RnB Posted January 25, 2005 Report Share Posted January 25, 2005 I have noticed a growing trend on RC for people to convert from DSB to barebottom tanks with very high flow and wet skimming.... Some stay with a fine sand layer for appearance, others just flick it and run "starboard" on the bottom of the tank for appearance and also to stop rockslides breacking the bottom glass. some of these tanks have massive circulation numbers! and they all recommed skimming wet, to remove stuff before it breaks down. none of these tanks seem to have very high fish loads and many do not have that much rock as a % of volume. Many of the tanks looked great with DSB's so it does not seem to be a flippant decision by the tank owners. thoughts? has anyone else noticed the increasing trend.......... most Japanese tanks seem to be BB as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted January 25, 2005 Report Share Posted January 25, 2005 The original Berlin method (LR + Skimmer & no biological filters) is sand bed less. Personally I think bare bottomed tanks look ugly. From reading stuff by Eric Bourneman it goes in cycles. There are poeple out there who just won't leave their tank alone. Sand one week, bare bottomed the next, different skimmer every 6 months, supliments, no supliments, UV, no UV, ozone, no ozone etc etc etc. Lots of people with acrylic tanks don't use sand beds and the look of a bare bottomed tank is better than one of a heavly scratched tank. I read a lot, and I havn't noticed any trends, some do have BB, most don't. Havn't seen a mass exodis of people dumping their sand beds in the places I visit. Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted January 25, 2005 Report Share Posted January 25, 2005 irrelevant to filtration techniques, i agree with pies, BB is UGLY. IMO, one of the largest reasons of owning a reef tank is aesthetics - to make your tank look as close to that in a natural environment as possible - i've never seen the ocean floor made of glass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RnB Posted January 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 I agree that in NZ I haven't seen BB except frag/breeding tanks etc, certainly not the main display tank in the house. And I also agree that some people just don't let their tank mature in any configuration...... And having an acrylic tank, yes, no sand would be helpfull...... Personally i like the tanks where zoo's and polys etc just grow all over the bottom/glass walls etc..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 i've never seen the ocean floor made of glass Just to be the king of contriversy (sp?) it should be noted that 99% of the reef parts that I have dived dont have sand. Just rocks for as far as the eye can see. So sand free may be more 'realistic' than with sand, if you get what I mean? Still sand looks good, rock doesn't. What would look good is if you had a really deep tank so could have DRB (Deep Rock Bed) so the floor of the tank was all reef rock, with sand at the bottom of that where you couldn't see it. Then the fish could swim through the bottom of the tank and corals could grow in the substrate. UBER. Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 Barebottom is a good methodology, really came about as a response to research done on sand beds, and nutrient cycles they go through. Since my tank move, the display has been sand less, and it's amazing the amount of detritus and crap which accumulates on the bottom. The only reason for no sand is really because I haven't got around to putting it in. I don't really like the look of barebottom tanks either. Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 how are you going to put it in with out reaking havok in your tank iduncan??? cause im planning on adding some sand to my tank but i dont want a sand storm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 The sand isn't that fine. Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 Just to be the king of contriversy (sp?) it should be noted that 99% of the reef parts that I have dived dont have sand quite easy brian - just carefully tip it in and it sinks to the bottom and it's lduncan as in layton duncan, not iayton duncan - just for the record :lol: :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 stink, i can can never tell with computer i's and l's sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 Ii Ll Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 On the logride at rainbows end on the weekend, was flashed a bare bottom by someone wearing a tank top. Looked pretty good to me. :lol: :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 cheers for that chimera anyway, im going to add a bit of sand so that my fungia is a bit more at home, i think it will make my tank look bigger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 and it's lduncan as in layton duncan, not iayton duncan - just for the record :lol: :lol: :lol: Yeah, I don't bother correcting people any more, everyone does it. Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 anyway, im going to add a bit of sand so that my fungia is a bit more at home I know the E.Bourneman book says these corals live in sandy bottoms but I often wounder if thats typo. I have seen thousands (maybee 10s of thousands) of fungia corals in several different countries and everytime they are on the rocky reef, not once have I seen them on the sand, never. Just laying about sitting on the rocky rocks of the reef. fyi. Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 anyway, im going to add a bit of sand so that my fungia is a bit more at home, i think it will make my tank look bigger or you could always buy a bigger tank... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 unfortunatly not suphew and raeh1 have both seen the tank and my small apartment, not much room at the moment but with the baby on the way there is even less room (i could have used the babies room for a big tank ) oh well. ill pu tup some before/after pics with sand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 Agreed, very limited space, but how about putting in a sump and also using it as a baby bath, paddling pool....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 need a heck of a skimmer though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RnB Posted January 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 unlike fish, baby sh*T floats... just need one of those little nets like they have at public swimming pools! apart from babys bare bottom, this has got so far off topic...... :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 just need one of those little nets like they have at public swimming pools! I highly reccomend anyone who swims at a pool that provides poo nets should stop doing so, now. Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted January 26, 2005 Report Share Posted January 26, 2005 :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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