why?
adding a cup of sand 3 times a year? too much effort? A DSB setup with correct size return pump, and the 5 minute action of adding a cup 3 times a year is too mush effort?
How does that relate to maintenance on NP reactor?
My cheato ball gives me more work than the rest of my sump.
From late 90's until a year ago when NP reactors came around, DSB did work. Suddenly they just do not export nutrients anymore. What?
Yes agree, first question, what corals do you want to keep. Everything depends on that. Lights, powerheads, reactors, ....
As I said previously, what does a bag of play sand cost? R40 at garden centre. Just have to wash it properly. But that is in the setup. So I will continue to advice to ALL beginners to rather use a setup with a DSB. I cannot advise to any beginner to start in this hobby flat out with full blown SPS system. Unless he got a really thick wallet and no concious of what he is killing while "learning" how to keep corals alive. Any softy dominated system, and a DSB is more than enough to provide more than enough filtration.
Compare the cost and effort of a DSB maintenance to that of CO2 gas, multiple reactors, filling them, replacing media. And where do you have to spend more time? More effort?
Which system is simpler, so that even I can go on leave for a week, and not worry if my neighbour actually can remember what to do. All he have is to fill the RO tank. Check if auto feeders are full. That is it. No worries.
Which system for beginners with softies in mind will I keep on to advocate. Yea that is it - SIMPLICITY.