Dsb/plenum/bare Bottom For Already Established Aquarium

[sacramonel]

All,

I have been battling a diatom outbreak recently. After some study I have come to the conclusion that one of my issues was my skimmer not being adequate for my system. I have recently purchased a newer skimmer rated 2x for my system. I feel this will be helpful.

Installing the new skimmer will involve me emptying the contents of the aquarium, removing the tank from the stand, and then installing the skimmer in the sump. While I will be having everything emptied anyway I had decided to do some house cleaning as well.

One of those house cleaning duties will revolve around the substrate. I have done tons of research on the three methods (DSB,Plenum,Bare Bottom) and noted each's pro's and con's. Each method seems to produce great results, but each method also seems to have con's that eventually creep up in time.

I was hoping to garner some thoughts from users of the three methods. Please provide any insights you may garnered from your experiences with any of the methods.

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

Luigi

 

[seffieuk]

Hi Luigi

How about telling us a bit about your tank, your plans etc - then we can give you a better idea

I like the look of a tank with sand, really don't like the bare bottom look - as for dsb, then we really need to know what your plans are

Seffie x

 

[sacramonel]

Not a problem Seffie. I'm looking to expand my current tank to a complete mixed reef. Currently I have relatively few corals. Mostly soft corals, and one torch, and one frogspawn. I would like to keep the tank softie/lps.

Right now I'd like to get the tank clean looking again. Getting rid of the diatoms, and red slime is my first step. After that I'll decide on my next step.

Oh, and my tank and equipment are as follows -

75 gallon main
30 gallon sump - The sump contains the heater, phosphate reactor, and chaeto.
Skimmer: Aqua C Remora HOB - I am upgrading to a Reef Octopus Extreme 200
Circulation: 1 Tunze Nano Turbelle 6055, 1 Koralia 3, and one modded MJ1200 (I'd like to upgrade all these as well)
Lighting - Current dual 150 watt metal halide with 15k ushio bulbs.

 

[SkiFletch]

Yikes, Ushio's? Not a fan personally, too yellow for my tastes. Their broad spectrum may be encouraging the nuisance algae. Just a thought.

As for the substrate, if you have a sump, your best option would be a remote DSB in a bucket

 

[sacramonel]

Yikes, Ushio's? Not a fan personally, too yellow for my tastes. Their broad spectrum may be encouraging the nuisance algae. Just a thought.

As for the substrate, if you have a sump, your best option would be a remote DSB in a bucket

You know, I thought that too when I bought the bulbs. At first they were very yellow but then they moved towards a whiter spectrum. I'm thinking of moving to the XM's. What are your thoughts on them.

I had thought about the remote sand bed. However, and this is a leading decision maker for all of us, the tank is located in my living room of my apt, and the significant other will freak out if I have any thing that is outside the tank on the floor.

I want to try an in-tank change first. If all else fails then I'll give the RSB a shot.

 

[SkiFletch]

XM 15K's are junk PAR wise. 20K's have good PAR but are really blue, 10K's probably will look no different than your Ushios. I'm a big fan of the hamilton 14K actually. Good balance of PAR and blue...