Sand bed or Mechanical filtration?

[Pro Fish Keeper]

Im about to start a 90 g reef tank. I was debating using a Fuval 304, undergravel filter and power heads. I was told the sand bed,live rock powerheads were a better way off cleaning your tank. Eventuly I would use a protien and uv as well in combonation with live rock, sand bed and power heads. They said you would have a more natural look and better filtration. I like the sand better and I would have plenty of lighting. Two Actinics(VHO) 2-4 55w power compacts for a total of 310-420 w. Which is better sand or mechanical filtraion?

[Quinn]

it's all about the berlin method these days according to most, that is, protein skimmer, deep sand bed and live rock. i don't think you'll find anyone on this board that would recommend an undergravel filter, canister filter or wet/dry setup. my own setup (soon to be set up :biggrin: ) is a 150 gal with 50 gal sump/fuge, 5" DSB, berlin classic skimmer (a little underpowered, the first thing i'll be upgrading i think), and approx. 200 lbs of live rock.

if you're planning to keep hard corals or clams you'll want to reevaluate your lighting setup. my research suggests a minimum of VHO, better yet, metal halides. my tank is lit by dual 400w metal halides (one 10k, one 20k, odd i know), with 2 40w NO tubes over the fuge, running in reverse to the main tank, for pH regulation. caulerpa (macroalgae) in the fuge.

[Pro Fish Keeper]

I plan to keep some animonies, soft corals and some harder corals. Polups and mushrooms. A reef setup. How much lighting would i need for brain corals and the others i listed?

[Quinn]

i'm no authority, but i think most will agree, for anemones and stonies of any type, you should have metal halide. a 2' deep tank would be fine with dual 250w bulbs.

please remember that anemones are a tough animal to keep. they are the one reason i got into this hobby, and i now know i will not have one for a very long time. i am going to wait until i am far more comfortable with marine aquaria, and i think most would recommend you do the same :biggrin: in this hobby, i've found that patience makes perfect, and rushing will be your ruin (good grief that was cheesy, but you get the picture).

[BCOrchidGuy]

Depending on the Brain you intend to keep, flavides can be kept in reasonably low light, but some ofthe other brains need more light....

Answering your question to my previous post, Yes the PVC is on the glass bottom and supports the rock off the bottom. I don't have a Deep Sand Bed in my tank but I do in my refugium so the rock in my tank is about an inch to an inch and a half off the bottom. The aragonite does come up to the bottom of the rock in most cases but if anything does decide to burrow, they won't get crushed by the rock settling.

[DJ88]

it's all about the berlin method these days according to most, that is, protein skimmer, deep sand bed and live rock.

As an FYI. This is not the Berlin Method. As soon as you added the DSB you aren't running a Berlin Method tank.

[StirCrazy]

What is most commen on this board and probably many others is a combanation of the Berlin Method and Dr. Jauberts' Method. Only difference is that instead of using a deep sand bed with plenum as Dr. Jauberts' Method advocates we forget the plennum part and add the Berlin Method.

Here is a link on a few types of filteration
http://www.exotictropicals.com/encyclo/reef/information/reef.htm#filtration

Steve

[Bob I]

Most folks today would advocate the use of a DSB. Contrary to what you read by others, Metal Halide is not needed for the vast majority of corals. In most cases Power Compact will be just fine. This hobby need not be a sinkhole where you throw your money. You can have nice reef tanks without expensive toys like skimmers, and sumps. I run three skimmerless, sumpless reefs, and do just fine. :rolleyes:

[Quinn]

oops right. the berlin+ method :confused:

[Pro Fish Keeper]

Which store is the cheepest(if you live in abbotsford )?