Bare bottom and Invertabrates.

[Todd]

I know that there are alot of threads about BB tanks, but I did a search and I couldn't easily find what I was looking for.

I am setting up a 75g with 33 gallon sump this week that I just picked up, and am thinking about going BB (hopefully transfer over my livestock before the weekend). I am thinking barebottom mainly because I spent all of my money on the tank and lighting, but also because I think that it will make maintenance easier, and although I like the look of a sandbed I don't like the look of a dirty sandbed. Additionally I have read that it is a bad idea to transfer the sand from an established tank to a new tank, as stirring it up that much releases alot of nasties - is this correct?

My question is this - how are my crabs and snails going to do without a sandbed? Also, by not having a sandbed, what livestock options am I eliminating (e.g. Brittle starfish, golbies, ect)?

[Beverly]

Snails, except nassarius, have no problem without sand. They actually have more surface to cruise on. I have no experience with hermit crabs. Little brittle stars live on the rock. I have a couple of spaghetti worms that live in the rock that are great detrivores. Don't have experience with gobies, though.

[Moogled]

Gobies do fine. I had a Yellow Watchman Goby that loved sitting out in the open, even if he died via powerhead 3 days later.

:(

[fishspun]

Ive found that the snails do well with a BB as Beverly mentioned, but for hermits, Ive found that stocking lighter is nice since they have nowhere to hide.

[Todd]

Thanks for the info, from the sounds of it going BB isnt going to limit my livestock choices at all - is that correct?

Besides appearences (according to some, I have seen some nice BB tanks), what are some of the cons of BB?

[Chin_Lee]

Thanks for the info, from the sounds of it going BB isnt going to limit my livestock choices at all - is that correct?

Besides appearences (according to some, I have seen some nice BB tanks), what are some of the cons of BB?

oh please don't go there :mrgreen: this tread will turn into a 50 page of the on-going debate. do a search on "pros cons bb" and you should get more than you can read in a day

[Aquattro]

Really no cons that I can think of, and lots of pros. If you can handle the appearance initially, you'll have a cleaner tank.
That being said, I have moved existing sandbeds without any problems in the past, so you could do that if you wanted. I kept lots of inverts in there with a bare bottom, no issues at all.

[Moogled]

Cons?

Less natural look.

Here it is in a nutshell:

1. Pros of a BB tank is that it's easier to maintain. Simple.

2. Cons of a BB tank is that you won't have access to the microfauna/organisms that come naturally when you have a sandbed (of a certain depth). BUT, since this is Calgary, even if you had a sandbed, how ARE you going to obtain organisms anyway? Alot of the organisms in question are obtainable in the States but extremely hard to get here.

It's a no-brainer that there will be someone who disagrees and wants to venture into minutia about the specifics of a sandbed without regards to what is obtainable here in Calgary (Canada, even) but I think I pretty much summed it up.

[Todd]

Thanks for the help. BB it is! Hope to get the tank in place and start filling it tonignt.