Mobile Bay Reef Keepers

Well I'm starting over with a new tank and on my last one i had a barebottom tank with Starboard on the bottom and loved it. It was super easy to keep clean and looked good with zoanthids covering it.

With my new tank i wanted a couple 3-4 goby/shrimp pairs and found that they do not do to well without sand. Now should i just go with a shallow sand bed and hope for the best. I know i'm going to have a bit of current in the tank. I'm also going to attempt a blue jaw trigger who might not allow me to go with a bunch of gobie or shrimp.

Honestly i wasn't happy at all with my DSB last time and really like the BB set-up i had. I guess i have to just determine what i want more. I guess I could always set up a nano tank for a few goby/shrimp pairs.

Is a shallow sand bed even worth it.

Fishfood wrote:Is a shallow sand bed even worth it.

If you replace some of it occasionally I think it is. That way it doesn't become a nutrient sink like a dsb. Check out http://oregonreef.com/sub_maintenance.htm

If i went with a shallow sand bed do you think SD is the sand to use? I would only need 2 bags for 1.5 inches of sand and I can get that rather easily and cheap. I have a feeling it would end up getting blown around and form gullies and mounds with the flow i wanted. Blueline 70 with eductors for the return and the sequence dart for closed loop.

If you're doing a shallow sandbed, I would recomment a courser sand, like some crushed aragonite, that way it wouldn't suspend in water as easily, and it'd be easier to vacumn clean if you wanted to do so

I agree with you there but don't like the price tag of $1 per lb that you see in the local stores, or has that changed. I haven't looked in ages because last time i went with SD and then switched to BB.