Bare-Bottom Vs Sand

[icedearth15324]

I've always had sand because of the more natural look. But I have always had issues with keeping my nutrients in control. I've been running a chaeto-reactor, and a BRS dual-reactor with carbon and GFO, and I have a skimmer. I'm not always the most habitual with waterchanges though. Generally my nitrates are always 50+, but phosphates are relatively low, no matter what I do. I've also verified that my water from my RODI unit comes out 0 for phosphates and nitrates.

Will going bare-bottom help me keep numbers in check a lot easier?

If it will, does anyone have any good suggestions on removing the sand?

 

[carpetreef75]

my next one will be bare bottom and if I pick up my dads 300 gallon tank when he moves NO sand will go back in
Bryan

 

[cment]

I can't run a tank without sand as Im a leopard wrasse lover and always have one. Not only do the need sand but the also need to eat a lot. Ive been using this DIY reactor below and couldn't be happier. Nitrates never go above 10 and phosphates are kept in check with chaeto...give this a try

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/poor-man-nutrients-control-donovans-nitrate-destroyer.302685/

 

[ninjamyst]

I removed half of the sand in my 75g to fight dino. Helped a ton. Now, i just keep a thin layer of sand to get that natural sand look and I stir it up every week. Plus I got a conch from a local reefer and some nassarius snails.

 

[Darienreefs7]

I’ve never been able to keep a sandbed clean and in place because it always blows around no matter what grain size I use. I love wrasses more than any other fish but I still can’t see myself using sand again in a reef tank.


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[ESH]

I've done both. Currently Im running bare bottom and i'm liking where its going. Cool to see the coraline and corals encrust on the tank bottom.

 

[icedearth15324]

Of those of you running bare-bottoms, do you have an easier time controlling nutrients? I like the idea of that reactor, but I don't really have room for it.

 

[pwfish]

Of those of you running bare-bottoms, do you have an easier time controlling nutrients? I like the idea of that reactor, but I don't really have room for it.

Everything depends on the amount of the live rock. I just removed sand bed from my tank to fight dinos as well. 100% improvement. My phosphates are around 0.08 and nitrates went down to 0. I have to dose nitrates manually now to keep it around 5-7ppm.

 

[icedearth15324]

Everything depends on the amount of the live rock. I just removed sand bed from my tank to fight dinos as well. 100% improvement. My phosphates are around 0.08 and nitrates went down to 0. I have to dose nitrates manually now to keep it around 5-7ppm.

I have a 60G cube, with I think around 50lbs of live rock. Plus I have like a dozen biospheres in my sump.

I think I'm just gonna slowly start vacuuming my sand bed during water changes, and not care if any of it gets sucked out.

 

[crazyfishlady]

I found it definitely helps with nutrients. With that being said I added sand again as I like the look and the life it brings.

 

[GugsJr]

I can't have a tank without a sand bed. I tried and didn't like the look. I also love wrasses and the ones I have need a sand bed so do a few inverts.

Just so you are aware it's almost impossible to get an accurate reading from RO/DI water with the tests we have. What you need to test is the TDS to make sure that the water is pure.

 

[tinman]

I can't have a tank without a sand bed. I tried and didn't like the look. I also love wrasses and the ones I have need a sand bed so do a few inverts.

Just so you are aware it's almost impossible to get an accurate reading from RO/DI water with the tests we have. What you need to test is the TDS to make sure that the water is pure.

Ditto

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[icedearth15324]

I can't have a tank without a sand bed. I tried and didn't like the look. I also love wrasses and the ones I have need a sand bed so do a few inverts.

Just so you are aware it's almost impossible to get an accurate reading from RO/DI water with the tests we have. What you need to test is the TDS to make sure that the water is pure.

On my RODI unit the TDS meter always shows 0 going out. If it ever goes above that, then I replace my stuff. Should I still check with a separate TDS meter?

 

[GugsJr]

I test with a handheld and the one on the unit. The handheld will give me a reading before my unit tds.

Also my unit TDs reads my water coming in at 118 but the water coming out after my carbon (before the RO membrane) at 145.

My TDS meter reads the water coming in at 240ish

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