Bare bottom, sand, or other (FTS included)

[cbj25]

I recently got my new solana up and running and am running a bare bottom system right now. the stand is currently being built so I am going to have to move it to its final place in the condo. I have been thinking about three different options

1)Bare bottom
2)Zoanthid garden, growing on to bare bottom
3)Black sand

I have been leaning toward the second option because I have never seen it but I believe it will work and should look good as long as I keep them off the viewing glass. here is a fts of the current setup acclimating most corals on the bottom with a 150w while I am waiting for a day I can go pick up my new 250w.

[Sharkbait]

I would like to see option two as that would be really sweet to see. I am running bare bottom on my 150g and will place mostly frags on the bottom glass.

[gixxer600]

I also say option 2. Would be real cool to see. Also i tought it might be cool to put GSP on the bare bottom ad when it fills in it would look like grass blowing in the wind.

[LilRobb]

I wouldn't do that...
Bare bottoms rely on tons of flow to keep particles in suspension and ultimately get skimmed out.
I doubt a zoa "lawn" would be conducive to that and might accumulate organical matter

[tomaquar]

I cut travertine tiles to fit the bottom of my tank. If you pick tiles with fossils in it you get a nice effect.

[MvM]

Originally Posted by LilRobb

I wouldn't do that...
Bare bottoms rely on tons of flow to keep particles in suspension and ultimately get skimmed out.
I doubt a zoa "lawn" would be conducive to that and might accumulate organical matter

Agreed. Take a turkey baster to a zoa colony in your tank. You will quickly see why this won't work.

[Sharkbait]

You could always do the white or black starboard on the bottom like MVM did on his 93g cube...

[rjrgroup]

Originally Posted by gixxer600

Also i tought it might be cool to put GSP on the bare bottom ad when it fills in it would look like grass blowing in the wind.

Very cool...I'm doing an entire rock scape in different colors of GSP.

[MvM]

How many colors of green are there?

[rjrgroup]

Originally Posted by MvM

How many colors of green are there?

3 so far, I've seen another that I want to get. I'm covering a huge bonsai rock scape I made. It's going to be for foot plus sized fish with GSP and that's it.
Although, black sand is a lot o work, it's pretty sexy!

[MvM]

Pics please.

[rjrgroup]

Originally Posted by MvM

Pics please.

Ok, I guess it's officially high jacked. Sorry for the bad pics, phone cam is all I have right now. Obviously the GSP is closed up but it's going to look awesome once it cover the whole scape. One is dark red crust with forest green polyps, another is traditional purple and neon green polyps and the 3rd is just normal...ish?

[atlweb]

If I had to choose, I'd go with white sand. I love the natural look, has great filtration, and depending on what type of fish you want in there (gobies, wrasses, dragonets, etc.) really prefer the sandy bottom. But that is just my opinion! Black sand could look cool too.


Excited to see more pics man, it is lookin' good!

[rjrgroup]

Originally Posted by atlweb

If I had to choose, I'd go with white sand. I love the natural look, has great filtration, and depending on what type of fish you want in there (gobies, wrasses, dragonets, etc.) really prefer the sandy bottom. But that is just my opinion! Black sand could look cool too.


Excited to see more pics man, it is lookin' good!

I thought Gobies preferred crushed coral substrate...?

[Rskillz]

Being that I like low nutrient; I'd love to say bare bottom...but....

I like the look of well-kept sandbeds. I think it looks a lot more "natural."

[atlweb]

Originally Posted by rjrgroup

I thought Gobies preferred crushed coral substrate...?

I suppose it depends on what sand you buy, but having sand with crushed coral substrate is more favorable than a glass bottom (to a goby)

[Rbredding]

my goby likes the Seachem Meridian substrate I've got..