If you were starting over!

[Grossy]

If you were starting all over what kind of bottom would you go for??? DSB, SSB, or Bare Bottom and why?

 

Also is it really alright to clean part and inside of tank with vinegar. I want to ensure I kill whatever made my tank crash? If the vinegar is alright I only have salt water and what is the ratio?

[neanderthalman]

I've started over a few times, with different tanks. This is tank #4. This tank is brebottom....because sand is filthy and disgusting, and I got sick of cleaning the crap out of the sand. It's a detritus trap. To make the bare bottom not look like crap, the underside is painted white. The result is that it's not reflective at all, just a clean white surface. Snails keep it clean enough, and I occassionally scrape a razor across it restore the "perfect" appearance.

 

 

Vinegar is fine. I don't use a specific ratio....just don't dilute it too much.

[amored]

DSB because i have a nitrate problem and i feel it would help.

 

vinegar is natural and won't hurt the future contents, but always rinse with RO water.

[Seiryoku]

I'd try a starboard bottom (BB essentially) if I were to restart one of my tanks. Now that I think about it...after I finish killing off all of the bubble algae in my 10g, I will probably use starboard instead of sand.

[CassiusClay]

I'd try a starboard bottom (BB essentially) if I were to restart one of my tanks. Now that I think about it...after I finish killing off all of the bubble algae in my 10g, I will probably use starboard instead of sand.

what is that exactly? i run BB right now and wont go back the amount of extra detritus i suck out of my sump since switching is truly incredible

[neanderthalman]

what is that exactly? i run BB right now and wont go back the amount of extra detritus i suck out of my sump since switching is truly incredible

 

Starboard is essentially a white plastic sheet, like a kitchen cutting board. Makes for a better appearance than bare glass.

 

I chose to paint the bottom instead, to avoid having the potential (however remote) for detritus to work its way under the starboard. Probably an unnecessary concern, though I'm quite pleased with the result.

[Seiryoku]

I've never heard of anyone painting the underside of the tank white o_O Interesting idea. Pictures of it in your tank thread I'm assuming?

[neanderthalman]

I've never heard of anyone painting the underside of the tank white o_O Interesting idea. Pictures of it in your tank thread I'm assuming?

 

Neither had I, though I sincerely doubt it's the first time it's been done. There are pictures in the thread, though nothing recent. I update it once a year, whether I need to or not.

 

To save the clicking and reviewing of the thread:

 

[Seiryoku]

Very interesting! I'd worry about cracking the bottom though. I've been known to drop a rock here and there while placing frags or rearranging stuff.

[neanderthalman]

Very interesting! I'd worry about cracking the bottom though. I've been known to drop a rock here and there while placing frags or rearranging stuff.

 

The starboard will help with that. However, I do find that the buoyancy from the water minimizes the impact from dropped rocks. They just don't fall quickly enough to concern me about breaking the glass.

[jeremai]

hmm... I've always wanted a 10g azooxanthellate tank where the sides, back and bottom were painted black, and the tank was scaped with a single funky piece of rock.

[AdriftQuasar]

I will probably always do somewhere between 0.5" and 1" of sand. Though something with more of an artistic feel like what neanderthalman has done does have a certain charm.

[violinist]

That painted bottom looks excellent!

[neanderthalman]

Jere - DO EET

 

I will probably always do somewhere between 0.5" and 1" of sand. Though something with more of an artistic feel like what neanderthalman has done does have a certain charm.

 

Might I make a suggestion - paint it anyways. For two reasons. The first is that if you paint it to match your sand, any bare spots from flow won't show up as badly. The second is that if you spend six bucks on a can of paint before you start it up, you can siphon out the sand later if you decide you hate it, and go BB. This way, you can hedge your bets.

 

You can't paint the bottom after it's set up, not without tearing it apart.

 

That painted bottom looks excellent!

 

Thank you

[spanko]

Hey neanderthalman, is there now coralline growing on the bottom? I has bare bottom in my 29 biocube for a while. It is great. All of the detritus tends to collect in one area where it can be easily siphoned out.

I changed because I wanted a jawfish, but would not hesitate to do bare bottom again.

[neanderthalman]

Hey neanderthalman, is there now coralline growing on the bottom? I has bare bottom in my 29 biocube for a while. It is great. All of the detritus tends to collect in one area where it can be easily siphoned out.

I changed because I wanted a jawfish, but would not hesitate to do bare bottom again.

 

It tries to, but I keep it clean with a razor. Same with the back wall.

 

I picked up a great little scraper with a long handle, metal blade and pivoting head. Works quite well. I also have a small 1" plastic putty knife that I use for tight areas - but I find it doesn't really need it very often. Every few months, maybe.

[travisurfer]

I prefer a shallow sand bed < 1/2" because sand really just makes the tank look much more natural. When it's this shallow, you don't really have to worry about excessive nutrient buildup and you can just stir everything up and vacuum out the junk if it starts looking bad. I personally wouldn't go any deeper than an inch. At that point, things really start looking gross ime.

[SpankythePyro]

Not to mention that the shockwave will travel mostly through the water when a rock is dropped...of course you don't want to go dropping rocks.

 

My Solana is BB, but I used marble tiles to give it a base and a white bottom. ZERO problems with maintaining low levels, if not 0ppm of nitraties/trates, and phos

[neanderthalman]

My Solana is BB, but I used marble tiles to give it a base and a white bottom.

 

I like this idea. I've been toying with doing this with small 1/2" or 1" tiles, and mounting zoanthid frags on them for a foreground zoa garden. That way they'll be easily removable later (fragging, moving).

[pisces4u]

Here's a barebottom with the outside of the bottom pane painted black. I like the way it frames the tank along with a black back panel. Makes the LR & coral look like art on display.

 

 

I don't have enough flow to keep detritus off the bottom because of the contest budget, but it's still easier to clean than sand.

[neanderthalman]

siiiiiiick.

 

 

Where do I vote?

[SpankythePyro]

I like this idea. I've been toying with doing this with small 1/2" or 1" tiles, and mounting zoanthid frags on them for a foreground zoa garden. That way they'll be easily removable later (fragging, moving).

 

Yup thats what I figured too Its an added plus lol

[blibo]

holy crap that's nice. Never thought about use gsp as grass....BRILLIANT!!

[bluefunelement]

Ha I'm setting up a frag tank this week and will both paint the bottom white and add square tiles