BB or not?

[Adrienne]

What is peoples preferences as to whether they have a sand bottom to their tank or not. My tank will only be 250 litres so there is no way I am going a 10cm deep sand bed. That leaves with with a smallish sand bed or bare bottom. What do you prefer and why?

[Sophia]

A BB is cold in winter...

[calculator]

I find bare bottom to look un natural, so always but enough sand to cover the bottom in the tank just so that it looks better.

[Adrienne]

Won't it look disgusting while the tank is in its initial 'cycling' period, as in covered in algae?

[livingart]

BB to start, you can add a bit of sand later. Good flow is hard to achieve with sand, floor will soon get covered in coraline and no detritus trap.

[Morcs]

Won't it look disgusting while the tank is in its initial 'cycling' period, as in covered in algae?

Yes but like with everything else that gets covered will subside ones it runs its course.

I run just enough to cover the bottom unless flow blows it around too much but slightly bigger grain should help. Can always be removed easily if only 1cm deep

[#!CrunchBang]

You might want to consider what fish you are going to get. Some will sift through the substrate.

[Godly3vil]

Some of fhe nicest reef tanks I've seen are bb, If you're going to focus on some of the harder corals like sps I think bb suits the look.

[kinnadian]

I like the look of a shallow sand bed, and it allows detritus to be collected and easily vacuumed up, and adds to surface area for bacteria.

The brown algae on the sand will go away with time.

If you have really high flow rates it can forever pick up sand and throw it around your tank.

[si_sphinx]

Run the tank for 2-3 months initially without sand and then when you are happy with how your tank has matured and algae has subsided, add a few cm of sand to your liking.

It will save a lot of cleaning time during your cycle.

Otherwise it is hard to look at all the sand covered in algae.

[Adrienne]

thanks everyone for your help

[alexyay]

As someone with 0 marine knowledge, I prefer the look of marine tanks with sand substrate. Although I imagine that as with most kinds of tanks BB is easier to maintain.

[marinefish4life]

Tanks by far look more natural with bb, but we have found since having barebottom, that it is much easier to clean the deterious and crap that gets stuck on the bottom and breaks down. When you have a sand bed you dont see that stuff.

[reptilez]

Tanks by far look more natural with bb,

I disagree. I think that they look nicer with sand on the bottom.

[marinefish4life]

I disagree. I think that they look nicer with sand on the bottom.

Whoops, meant sand :oops: agree with you matt