Barebottom tank or sandbed?

Hi guys - just to add my 2 cents worth - And I hope that I will not be shot for this. I definitely agree with the barebottom idea, of having MAJOR flow inside the tank, where this is not really practical with a DSB in-tank. BUT, IF you do not have a big enough sump, or big enough refugium/DSB to really be effective, then it's a waste of effort to incorporate a DSB outside of the tank, in any case.

A DSB works very well, IF it's size is maximized. IF you have maximum square foot/metres worth of DSB surface area, then it is worth having a DSB.....

A DSB works at it's best if it has a big enough surface area for the water to flow across - then the amount of water it "filters" is "enough" to sustain filtration in this way.... Having a tiny DSB in your sump just because someone says it assists filtration, is not really worth it..... If you indeed want to go BB, and have a remote DSB, ensure that the DSB is big enough to really be effective in it's filtration....

Otherwise, just go and spend a HUGE amount on the biggest skimmer ever... Then you don't need a DSB at all!
 
Otherwise, just go and spend a HUGE amount on the biggest skimmer ever... Then you don't need a DSB at all!
can a skimmer sort out nitrates?
 
can a skimmer sort out nitrates?

As long as there is good flow in the tank to keep all the crap in the water column, then the skimmer will pull all the muck out.
Nitrates only accumulate if you have poor liverock, poor flow or by overfeeding.

DSB's will only be beneficial if you have a large enough area of sand comapered to your tank, and a flow across it slow enough for the crap to fall out of the water column and into the DSB, if you "overskim" this can negate the need to actually have a DSB.
 
Thanks, Wee-Man.... As I said before - there are many people (especially in Europe) who do not believe in using skimmers at all - BUT, they have HUGE DSB's (sometimes even bigger than their display tanks)....
 
after taking a look at phats tank yesterday which is BB and the tank is a month or two old,i was really impressed with the way the coralline was covering the base.
 
Eish I am thinking of getting rid of the sand in my tank and going BB. Actually thinking of getting rid of the tank as well :(
 
Eish I am thinking of getting rid of the sand in my tank and going BB. Actually thinking of getting rid of the tank as well :(

Hey dont say things like that:(
 
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