Is DSB a time bomb?!

[yazid]

I came across a topic from Reefkeeper regarding DSB a potential time bomb (after 2 years). Although the findings is not conclusive but it is something to ponder.

My reaction is:

a. DSB should not be in the main tank.

b. DSB should reside in the refugium.

What's your reaction?

[spade]

According to Julian Sprung (the nori guy ) one of the reason DSB crash is the development of hydrogen sulfide in fine substract. IMO, aquarium with "enough" sand-shifting organism e.g. bristle star, sea-cucumber, some wrasse/goby/blenny should reduce the dev of H2S. Correct me if i'm wrong

Quoted from Advanced Aquarist

"This aquarium using a deep layer of fine sand without a plenum shows an example of hydrogen sulfide development, the dark spot against the glass. Development of H2S pockets are more common in finer substrates, but can occur in any deep sand or gravel layer. The plenum seems to reduce their occurrence, however."

more detailed of the article is in Jaubert's Method, the "Monaco System," Defined and Refined

[yazid]

That is really a fine sand. In the long run, does the fine sand gets pack and harden? Thus prevent any toxic gases from escaping.

I assume to prevent this, it seems advisable to use #1 sand rather than #0.

Sand shifting critters helps the upper layer of the sand. I think worms can help to stir the inner ones.

[yazid]

Looks like the plenum have better advantages to DSB.

[spade]

Looks like the plenum have better advantages to DSB.

yazid,

something bothering me abt the plenum system

p1. w/o proper sand-shifting critters the sand will still get packed and the sand bed will get clogged. this render the plenum as gd as a clogged UGF

p2. there is no mesh small enuf that can separate the plenum and a #1 sand if we use #3 (for example) in the lower layer and #1 at the upper layer. slowly slowly the #1 will sink down and fill up the plenum, again ended up as in p1

juz something to discuss over, hope noone is offended and eat me alive

[Achilles Tang]

From what I have researched... a DSB's pros far outweights any cons. The benefits from a DSB is better than a berlin style in terms of nitrate-reduction, micro-fauna increases etc.

For DSB vs plenums, they are very similar but a plenum is more problematic.

Whether it's a DSB or plenum-style DSB, both are not meant to be disturbed (beyond the first 1 inch depth).

The recent speculation by Dr Ron Shimek that heavy metals accumulated in DSBs and Liverock are responsible for 'old tank syndrome' still needs a lot of study... and many aquarists are laughing at his idea of throwing out their sandbeds and liverock after a few years as many of them have matured tanks and do not exhibit such traits.

So this 'time bomb' thing needs further study so we all shouldn't panic.

I am sure all the liverock and sandbeds in the ocean do not need 'discarding' in nature but are kept 'diluted' with the huge amount of water changes in the oceans!

Perhaps that is why regular water changes for our reef tanks are a good thing with good nutrient export via skimming etc.

[Tanzy]

My plenum bed is 4 years old and no problems with it. No hydrogen sulphide formed ever. Nitrates are kept at undetectable. The green netting keeps out #1 sand quite well, only some of the powder size stuff gets through. Building the plenum is a one of affair and after that you don't touch it, I won't say any more problematic, if you consider that it prevents H2S from forming. Small amount of H2S is not poisonous but when large amounts are released when the DSB is disturbed, it can be dangerous.

[hongqixian]

The recent speculation by Dr Ron Shimek that heavy metals accumulated in DSBs and Liverock are responsible for 'old tank syndrome' still needs a lot of study... and many aquarists are laughing at his idea of throwing out their sandbeds and liverock after a few years as many of them have matured tanks and do not exhibit such traits.

Others are laughing that his forum plugged DSBs and ignored people who posted that DSBs were time bombs. Now it's his tank that crashed.

[Achilles Tang]

The crashing is due to accumulated heavy metals in a reef tank.

If you have enough LR, it could also crash as the LR will absorb the heavy metals. If you have a DSB... that too could become saturated.

So what now?

Anyway... it only happened to one of his tanks... and he has yet to come up with scientific proof studied across many tanks.

So like I said... no need to panic. Or you can switch over to glass beads and plastic rocks.

[Tanzy]

The glass beads is serious stuff! Caribsea Aragonite from Sealife is $150 a pack. I think the equilvalent amount of glass beads is $2.50!

[hongqixian]

The crashing is due to accumulated heavy metals in a reef tank.

If you have enough LR, it could also crash as the LR will absorb the heavy metals. If you have a DSB... that too could become saturated.

So what now?

Anyway... it only happened to one of his tanks... and he has yet to come up with scientific proof studied across many tanks.

So like I said... no need to panic. Or you can switch over to glass beads and plastic rocks.

There's no chance of my tank crashing due to dsbs or heavy metals:

1. No dsb- 2ft tank

2. I run a tiny bit of cuprisorb 24/7

muahahaha

(dunno why I just feel a bit evil today)

[CKS]

DSB in 2ft tank