Any thoughts on Bare Bottom (Berlin) tanks? - Page 2

boozeman · 06-08-2006, 01:48 PM

maybe you can experiment with a ''faux'' sandbed. Three methods currently used are:
pouring colored epoxy on bottom( I would be cautious of the heat generated causing a crack)
using a plastic cutting board and gluing sand on top of it before laying on bottom
using a water proof pond foam to cover the bottom (this also is being used on back and sides of tank as a backdrop)

eventually coralline algae covers over all three methods giving a pleasing effect
(warning: I have never tried any of these...heck i don"t even have a tank yet

)

Charlie97L · 06-09-2006, 01:27 PM

i think that for some reason, DSBs have become synonymous with "no maintenance needed"... i don't know how that happened, but it's not true. you need to change your sand, just like you need to change your water.

DSBs left untouched for years can definitely be a cause of OTS... but there's an easy way around that... every 2 years, just replace your dsb... keep a few cups and whatever larger critters you can sift out to reseed the new sand bed... but in the grand scheme of things, it's not that hard to do, and i think... plus... every 2 years is a great time for a tank overhaul, and we all know we can't leave stuff alone that long anyway.

my new nano i'm setting up is going to have a 20G display with a thin layer of sand, and a DSB in the refugium... then you have the best of both worlds.

cheeks69 · 06-09-2006, 04:31 PM

Quote:

every 2 years, just replace your dsb... keep a few cups and whatever larger critters you can sift out to reseed the new sand bed... but in the grand scheme of things, it's not that hard to do, and i think... plus... every 2 years is a great time for a tank overhaul, and we all know we can't leave stuff alone that long anyway.

This is my philosophy although I'll wait about 4 years or when I start to see some problems before I do anything. Most of my current SB is about 2 years although I did save some from my old tank. For those with much larger tanks that is just not an option, in that case I would suggest go BB.

meandean45 · 06-16-2006, 05:08 PM

Thanks for the input everyone! It looks like the consensus is that I need to start thinking about changing the DSB. I appreciate the help!
Dean

06-08-2006, 10:55 AM	#16 (permalink)
corallimorph Has been struck by the ban stick Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 226 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Any thoughts on Bare Bottom (Berlin) tanks?

06-08-2006, 01:48 PM	#17 (permalink)
boozeman The CodFather ~ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: new york Posts: 8,800 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Any thoughts on Bare Bottom (Berlin) tanks? maybe you can experiment with a ''faux'' sandbed. Three methods currently used are: pouring colored epoxy on bottom( I would be cautious of the heat generated causing a crack) using a plastic cutting board and gluing sand on top of it before laying on bottom using a water proof pond foam to cover the bottom (this also is being used on back and sides of tank as a backdrop) eventually coralline algae covers over all three methods giving a pleasing effect (warning: I have never tried any of these...heck i don"t even have a tank yet )

06-09-2006, 01:27 PM	#18 (permalink)
Charlie97L Reef Lobster Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: North Bethesda, MD Posts: 1,288 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Any thoughts on Bare Bottom (Berlin) tanks? i think that for some reason, DSBs have become synonymous with "no maintenance needed"... i don't know how that happened, but it's not true. you need to change your sand, just like you need to change your water. DSBs left untouched for years can definitely be a cause of OTS... but there's an easy way around that... every 2 years, just replace your dsb... keep a few cups and whatever larger critters you can sift out to reseed the new sand bed... but in the grand scheme of things, it's not that hard to do, and i think... plus... every 2 years is a great time for a tank overhaul, and we all know we can't leave stuff alone that long anyway. my new nano i'm setting up is going to have a 20G display with a thin layer of sand, and a DSB in the refugium... then you have the best of both worlds. __________________ 40 Breeder, 20H Frag Aquactinics T5s, CPR Fuge, Deltec AP600, AC Jr, WavySea

06-16-2006, 05:08 PM	#20 (permalink)
meandean45 Ricordea Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bradford, Vt., USA Posts: 177 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Any thoughts on Bare Bottom (Berlin) tanks? Thanks for the input everyone! It looks like the consensus is that I need to start thinking about changing the DSB. I appreciate the help! Dean __________________ Meandean45 -RELATIVITY: "Sit on a red hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit next to a pretty Girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. That's Relativity". A.Einstein : "A man's got to know his limitations."- Clint Eastwood in "Magnum Force"

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