Quote:
Originally posted by NaH2O
denitrification, a place for all the critters in the fuge, and in the main system - I may also be interested in bottom dwelling fish that feed off the fauna....but that is yet to be determined. I also like the aesthics of a DSB. |
Nikki:
Aesthetics aside since it is a very personal choice, you can get all the other things you mentioned without it too. I have a large (100g) refugium and I don't ahve a speck of sand in it. What I do ahve in it is about 100 lb of LR. I out my macroalgae on top of it and wedged in between and it has attached completely. Most of the beneficial pods and such that the fish will benefit from actually are not in the sand. They grow in the rocks Lots of the others that are beneficial. but do not feed fish actually live in the macroalgae because it is where most water comes by and they can catch debris and food.
As far as littel fish that borrow and eat off the sand, they don't require or even need a DSB for it. You can put a 1/2" layer of gravel in the bottom and that would actually be even better for them because what they mostly trap there is food and some minor pods and such that do not borrow deep in the same anyway.
Denitrification can be acchieved by your LR and by removing detritus before it rots. This is flow and good skimming, which will give your corals much more benefits than the DSB will in the long and short run.
Just thought you should know there are other choices to accomplish the same end goal.