need suggestions on changing sand bed

[martym]

After doing lots of reading, I want to remove my 1-2" of crushed coral and add a 4-6" oolite sand bed. Should I remove only a small protion at a time, or do it all at once? Should I remove everything from the tank or work around the live rock? That may be difficult because parts of the substrate have clumped together.

[Aquattro]

Just curious why you're adding a 6" DSB at time when many others are removing theirs.

[martym]

I got concerned when my subsrate started clumping. Did some reading and found that the smaller (sugar size) sand was better. Not as sharp. and easier for critters to thrive. I have no critters ( worms ect.) in my tank. The DSB helps the critters reproduce which in turns feeds the corals. It also helps with denitrication. I know there has been alot of disscusion about the DBS crashing, but the one of the articles I found on the net claimed that this is unlikely. http://www.rshimek.com/reef/sediment.htm
And after 9 months of struggling with the tank( algae, corals up and dying and problems with calcium( due to IO salt)) I figure this is the last thing for me to try. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by martym

I got concerned when my subsrate started clumping. Did some reading and found that the smaller (sugar size) sand was better. Not as sharp. and easier for critters to thrive. I have no critters ( worms ect.) in my tank. The DSB helps the critters reproduce which in turns feeds the corals. It also helps with denitrication. I know there has been alot of disscusion about the DBS crashing, but the one of the articles I found on the net claimed that this is unlikely. http://www.rshimek.com/reef/sediment.htm
And after 9 months of struggling with the tank( algae, corals up and dying and problems with calcium( due to IO salt)) I figure this is the last thing for me to try. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

if you read more recient areticles by Dr ron, he has sence changed his tune and says that it is inpossable for the home aquarest to obtain and sustain all the critters required for the long term sucess of a DSB.

inlight of all the people throwing away there DSB's and going to bare bottom I find it surprising to see some one saying they want to go to a DSB now. everone of thoes people had nutrent problems that were solved as soon as they got rid of there DSB.

I had problems cause by my DSB and went to a shallow sand bed. I am still getting problems with it now. the next steap is to try take the sand out with out moving the rock..

Steve

Steve

[pocilipora]

Id never do a DSB again. Try a 1 or maybe 2 inch bed, thats all you need. IMO

[martym]

Thanks for the advice. Should I still get ride of the crushed coral and go with 1" max of sugar sand then?
Stircrazy Do you have a link to the newer article?

[ron101]

Ditto what everyone else said. Last January I was getting ugly algae problems and no coral growth with my 3 yo 4-6" DSB. Swapped it out for 2" of crushed coral which gets a good vacuuming monthly; tank has never been better.

Of course hindsight is 20/20 but given my experience with a DSB I would say that they are a poor choice for nutrient control in the home aquarium. Adding detrivores actually adds to the bio load and it is next to impossible to tell if they are helping with nutrients (after all nothing is being removed from the system). Since one should be doing water changes anyways, manual removal of detritus via syphoning (coarser grain substrate or bare bottom) is IMO a much more sound approach.

[TNTCanada]

I was also going to switch my crushed coral for a shallow sand when I move at the end of the month. May be I shouldn't. I would like to hear more thoughts on this topic. This could save me a whole lot of hassle.

[EmilyB]

When I first got into the hobby, all I used was crushed coral and never had problems. Vacuumed the substrate, had zillions of critters, only to jump on the DSB wagon and four years later remove a horrid mess.

I went with a shallow sand bed on the new tank, but I'm almost regretting it.

[martym]

How deep are you now? I have 1-2"