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View Full Version : BB or no BB that is thy question


Deftones2015
02/19/2009, 04:33 PM
I am having some problems with nutrients. I have a 75 gallon mostly sps tank wtih a 29 gallong fuge/sump underneath wtih an MSX 160 skimmer. I currently have a 1 inch sand bed but have been contemplating taking the plunge to BB for a while. A big reason is extra flow for the coral, and extra nutrient export.

What are your opinions, should I or should I let the tank run its course?

91yota
02/19/2009, 05:17 PM
ive got a similar setup... 75g, 30g sump, 6" diameter pvc diy skimmer with a meshmodded OR2500... i run mine BB and can never decide if i like it or not... being able to see detritus and siphon it out is both a blessing and a curse and i feel like my tank is less stable without sand than previous ones were that had sand... plus i like the look of sand personally... what kind of nutrient issues are you having? have you tried GFO, GAC, carbon dosing? what is your water change schedule and what is your stock list?

fwiw, i have a 3" female occelaris, a 4" yellow tang, 3" flame hawk, 3" 6line wrasse, 2" rabbit fish, neon goby, and 2 1" damsels... i run GAC and GFO as well as skimming wet and dosing VSV (8ml/day) but i am in the process of stripping accumulated nutrients from my tank...

i say ride it out and see if you can remedy your problem without removing the sand

stunreefer
02/19/2009, 07:39 PM
If I were you I'd keep the sand and start siphoning it during water changes... do 1/4 - 1/2 of the sandbed per water change. SSB won't denitrify like a DSB, so you should clean them (they don't "reach capacity" like a DSB either though ;) )

Tank will be more stable, and IMO looks better :thumbsup:

gotbags-10
02/19/2009, 08:48 PM
what if you took out the sand from the display and ran a DSB in your sump. Allows for the higher flow in the display but still keeps the benefit of a sand bed, just in a diff spot.