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BB or SB
- Thread starter RobSzar
- Start date
the sand under my rock work stays fairly clean its just in the front 5" that get a bit dirty. thinking of removing it in the front area except I have eggcrate under it could be a problem cutting that out. could use it to place frags but I dont think that would look to good in display tank
Reetank=headaches 
many types of headaches in reefing
DSB=one type
BB=anohter type
pick the type of headache you like to manage
don't like headaches at all?
get rid of your tank and vist other people's tanks when you want to see a reef! ;D
In ohther words, both systems can work, your choice is based on which method you are comfortable supporting.
many types of headaches in reefing
DSB=one type
BB=anohter type
pick the type of headache you like to manage
don't like headaches at all?
get rid of your tank and vist other people's tanks when you want to see a reef! ;D
In ohther words, both systems can work, your choice is based on which method you are comfortable supporting.
I am also debating this issue now.
My tank is plagued with hair and bubble algae. Now, also developing slime algae.
I think the slime algae is really a fungus of some kind. Which I successfully combated by
keeping the tank in total darkness for 4 days... but now it's coming back.
The hair algae and bubble algae was weakened but did not recede. In fact they started growing
with a vengeance when I resumed normal lighting. I have reduced feeding. Reduced photo period.
Increased maint crew (new snails do not seem to live very long). I started manually plucking the
algae out but this really seems like a loosing battle. I am also considering a Tuxedo urchin to
help with the hair algae.
I also have about 2 inches of sand in my fuge. No hair or bubble algae their but the developing some
diatoms. I have a few pieces of rock and Cheto in the fuge. The Cheto does not look as green as when
I got it and not really growing that fast.
I truly believe the algae is getting nutrients from the SB. The SB is about 1 to 1 1/2 inch, so I dont
think this qualifies as a DSB (usually at least 4 to 5 inches I believe). I think it's like a sponge for nasty stuff.
I think for my SB to be effective, I may need to have a true DSB to allow arobic and anarobic properties to
develop to a helpful level but it's hard enough to avoid sand storms with the 1 1/2 inch SB I have now.
I figure a BB should help reduce the bad nutrients the algae and fungus are feeding off and give me a better
chance to beat them back.
The tank has been up for about 5 years now. Algae problem started in the past year. The sand in the main tank
has never been changed.
My tank is plagued with hair and bubble algae. Now, also developing slime algae.
I think the slime algae is really a fungus of some kind. Which I successfully combated by
keeping the tank in total darkness for 4 days... but now it's coming back.
The hair algae and bubble algae was weakened but did not recede. In fact they started growing
with a vengeance when I resumed normal lighting. I have reduced feeding. Reduced photo period.
Increased maint crew (new snails do not seem to live very long). I started manually plucking the
algae out but this really seems like a loosing battle. I am also considering a Tuxedo urchin to
help with the hair algae.
I also have about 2 inches of sand in my fuge. No hair or bubble algae their but the developing some
diatoms. I have a few pieces of rock and Cheto in the fuge. The Cheto does not look as green as when
I got it and not really growing that fast.
I truly believe the algae is getting nutrients from the SB. The SB is about 1 to 1 1/2 inch, so I dont
think this qualifies as a DSB (usually at least 4 to 5 inches I believe). I think it's like a sponge for nasty stuff.
I think for my SB to be effective, I may need to have a true DSB to allow arobic and anarobic properties to
develop to a helpful level but it's hard enough to avoid sand storms with the 1 1/2 inch SB I have now.
I figure a BB should help reduce the bad nutrients the algae and fungus are feeding off and give me a better
chance to beat them back.
The tank has been up for about 5 years now. Algae problem started in the past year. The sand in the main tank
has never been changed.
Check for dead spots, add more water flow. I was having the same problem in my tank I had 2x maxijets 1200 running and could not figure out how to get rid of it, then I switch to 2x Koralia 4 and it was gone in a week. Since then I haven't had any type of algae growing in my sand or rocks.
A wise man once said "show me a bare bottom ocean and I'll do a bare bottom tank" I personally like a 2-3" sand bed, both sand and bare bottoms have pro's and con's. I say the tank is in your house so do what you like best. It's not that hard keeping the sand bed clean if you have the right critters to do the job for you.
i also keep eggcrate under my sand bed to help distribute the weight but more imporantly to protect the glass.. i think a bb is pretty cool but my thing is what if a rock tumbles and crack boom splash there goes the whole system (you just never know.) for me, id rather stick to sand with eggcrate underneath for a cushion
i like my sand bed, but hate all the above stated issues that come with it.... when i upgrade my tank, i plan on going b.b. i saw roadkings, and it looked so sharp and clean, and by putting dsb in the sump, the system will get all the benefits, and i can isolate it for cleaning it, or changing it... i'll have to find a home for my sand sifter stars, but i'll get over it.....
Everyone that has/is having problems with sand beds should state what sand they used/using. Home depot, caribsea or other,
I'm very curious to see. Awhile back people where blaming tank crashes on the sand beds but never said what sand they used (around the time southdown, yardright and castle was available) not too long ago company's started adding chemicals to play sand to fight off bacteria and fungus because kids were getting very ill in sand boxes. I'd like to see if the majority used play sand. There is a reason why it states on the bags not for aquarium use.
I personally only trust sand that is meant for aquariums, it's not worth trying to save a few bucks if it's going to cause problems in the long run.
I'm very curious to see. Awhile back people where blaming tank crashes on the sand beds but never said what sand they used (around the time southdown, yardright and castle was available) not too long ago company's started adding chemicals to play sand to fight off bacteria and fungus because kids were getting very ill in sand boxes. I'd like to see if the majority used play sand. There is a reason why it states on the bags not for aquarium use.
