Looking for tanks running Deep Sand Beds

[camnbron]

Is anybody on the forum currently running a Deep Sand Bed? or alternately,

Has anybody on the forum previously run a deep sand bed?

I know alot of people run Bare bottom tanks (myself included), but, I think it would be interesting to hear about alternatives from people who have actually run them?

If you could share your experience that would be great

Edit: to ensure we are all talking about the same thing a deep sand bed (DSB) is a sandbed of 10cm (4 inches)or more in the bottom of the tank.

with a better description here http://www.masa.asn.au/masawiki/index.php?title=DSB

[wilson]

my sand bed is about a inch not very deep tho

[camnbron]

my sand bed is about a inch not very deep tho

Hi Wilson,

I believe that is called a SSB (Shallow sand bed) which are usually 1-2inches.

[Fmxmatt]

I wish I had gone DSB when I setup, but unfortunatly mines 1.5 - 2 inches

[Sharkey]

Yep i did for about a year it was about 10 inchs deep it slowly desolved because I didint have a Ca reactor at the time I hate to think what would have happend to my corals if i didnt have a DSB at that time,As i was dosing Im currently BB but out of all the tanks Ive had the best has been the DSB in regards to sandbeds. I'm trying zeovit at the moment and serouisly thinking of what to do in the sand bed department Im not happy with BB which Ive had running for about a year or two. I see they also say to run a sand bed SSB with Zeo so I'll look at doing that but i have crazy flow so it would have to be at least 4mm or i'll end up with it all over the place. I feel like BB would work for me if i designed the tank around that which i didnt I think they all work BB DSB SSB but IMO DSB has been the best it lowers your nirates and helps maintain a stable systeem. Just my two cents

[shaneo]

I have no sand (BB) and running zeovit. My plan is to run a 2inch deep sand bed in the sump, coz I use a low flow return I can pull it off I want to treat the display tank as the crest of the reef (high flow, no sand, sps etc) and the sump/fuge as the lower deep reef (sand bottom, lower flow etc)

[wasp]

Had a DSB, and plenum DSB, plus tried a plenum waste DSB.

Read a lot of Ron Shimek stuff, plus other DSB stuff, when I was a newbie and decided DSB would be the way to go, although I always had this nagging doubt about what would actually happen to heavy metals and phosphate. However the literature of the day confidently stated that DSB is the way to go provided you have the right critters.

Anyway turned out they are awesome for nitrate reduction, plus they did work quite well for general nutrient reduction at first. But in time they all got clogged with waste & the tank started to suffer. This was probably speeded up by the fact I had crap skimmers back then, and I still believe a properly run DSB can work. But they didn't work long term for me.

I also think the idea that you just install a DSB, then you are set without any maintenance, is a fallacy. To run a DSB successfully for several years will require good tank keeping skills and a reasonable understanding of the processes involved.

[wilson]

I have alot of stuff living in my sand I like the little worms thatake sand piles lol