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What's up with your bottom? C'mon were talking tank bottoms here - you know substrate... (1 Viewer)

What type of bottom do you have in your tank?

  • Bare Bottom

    Votes: 7 26.9%
  • White Sand Bottom

    Votes: 11 42.3%
  • Black Sand Bottom

    Votes: 3 11.5%
  • Crushed Coral

    Votes: 7 26.9%
  • Other

    Votes: 2 7.7%

  • Total voters
    26
  • Poll closed .

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steveb

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Let's discuss what type of substrate do you have in your tank(s) and why. If you use sand what color and mm size?
 
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guylaga

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I used ocean direct original grade - Grain size: 0.25-6.5mm (per BRS).

Why? Because I like the look of sand and believe that the benefits outweigh the down sides.

It would be great to get some higher flow through the tank, but manage about 40x-50x turn over with two Gyres and do not have sand blowing all over the place.
 

BigRick

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Well for this build I thought I'd use caribsea hawaiian black and after reading all the reviews... i ran a tune magnet overr it and it picked up quite a bit.... ughhhh..
 
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steveb

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Well for this build I thought I'd use caribsea hawaiian black and after reading all the reviews... i ran a tune magnet overr it and it picked up quite a bit.... ughhhh..

That is what I was considering for a future build. Have any links you can post? I definitely don't want to use something that will cause long term health issues for fish and corals.
 

BigRick

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That is what I was considering for a future build. Have any links you can post? I definitely don't want to use something that will cause long term health issues for fish and corals.
 

RobertP

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Did the thicker "sand" in my tank because my last one blew the sand around but I do not like it. It is NOT sand, more like small gravel or crushed coral. The good news is that coral has no problem growing on it...I have a chalice that has plans to take over. Also have a bunch of Cody's green elkhorn that broke off and it growing down there...well really all over the tank. I am starting to think elkhorn is similar to xenia and palys...cool when you are first starting your tank but then you can't get rid of it! :)
Next tank will be white sand....just looks more natural to me.
 

frankc

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I have red sand in my reef tank - that is, I have a bit of a cyano problem. I don't know the exact size, but it is white sand, fine enough that I have to be careful about the amount of flow. I chose the finer sand mostly to provide a good home for the leopard wrasse.

In the 150 I have a little coarser sand, looks to be around 2-4mm, with a bit of other sizes mixed in. I chose this because off and on I have kept jawfish and they like the bigger and more varied sand.

The day someone convinces me that bare bottom is the only way to have a successful tank will be the day I quit the hobby - I just don't care for it except for a QT or frag tank.
 
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sneezebeetle

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I use Tropic Eden reef flakes in my shallow mixed reef tank. It is heavy enough to not get blown around but still wrasse friendly. In my Nano tank Im currently bare bottom and I am NOT a fan, too difficult to clean so Im planning to add reef flakes to that set up as well. In my other smaller shallow reef tank I am currently BB, but am going to add some MM (miracle mud) with the intention of running a macro algae /mangrove set up for a Mandarin pair and a pipe fish. I use MM in my fuge as well and really like it!
 
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steveb

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I use Tropic Eden reef flakes in my shallow mixed reef tank. It is heavy enough to not get blown around but still wrasse friendly. In my Nano tank Im currently bare bottom and I am NOT a fan, too difficult to clean so Im planning to add reef flakes to that set up as well. In my other smaller shallow reef tank I am currently BB, but am going to add some MM (miracle mud) with the intention of running a macro algae /mangrove set up for a Mandarin pair and a pipe fish. I use MM in my fuge as well and really like it!

How does the MM do with flow?
 
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steveb

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Black sand... it hides algae to a degree.

Sure the magnetic aspect sucks, but I can deal with that.
Have you had any issues with metals (iron/copper/tin/vanadium)? Or coral/other invert decline?

which brand black sand are you using?
 

Tenny

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Have you had any issues with metals (iron/copper/tin/vanadium)? Or coral/other invert decline?

which brand black sand are you using?
The Caribsea brand.

I haven't tested for any of those things, but overall corals (Softies, LPS, SPS) all seem to be doing fine. SPS has actually been doing really well recently. I have very small CUC, but they all seem to be living just fine. I know I have a handful of hermits, a few snails, and at least one peppermint, maybe more.

Tank has only been setup for about a year though. I've been using this stuff in all my tanks for the past 10 years, and never had issues with inverts dying off.
 

Tangs

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I have lots of live rock covering my bottom. When I do my partial water changes I vacuum the bottom and move the live rock around. I consider this to be bare bottom. Other.... to me is marbles or store bought decorative gravel.
 

TX_Punisher

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Meso flakes in current tank with 4 mp40 and two gyres. 1-3” worth. the on.y place it moves is the front bottom where the Red Sea return flow bounces off the front glass and blows the sand away in a small area.

next tank will be bb with big gyres, mp40 and mp60 with a remote deep sand bed fuge for stability Or maybe panta rhei’s. (84” x 42” x 27” in size) tired of hand scraping the bottom 2” of my glass ;)
 
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