Barebottom tank

[marble]

Hi all...

Thinking of gog barebottom for my new setup as thinking w/o sandbed then it wont trap so many dirt...

Hwever was concern abt e ways of LR placement w/o e sandbed as its seems beri difficult to stablise e whole placemt of e LR.Unlike with sandbed,e base of e LR can b place at diff angle to achieve e cave effect..N by placing it deep into e sand,it will b quite stable...

Any barebottom tank expert can advise???N any other prob beside tis???

tks

[kokhui]

Hi marble,

I am no ecpert but I had just gone BB too. For me, I guess it is the way I arrange the LRs, some "anchoring" pieces at the bottom and then slowly build them upwards. I also used epoxy to secure some strategic ones.

I was amazed at the amount of dirt trapped in the sand as I scooped them all out! Really looks likely that BB is lower maintenance to me but have to stick to more frequent regeme of water changes and siphoning out the "seen" dirt and wastes.

[w3ish3ng]

hi kokhui, rmb me? how do you cook the rocks? i am interested to go bb as well.

[kokhui]

Hi w3ish3ng,

Yes, I remember you. I did not really do the proper way of cooking. As I am going slow in the re-setting up, I kind of killed everything by soaking them in fresh water (in the process, killed all the worms and crabs), I know this is not the right way but no choice, no time and sufficient resources also. I will take my time to stock up also.

Do a search in RC if you are really interested in doing the right way of "cooking" the LRs. Kind of resource intensive though.

[Copperband]

Cooking of rocks involves alot of patience....... Must store rocks in seawater for a few months... give and take probably three months... and during the three months ....swish the rocks around, and you must do weekly water changes...... for me i just store the rocks in dark thats all.... never really change water... but before i put the rock in my tank i swish it sround on the pail first...

[marble]

Hi Bros

Tks for d comments. Btw, do all of u kip pratas in yr tanks? If yes, hw do all of u place it at d bb tank huh? Will it b steady w no sand bed 2 lay flat on?

[marble]

Another query. If I use coral chips rather than sand for bedding, is it easier to maintain?

[kokhui]

Another query. If I use coral chips rather than sand for bedding, is it easier to maintain? 

I was using grade 3 sand earlier on and what I had was that the sand actually turn dark quite easily, very unsightly. By using coral chips which is even coaser than grade 3 sand, I think it may be worse off, more stuff may even be trapped, i think.

I was quite skeptical about BB at first but after what happen to my previous setup coupled with what I saw trapped in the sandbed while removing it, I am happy with BB. Previously, I disturbed the sandbed while rearranging some LRs and this stressed all my fish big time and many of them died as a result! Most of them had been with since I started some time back.

BTW, I am only into FOWLR and thus not too sure of the placement for LPS corals. Will leave that for others to help you on that then.

[marble]

Tks a lot, Kokhui.

[kueytoc]

I'm a BB man...yeah Use very large & hopefully flat piece of LR for base. Don't add any coral chips if you're going BB cos' they will trap detritus & looked unsightly after a while.

Enjoy !

[hamannbmw]

try to position some pumps/tunze below yr rockscape, this is to prevent detritus settling on rocks and blow it to the front for easy maintenance. try to prevent flat rocks at base as it will trap lots of dirt under.

[marble]

so final conclusion is bb is easy to maintain as u can c e dirt n can take it out easily...ea means freq small amt of water change....hmmm..

Any cleaner crew tat eat shit one to add in to clear e shit???kekeke..

Anyway with sandbed,is sea cucumber a gd cleaner to clean e sand bed???

tks