Deep Sand Bed
- Thread starter JHOV2324
- Start date
- Location
- Howell, NJ
craig u gotta be careful which HD sand u put in there.... most of em contain silicates which are bad for the aqaurium... u gotta make sure it 100% aragonite sand.... which i cant find at home depot...
Okay, I didn't mean that water should flow through the bed. Sorry if I didn't make that clear. Good overall circulation in the tank is what I was referring to. If the sand moves around a little, no big deal, it will settle. If you've got too much flow and you create a sand storm, you will have some unhappy corals. Something like the anthony calfo manifold is a great set up for DSB. Seio or tunzes up high pointing into eachother is another technique.
I do not use HD sand for replenishing. Aquarium sand is more than cheap enough to get 10 pounds a year for replenishment.
Again, I'm also not telling anyone that they should or shouldn't use DSB or BB. You will find enough members here who use one or the other and have amazing tanks. I'm just trying to put it out there that DSB require certain things to keep it going.
Just an example, there was a LFS trying to promote the plenum system. They advertised it as "easier than freshwater". In 2 years, the tank crashed and they have been badmouthing plenums and DSB's ever since. They fail to mention that in 2 years, the sand over the plenum went from 4 inches to 2 inches. The sand over the plenum could not have been over 1 1/2 inches at the time the tank crashed.
If you guys are looking for a great book which goes over the details of some amazing aquariums, pick up "Ultimate Marine Aquariums" by Mike Paletta. The book is a good read. A lot of details about the individual systems, equipment, husbandry and livestock. You can build a plan off of this book. It does sometimes get vague with equipment though.
What he starts off with is very interesting though. He talks about differences in systems. Everything from lighting to waterflow, to substrate. The thing that was most common was the overwhelming difference in each system. I think his objective here was to say, "do what works for you".
I do not use HD sand for replenishing. Aquarium sand is more than cheap enough to get 10 pounds a year for replenishment.
Again, I'm also not telling anyone that they should or shouldn't use DSB or BB. You will find enough members here who use one or the other and have amazing tanks. I'm just trying to put it out there that DSB require certain things to keep it going.
Just an example, there was a LFS trying to promote the plenum system. They advertised it as "easier than freshwater". In 2 years, the tank crashed and they have been badmouthing plenums and DSB's ever since. They fail to mention that in 2 years, the sand over the plenum went from 4 inches to 2 inches. The sand over the plenum could not have been over 1 1/2 inches at the time the tank crashed.
If you guys are looking for a great book which goes over the details of some amazing aquariums, pick up "Ultimate Marine Aquariums" by Mike Paletta. The book is a good read. A lot of details about the individual systems, equipment, husbandry and livestock. You can build a plan off of this book. It does sometimes get vague with equipment though.
What he starts off with is very interesting though. He talks about differences in systems. Everything from lighting to waterflow, to substrate. The thing that was most common was the overwhelming difference in each system. I think his objective here was to say, "do what works for you".
Chris,
Sorry if I worded my question wrong. If I'm setting a up a 30x20x4 remote dsb, should I have the water from the main tank drain into the dsb and then in to the skimmer chamber? Should this be setup completely separate from the sump system?
On my old 150 I ran a dsb of 5" never had a problem, I went BB on the 92 just for the aesthetic look.
Sorry if I worded my question wrong. If I'm setting a up a 30x20x4 remote dsb, should I have the water from the main tank drain into the dsb and then in to the skimmer chamber? Should this be setup completely separate from the sump system?
On my old 150 I ran a dsb of 5" never had a problem, I went BB on the 92 just for the aesthetic look.
Timber, I think I get your question here... I would tee off my return pump, or maybe use a small powerhead from the sump to pump water to the DSB area and let that water fall back to your sump. That isn't to say what you're thinking won't work. This will just give you more options to control flow and I think you may have some salt creep issues draining directly to the remote bed. You may already have a plan to address that though.
Timber,
Putting it together is fine. The DSB essentially becomes a refugium itself. I would assume that you would need to keep some snails in there to prevent all the undesirable algea that can show up on the top of the sand. There are certain types of bugs which will eventually grow and help handle that though.
Funny how most people won't go BB because they don't like the look yet you went BB for asthetics. I take it you didn't like the look of the sand piled up against the glass with all the bubbles and red and greens that grow down there? I'm the same way, when I built my tank, I added a large piece of molding around the top of the stand which covers my sand bed. I think that would be a little more difficult for you with a corner tank.
I saw your post on building a sump. If you've got acrylic experience, go acrylic. Easier to work with. Either way, good luck.
Putting it together is fine. The DSB essentially becomes a refugium itself. I would assume that you would need to keep some snails in there to prevent all the undesirable algea that can show up on the top of the sand. There are certain types of bugs which will eventually grow and help handle that though.
Funny how most people won't go BB because they don't like the look yet you went BB for asthetics. I take it you didn't like the look of the sand piled up against the glass with all the bubbles and red and greens that grow down there? I'm the same way, when I built my tank, I added a large piece of molding around the top of the stand which covers my sand bed. I think that would be a little more difficult for you with a corner tank.
I saw your post on building a sump. If you've got acrylic experience, go acrylic. Easier to work with. Either way, good luck.
- Location
- Philippines
...i gotta connect mY remote dSb soon. since mY tank is cycLing, am assuming that it is best to connect it sooner ratHer than later, right?
:Thinking:
:Thinking:
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