RTElite12 June 13, 2015 Share June 13, 2015 I bet this topic pops up a lot, but I was thinking about doing my next tank as a bare bottom tank as it seems easier to maintain and keep clean. I was just wondering what the pros and the cons are and also what I could potentially stock in the tank as it is a 29 biocube and a lot of smaller fish need the sand like gobies and such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octoman June 13, 2015 Share June 13, 2015 I have done bare bottom in the past and decided to go back to sand because for me, keeping it clean was more work. It depends on how you want the bottom to look. It's much easier to clean detritus on the bottom, just suck it out, but on the other hand, there is nothing at all to hide it so it shows very quickly. If you go BB, are you going to let coralline grow on the bottom? If not, it is like having a whole other window to keep clean (that you can't use a magnet on). But if you don't mind sucking out detritus a couple times a week and don't want the build-up of organics in the sand, go for it. As you mentioned, it rules out sand dwelling animals when you are already limited by tank size. I do love my goby/pistol pair... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime June 13, 2015 Share June 13, 2015 Bare bottom 4 lyfe. I love sand, just not the hassle of it. Plus, I keep moving in mind. Breaking down a bb tank=easy. Breaking down a tank with sand=messy. To each their own though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTElite12 June 13, 2015 Author Share June 13, 2015 That's why I am thinking BB. I just cleaned out the tank with sand and it was a pain in the butt, but I can see both sides of the argument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime June 13, 2015 Share June 13, 2015 That's why I am thinking BB. I just cleaned out the tank with sand and it was a pain in the butt, but I can see both sides of the argument. This horse has been kicked so many times, but in the end, it comes down to personal preference. I love wrasse, especially the sand dwelling ones. I also don't want to keep a screen top on my rimless, so I forgo having wrasse. My entire tank was built with the mindset of having to move it. I am not planning a beautiful display tank until I know I will be somewhere for at least 10 years, and who knows when that will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave w June 14, 2015 Share June 14, 2015 I agree there are good points to both sand and BB, the deciding factor for me is how long your tank is going to be set up. If you plan on your tank staying put for a long time, sandy tanks tend to accumulate detritus until it causes you a meltdown. We all get lazy and neglect our tanks and sandy bottoms handle more waste load in the short run but get toxic when neglected for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTElite12 June 14, 2015 Author Share June 14, 2015 So, I think I am going to be doing a BB. What should I stock it with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTElite12 June 15, 2015 Author Share June 15, 2015 And what coral should I plan to avoid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keraxis June 26, 2015 Share June 26, 2015 Bare bottom 4 lyfe. I love sand, just not the hassle of it. Plus, I keep moving in mind. Breaking down a bb tank=easy. Breaking down a tank with sand=messy. To each their own though. Issac = nomadic reefer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now