the last person on this forum that would get offended by what others say. BB is just another way to keep a tank, and it can be as complex or as simple as you want it to be, for instance I'm keeping close eye over this tank at work, mainly cuz I'm at work a lot, but the one I have at my house is a BB anemone tank and I dont keep close eye over that tank at all, and honestly its prolly my cleanest SW tank I have! Like I said earlier to each is own with tank keeping, as long as it works for you and you enjoy it, thats all the hobby is about

 

[scottyb]

looks great man. i'm also not a major BB fan but i can definitely appreciate it. hope it keeps working out for you.