Sand bed or bare bottom? What’s your choice and why?
I’ve always gone with a sandbed. I just don’t like the look of a bare bottom, for one, but I’m also a big fan of wrasses and they need somewhere to sleep 
I like the look of a gravel bed. Don’t like the fine sand, blows around to much. I have a crushed coral bed.
Sand. It provides more opportunity for microfauna to thrive.
Im a bare bottom guy. I think it sand beds are just nutrient sponges and an eventual failure point. That said i do have some rubble rock on the bottom.
I have to agree with the bare bottom. There are some crushed coral pebbles I didn’t get out but it’s bare bottom all the way. The amount of flow can be generated is better for the corals and the fish.
I like the look of fine sand best. But after having a pistol shrimp the tank was all clouded up at times. I think having any type of substrate in the bottom of the tank has the potential to cause water quality issues if not properly maintained. I have crushed coral this time around. It still gives a decent look, and is much easier to vacuum without sucking half the sand out of the tank. I will always have substrate in my display, but would go bare bottom in a frag tank.
I have always done sand bed tanks till this 180. I love how easy a bare bottom tank is to keep. I miss keeping sand burying wrasse though…i know people say put container of sand somewhere in ypur display buti dont really have a space for it and i have 3 gyres so it would blow all over i am sure…
Barebottom for me. The ease of cleaning up detritus is worth it. Dont have to worry about sturring up nasties. The bottom gets covered with coraline over time too
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