Going Bare Bottom.. Help please..

[Ducati 911]

Hello RC!

My new 20G has been running for only a month now and I figured if Im going to make the decision to go BB, nows the time.

My tanks fully cycled with no fish just a very small CUC, I only have about 15LBS of LR and I have 30LBS LS. With such a small tank I think cleaning it and doing water changes would be a lot easier if I went BB. I also saw this really cool base rock at my LFS, I was thinking of adding maybe 20 more LBS.

If I do decide to do this, what would be the best way? Should I do it over a months time with 3-4 different water changes?

[briankmarsh1980]

since you have no fish just do it lol

get all you can in 1 shot, then the sand that settles you can just suck out on the next water change

[tamn3]

since it's a newer tank I don't think you have any worries of stirring up the sand bed and causing a nitrate spike. I say go for it and just get all the sand out at once. My tank is barebottom and I love it, never going back.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5304/5645054852_f1597e6434.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/60577159@N02/5645054852/)
Tank Shot Front 4.14.11 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/60577159@N02/5645054852/) by tamngo3 (http://www.flickr.com/people/60577159@N02/), on Flickr

[duncantse]

since you have no fish just do it lol

get all you can in 1 shot, then the sand that settles you can just suck out on the next water change

+1

Do it now when there's no fish.

[peppie]

Now is the time to take it out all in one shot. Get yourself some buckets. Move your water, rocks, and, CUC, out of the DT and pull all the sand out.
It is best to elevate the rock off the bottom of the tank with either pcv or eggcrate. This will help your flow and make it easier to clean the bottom.
I was able to direct my flow to create small piles of detritus to the front of the tank to make it a breeze to clean up during WC.
It is best to keep the detritus suspended in the water column and the make it to the overflow. I dont have enough in tank flow to do this.
I use a turkey baster with a hose on the end of it to get under the rocks were the water flow dont reach.
I love may barebottom. I can look in my tank and see it IS clean.
I will never go back.

[hollister]

BB might sound easier but with a proper substrate you get a better bio filter. It helps remove ammonia from the water and increases worms , pods and other wanted criters . You dont really need to do anything to the sand if all going well.

[manvsfish]

bb might sound easier but with a proper substrate you get a better bio filter. It helps remove ammonia from the water and increases worms , pods and other wanted criters . You dont really need to do anything to the sand if all going well.

+2