Tank Subtrate:Which option is best?

[SunnyX]

Well I have been reading alot latly and have come to the conclusion that DSB are not all they are cracked up to be. Many people are now doing Starboard(Think white plastic boards) and Crushed Coral. After hearing how people are fighting algae problems with DSB I came to a startling revelation; my 29gl Crushed coral tank has never have an Algae outbreak.It also nver has problems with PH.My 120gl on the other have has had a few algae outbreaks, and now im fighting a nasty diatom bloom. Both tanks recive the same RO/DI water and additives. Both have pretty much the same bio-load. So since I plan on moving my tank to a new home I was contemplating whether to go the Crushed Coral route and ditch my DSB.

What do you guys think?

 

[Woodstock]

Thanks for the comparisons Sunny! I'm actually in the process of slowly removing my dsb from my main tank too. I'm also thinking a thin layer of crushed coral since I vacuum regularly.

 

[wooddood]

i think alot of people are looking at the starboard bottom i know i am.

 

[SaltyQueen]

I'm looking at the starboard bottom- it comes in different colors, so I'm thinking of going with black to replace my DSB of black tahitian moon sand.

 

[tommyp]

Starboard and sand? Starboard and no sand?

What do you do if you have clams with just starboard?

I am thinking of reducing my sandbed but what depth of sand will take a rock fall. Will one inch be okay. or should I go bare bottom/starboard?.

thanks

TP

 

[F355GTB]

I have a shallow sand bed in my 10 gal nano (maybe 1.5" deep) and crushed coral in my 20 Gal FOWLR. I also have an algae problem in my sand bottom tank, where as my CC has no algae (well not at plague proportions). I like them both, but I noticed that the CC is a haven for pods. I can't believe how many are in there. Time to get a mandarin I guess.

John