jacobB89 April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 (edited) I cant make up my mind so want some help and more or less you help me decide with a vote. star board/bare bottom or sand CaribSea Arag-Alive special grade for a 180 gallon tank mixed reef Edited April 14, 2014 by jacobB89 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 I say bare your bottom and turn up the flow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 I say 1/4 inch of sand. You get some piles and some bare spots. Plus it's thin enough the critters keep it poop free. Shouldn't have a nitrate or water quality issue in a 180 unless you have a skimpy skimmer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr.x-ray April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 BB. I hate my crushed coral now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobB89 April 14, 2014 Author Share April 14, 2014 I say bare your bottom and turn up the flow. That's a bonus I know lol I say 1/4 inch of sand. You get some piles and some bare spots. Plus it's thin enough the critters keep it poop free. Shouldn't have a nitrate or water quality issue in a 180 unless you have a skimpy skimmer.Good option I have a cs3 skimmer with swabbie.BB. I hate my crushed coral now. Main reason you hate it? Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squishie89 April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 Sand. More natural look, gives you more fish options not to mention you can place frags/corals in it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sachabballi reef April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 i voted for sand...I love the way tanks look so natural with it in there...plus I like inhabitants that need it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 I love sand....because I love wrasses! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sachabballi reef April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 I love sand....because I love wrasses! EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and zombie snails lol... its too early for me to remember the real name... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 Just enough sand to get by, IMO, my sandbed is an inch or less, still works for aesthetics, and sand bed creatures. It's a personal choice though, go with what you like! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave w April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 Part of the decision depends on how lazy you are. I can only offer that observation because I'm an extremely lazy person. For the first year the sandbed is a real benefit, after that it tends to become a pit of fish poop that is difficult to clean. Combine the cleaning difficulty with the fact that the "newness" of the reef has worn off and you have a tank that is both hard to clean and easy to ignore. Because I understand my lazy side, I vote for bare bottom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JR-Tanked150 April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 Sand, but I have gobys and a wrasse. We enjoy watching the pistol shimp and goby move the sand around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobB89 April 14, 2014 Author Share April 14, 2014 OK so for sand wise what kind are most using the special grade or something finer Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PotomacBoater April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 I use Arig-Alive fuji pink sand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobB89 April 14, 2014 Author Share April 14, 2014 I use Arig-Alive fuji pink sand I have that my 29 gallon tank it just seems like a blew around the lot Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sachabballi reef April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 i used to use the fine sand but I like flow too much so when I moved and reset the tank up again I used the larger grain live sand. It blew around for a little bit but then when the bacteria came around it settled down and I am much happier with it. I have 4 huge tunzes in that 180 and not sand storms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s2nhle April 14, 2014 Share April 14, 2014 I have a sand bed now and will have BB when I upgrade my tank (in may). With sand, my goby keep moving the sand all over place. I have to keep blow the sand off my corals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Mc April 15, 2014 Share April 15, 2014 (edited) I voted sand but I do not include crushed coral in that vote. I used special grade. Edited April 15, 2014 by Jim Mc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldReefer April 15, 2014 Share April 15, 2014 If you go with sand, you really have to treat it as an organism. I originally went with a shallow sand bed and over-sized my filtration knowing it would eventually add nutrients. It was a good plan for about 2 years and then it turned into a solid rock. When I shut down the tank to do a re-build I was barely able to break it up into pieces small enough to remove from the tank. When I re-built I went with Starboard and built a little sandbox that I hid behind the rocks for the wrasses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkey18 April 15, 2014 Share April 15, 2014 We are so helpful. The vote is 50 / 50. That tells you something too. Neither method is overwhelmingly better than the other. I think that means it comes down to personal choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sachabballi reef April 15, 2014 Share April 15, 2014 If you go with sand, you really have to treat it as an organism. I originally went with a shallow sand bed and over-sized my filtration knowing it would eventually add nutrients. It was a good plan for about 2 years and then it turned into a solid rock. When I shut down the tank to do a re-build I was barely able to break it up into pieces small enough to remove from the tank. When I re-built I went with Starboard and built a little sandbox that I hid behind the rocks for the wrasses. that is absolutely true...you need to keep either moved around by inhabitants or if you are pretty shallow a quick stir around every so often.... but aesthetically its so pleasing to the eye.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Mc April 16, 2014 Share April 16, 2014 I'm with Jenn on just liking the way a sand bed looks in the tank. I also keep plenty of critters in the tank to keep it stirred up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobB89 April 23, 2014 Author Share April 23, 2014 I'm leaning to sand for the look and I really want a jaw fish as well. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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