DSB Dynamics- To use or loose?

[Skimmerking]

you arent going to get the same effect with the water going up through the sand. you need to have no oxygen in the bottom for anarobic to work you are just going to have the sand all over the place.

[christyf5]

I've been DSB free for a few years now and never looked back. I still get envious of those with nice white sandbeds but all mine ever did was collect detritus and create a nutrient sink for algae growth.

[Zoaelite]

Originally Posted by asmodeus

you arent going to get the same effect with the water going up through the sand. you need to have no oxygen in the bottom for anarobic to work you are just going to have the sand all over the place.

Well the sand does fly all over the place but a decrease in anaerobic bacteria would yield an increase in aerobic bacteria (Atleast this is my approach at it). Does anyone have any studies cited on the efficiency of anaerobic compaired to aerobic in respects to nutrient export? I would think that the presense of oxygen would increase efficency (Atleast in Eukaryotes this is true) but could be the opposit for prokaryotes.

I've been DSB free for a few years now and never looked back. I still get envious of those with nice white sandbeds but all mine ever did was collect detritus and create a nutrient sink for algae growth.

Christy have you ever tried a remote DSB? My main tank only has about 1-2 inches of sand but I reap all the rewards of a DSB by having them out of the display.

[christyf5]

Originally Posted by zoaElite

Christy have you ever tried a remote DSB? My main tank only has about 1-2 inches of sand but I reap all the rewards of a DSB by having them out of the display.

To be honest, I've never really known the "benefits" of a sandbed. Once I started experiencing success without it, I never really found the need for a remote DSB.

[tlo]

I like my dsb. I have it in my display tank and I have no problem with nitrates. I like the look and it doesnt limit me on my livestock. ie - some wrasses and such that burrow into the sandbed at night.

I do get some algae on the sandbed but it is kept under control with a sanddollar and cucmber.

For those of you who are BB, do you have to vaccumm the detrius off the bottom and how often?

[RuGlu6]

DSB does work, the problem is that it will crash the tank eventually sooner or later.
BB is way safer especially when you have large amounts of live rock.


Though in smaller tanks (less then 100 gal) it makes sense to have a shallow sand bed an inch or so it will accumulate detritus , however it will also make tank more stable.

[Zoaelite]

Originally Posted by RuGlu6

DSB does work, the problem is that it will crash the tank eventually sooner or later.
BB is way safer especially when you have large amounts of live rock.


Though in smaller tanks (less then 100 gal) it makes sense to have a shallow sand bed an inch or so it will accumulate detritus , however it will also make tank more stable.

This is an age old question that we could discuss until we are blue in the face, but to say that ALL DSB will Crash ALL tanks at one time needs some revamping. I have a feeling that people who have a crash at the 2-3 year mark with no apparent cause automatically blame it on "Old tank syndrome" and there deep sand bed because as humans we need to classify our failure. Anyone have any reading on how a DSB works over time, I would enjoy some brief info on this.

[hillegom]

Question of whether a DSB is good has me curious as well

[Powertec]

I have a remote DSB for years with no problems, I even just drained the water to a minimum and then moved the tank containing it to my new house and had no problems starting a new tank. It kept my nitrates still at zero the whole time. IMO you just need to keep the sand bed clean, I have the water going over filter floss first and I also use snails to keep it stirred. Do whatever works for you. I worried about it causing a tank crash until i read on RC a TOTM with a DSB for over ten years.