wasp

Doesn't answer my origional question though. Why am I seeing better corals in tanks with sand?

Rubbish. It is not my job that I have to teach the unwilling. if you cannot see what has already been written it can only be 1. prejudice, and 2. argumentativeness. Having been in more than a few of your arguments before, i know how they always become pointless, as this one has. Might be what turns you on, but not really for me.

I'll agree. There has been quite a bit said about sand beds, even some good articles. Layton says he "can't see it". Blinded by prejudice perhaps? I'll agree with Joe Blogg it is interesting, but only for people prepared to learn. I think it has reached the circuitous stage now some things are being repeated over and over.

Haven't we already established that?

Think Bacteria, critters. Bacteria, critters. Bacteria, critters........

Already and anticipated that response Layton. To repeat, here is the answer to your statement, which I gave before you even made it.

Not too simplistic at all. It's a fact. Also, if you want to boil this whole thing down, here's how I'd do it. let's look at 3 classes of tank. BB corals unfed, BB corals fed, and finally certain well run tanks I know with sand. There may be more, but the only BB unfed that I know of is yours Layton. Then I know several BB fed, and several well run with sand. The fact of the matter is I'm currently seeing the best coral growth colour and form, in the well run with sand tanks. There are also some good ones in the BB fed catagory. To boil it right down, proof's in the pudding.

Where do they live? The water column. Where do they get their nutrients? The water column. Now I know what you are going to say, that having a sand bed will eventually add nutrients to the water column. But that is not some new breakthrough Layton, we do know that that can sometimes, but not always, be the case. No argument there.

Layton you missed the point. Nobodies saying zooplankton are the only food. Perhaps that is where you are confused? HUGE focus on zooplankton? What HUGE focus on zooplankton? For me anyway, I'm simply refering to the many food types as bacteria, and critters.

It was temper & it was abusive. Didn't ask any question either, I drew your attention to the facts, which in this case, are the nutritional value of bacteria, and pointed out that a sandbed generates bacteria, not phytoplankton.

Oops! When cornered get abusive. Temper Temper!!

That's the kicker . A sandbed does not generate phytoplankton, that happens in the water column. A sandbed will generate the high nutrient bacterial detritus you refer to, plus critters.

Those hairy crabs get pretty bad press on RC for damaging acros, you had any problems? Once had this acro suddenly started looking bad, shone the torch on it one night & there was a hairy crab on it. Tried to catch it but he zapped into a hole he had tunnelled into the coral. No worries I thought, I'll block him in with aqua knead. Tried over a few days but he kept popping out other places. In the end I had to smash the coral to get him out, when it was smashed you could see he had the whole inside of it riddled with tunnels.

Far as I can make out they look direction adjustable. Is that correct?

Not totally sure yet but I'm thinking something higher than the tank, with an overflow into the tank. I'm also going to make an effort to actually feed the critters. Substrate, I'm thinking a DSB, with some coral rubble on top to provide good environement for them. I will be cleaning it out periodically to prevent buildup of nasties, but only one section at a time so it can get re-seeded from the other bit. I've still got higher nutrient levels in the tank than desireable so that's the first priority but they are slowly coming down, once that's achieved I'll feed whatever possible provided nutrient levels stay under target levels. Exactly right. The way I see it, what could be better for them than what they eat in nature.

Here is the best shot I could get of my one. When I first saw him he was small, maybe 3 inches spread out. Now he's maybe 9 inches spread out. Puttputt is right though some of them do catch fish, I used to have one of those! But not this one. He is rarely seen a harmless crap eater.

Yes, got to say Layton I still don't find it "weird" at all, even with your own particular "twist", or "spin", on it. You seem to be still hung up on the idea that critters are "worse" food than bacteria. While bacteria are excellent food, many critters are excellent also. You tried to say that "critters" would be worse because they have a shell content to them. You forgot that so do bacteria. When I set up my new tank a few months ago it went through a time of high nutrients, which resulted in a pod population explosion. The 6 line wrasse LOVED it, spent all day picking over the rocks for them, big fat belly on him. He certainly looked in peak health and was not complaining about the shell content of the pods. To be straight up, if you want to talk "weird", there are way better examples on this site than that .

When I asked you exactly what it is that was weird, you quoted a bit of the article, and something from Eric, neither of which seemed weird to me. I've seen some weird conclusions, but not in that article

Been getting enough sleep Layton? :lol:

Some thought processes. Too cold obviously! :lol:

No, which one was your quote from?

Yes we have! Now, next phase, to establish how good the bacteria are for the corals, and that bacteria live in sand beds.

Taken from a scientific paper no doubt What is the reference to it? In any case it again demonstrates the food value to corals of bacteria, something I have been trying to tell you the whole time. :roll:

Well that certainly is interesting. Pretty much PROOF that feeding on particulate matter can be of benefit to corals!

What would be the advantage to the coral?