OPINIONS WANTED!!!

[Werbo]

Go bare bottom to start. One less variable with a new tank and makes reefing way easier. Hell it is like cheating it is so easy. If you can't stand the aesthetics you can slowly add sand over a couple months. You'll find the tank brightens up with nice white sand and looks more natural

[DKoKoMan]

White sand definitely makes it more natural and a nice backdrop for the corals to pop.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

We tried one tank BB but after a few months, my wife & I decided we hated the look and add a thin layer of sand. Soooooo much better aesthetically.

Anthony

[adam84]

I have tried both and prefer the look of white sand, I added a diamond goby who is constantly churning up the sand keeping it perfectly clean. The only draw back to this is I now have to change out filter socks every few days but it's a small price to pay. If you do go this route be sure your live rock is resting on the bottom glass and stable, these guys move a ton of sand every day.

[titus]

Hello

Sand definitely. Natural looking, and easier to do rock work too.

Titus

[604reefer]

I vote for sand! Love the way it looks.

[Animal-Chin]

Gotta go with sand. Barebottom was cool until I started getting the algae that grows on glass and then had to clean the bare bottom to keep it looking nice. Kind of a pain. I ended up adding sand after a few months. Was only a small tank though so no big deal, I'm assuming you're setting up something big so adding sand later would be a mess...

[Belgian Anthias]

I prefer coral sand because a nitrifying biofilm growing on a base containing calcium carbonate does not influence alkalinity.