DSB (Deep Sand Bed) in refugium - Who has one

[whatcaneyedo]

For at least two years I had a 20gal fuge about half full of a mixture of various grades of sand and mineral mud. Over the sand I grew Caulerpa with a 10K coralife PC bulb/fixture. Then I switched to a DSB in a 5 gal bucket for a few months. Then for a year I just used a shallow Rubbermaid tub with a 5" sandbed inside my stock trough sump. A little over a year ago I removed that because I wanted the space for other things and because under the first 1" everything was black.

The whole time I used a DSB I never had a detectable reading of Nitrate on Salifert or Elos kits. Ever since I removed the last version I still have not had a detectable reading. In my opinion it never did anything for my tank except create H2S gas. Perhaps I did something wrong or perhaps I didn't let it age enough. In all honesty I don't care. I get by quite well without one so I'll never go back.

I do however run a skimmer rated for twice my system volume and I've got about 1 pound per gallon of liverock as well.