I personally only trust sand that is meant for aquariums, it's not worth trying to save a few bucks if it's going to cause problems in the long run.
Mott I agree with you ... but the idea of spending 125 bucks on sand ...sand...is just wrong. I bit the bullet and did it but every cheap gene in my body was complaining VERY loudly. I did a mix of live and non live Caribsea very fine sand. I never really had problems in my nano once I got my water chemistry down right.
i would only buy packaged "aquarium" sand.... with the hundreds spent on lights, rocks, skimmers, tanks, stands, chillers, fish, and corals, why skimp on the foundation..... maybe if i had a 1000 gallon tank and the sand would cost thousands more. but with the time and effort we put into our hobby, no sense cutting that particular corner
In smaller tanks, 90 gallons, its hard to keep enough flow going to keep the sand from browning without so much flow you have a dust storm (even with lots of cleanup crew).
I am seeing more and more tanks using the black sand, and I think I ilke the look, plus it solves a bunch of cosmetic issues that annoy me.
I am seeing more and more tanks using the black sand, and I think I ilke the look, plus it solves a bunch of cosmetic issues that annoy me.
I think one point that should be made is that a display "DSB" is not just a "set it and forget it" kind of situation. Even a SB that is less than 2 inches is not maintenance free.
In Knopp's book on giant clams, he states that hobbyists occasionally stirring the sand (no different than if a storm were to pass thru a reef) will cause nutrients etc to be released and finding that corals (and clams) respond very well to this kind of maintenance. Clean the sand and feed your corals!
But if you haven't touched/cleaned the sand in 4 years...yikes...the algae you are seeing is likely because of all the nutrients leaking out from your SB. Also I'd get rid of the sand in the fug. It's not a DSB - so what's the purpose?
In Knopp's book on giant clams, he states that hobbyists occasionally stirring the sand (no different than if a storm were to pass thru a reef) will cause nutrients etc to be released and finding that corals (and clams) respond very well to this kind of maintenance. Clean the sand and feed your corals!
But if you haven't touched/cleaned the sand in 4 years...yikes...the algae you are seeing is likely because of all the nutrients leaking out from your SB. Also I'd get rid of the sand in the fug. It's not a DSB - so what's the purpose?
I really do like the look of the sand - when its relatively clean - but it seems I'm loosing that ability.
I think most of my sand snails (Nassarius snd Ceriths) have died or will die shortly. I can relocate the live
ones to the fug. I am concerned about my LPS and soft corals though. Can hammer, frogspawn and open brain coral survive with in a BB tank?
I think most of my sand snails (Nassarius snd Ceriths) have died or will die shortly. I can relocate the live
ones to the fug. I am concerned about my LPS and soft corals though. Can hammer, frogspawn and open brain coral survive with in a BB tank?
I did the sandbed a while ago on a 20 standard, keeping mostly LPS on NA bulbs (and when halides were over $600)- I liked the way the sand looked with the LPS I kept, with the lone anemone for my one clown. I never had an algae problem, as water changes came often since it was only a single 5 gallon bucket of water at most every 2 weeks-
Then came the upgrade to a 45 gallon, and the Sandbed became a SSB, and even then, water changes weren't THAT bad, only about 2 buckets or so every 3 to 4 weeks, the tank looked beautiful! Not a lot of hair algae or detritus build up, life was still good, still mostly LPS and softies.
Then came another upgrade to a 125 where all the former rocks, corals and sand went in. I also bought my first halide fixture. Then the water changes became a little harder, and now the Algae started making their presence known. I tried to lower the photoperiod, but that didn't work, so I tried to up the water changes, but at 125 gallons and a limited budget, that wasn't easy. Then I started reading about the "berlin" method and decided to give it a try.
I've since upgraded/downgraded my tanks numerous times while staying Berlin and BB, and the control of nuisance algae while BB has been easier for me since it's a little more forgiving when it comes to detritus (with the upgraded water movement as well). Unless a major imbalance affects a BB tank, I believe algae takes root a lot harder. (although I recently did a battle with hair algae (yes, while BB) because of a bad batch of salts and a major snail die off).
One change in my stocking has gone from a softies/LPS to a mixed to a now SPS only tank
BUT,
To each his own, and what works for them.
Then came the upgrade to a 45 gallon, and the Sandbed became a SSB, and even then, water changes weren't THAT bad, only about 2 buckets or so every 3 to 4 weeks, the tank looked beautiful! Not a lot of hair algae or detritus build up, life was still good, still mostly LPS and softies.
Then came another upgrade to a 125 where all the former rocks, corals and sand went in. I also bought my first halide fixture. Then the water changes became a little harder, and now the Algae started making their presence known. I tried to lower the photoperiod, but that didn't work, so I tried to up the water changes, but at 125 gallons and a limited budget, that wasn't easy. Then I started reading about the "berlin" method and decided to give it a try.
I've since upgraded/downgraded my tanks numerous times while staying Berlin and BB, and the control of nuisance algae while BB has been easier for me since it's a little more forgiving when it comes to detritus (with the upgraded water movement as well). Unless a major imbalance affects a BB tank, I believe algae takes root a lot harder. (although I recently did a battle with hair algae (yes, while BB) because of a bad batch of salts and a major snail die off).
One change in my stocking has gone from a softies/LPS to a mixed to a now SPS only tank
BUT,
To each his own, and what works for them.
To tell you the truth its personal taste.I took the sand out of my tank to BB and it is so much easier to maintain.I get less algae breakouts.I put a RDSB that I can change out when it get exhausted and yet don't have sand blowing around my tank.I do like the look of sand as it also can house many good sand sifting critters .But it can also harbor some bad stuff to.So overall I have had both yet BB is much easier to keep clean and you can increase your flow alot more pushing crap into you overflow into the skimmer and out.