Forgive a Newbie

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Forgive a newbie question, but what does DSB mean?

[Rude Bastard]

Deep Sand Bed....


On 16 Feb 2005 07:15:17 -0800, "
> wrote:

>Forgive a newbie question, but what does DSB mean?

[Pszemol]

> wrote in message oups.com...
> Forgive a newbie question, but what does DSB mean?

http://www.rshimek.com/reef/sediment.htm

[Don Geddis]

" > wrote on 16 Feb 2005 07:1:
> Forgive a newbie question, but what does DSB mean?

"Deep Sand Bed".

A bottom layer of sand on the tank, at least 4-6" deep. Provides a substrate
for both aerobic and also anaerobic bacteria, which then help process the
nitrate cycle in your sal****er tank (which itself begins with ammonia from
fish waste).

A popular modern method of waste filtration in reef tanks is "live rock",
"live sand" = DSB, and a protein skimmer as the only mechanical filtration.
No wet/dry, no undergravel filter, etc.

-- Don
__________________________________________________ _____________________________
Don Geddis http://reef.geddis.org/
Of all the causes of astronaut insanity, getting a fly caught inside your space
helmet is probably in the top three.
-- Deep Thoughts, by Jack Handey [1999]

[CapFusion]

It should better if all of those you meantion apply.
LR / LS / DSB
Addition PS / Sump / Refugium

CapFusion,...


"Don Geddis" > wrote in message
...
> " > wrote on 16 Feb 2005 07:1:
>> Forgive a newbie question, but what does DSB mean?
>
> "Deep Sand Bed".
>
> A bottom layer of sand on the tank, at least 4-6" deep. Provides a
> substrate
> for both aerobic and also anaerobic bacteria, which then help process the
> nitrate cycle in your sal****er tank (which itself begins with ammonia
> from
> fish waste).
>
> A popular modern method of waste filtration in reef tanks is "live rock",
> "live sand" = DSB, and a protein skimmer as the only mechanical
> filtration.
> No wet/dry, no undergravel filter, etc.
>
> -- Don
> __________________________________________________ _____________________________
> Don Geddis
> http://reef.geddis.org/
> Of all the causes of astronaut insanity, getting a fly caught inside your
> space
> helmet is probably in the top three.
> -- Deep Thoughts, by Jack Handey [1999]

[Rich R]

"Deep Sand Bed"
but in a year from now it will be some other trick to spend lots of money to
follow a trend ,,lol

--


www.reeftanksonline.com
www.nydiver.com
ONLINE meeting rooms



"CapFusion" > wrote in message
...
> It should better if all of those you meantion apply.
> LR / LS / DSB
> Addition PS / Sump / Refugium
>
> CapFusion,...
>
>
> "Don Geddis" > wrote in message
> ...
>> " > wrote on 16 Feb 2005
>> 07:1:
>>> Forgive a newbie question, but what does DSB mean?
>>
>> "Deep Sand Bed".
>>
>> A bottom layer of sand on the tank, at least 4-6" deep. Provides a
>> substrate
>> for both aerobic and also anaerobic bacteria, which then help process the
>> nitrate cycle in your sal****er tank (which itself begins with ammonia
>> from
>> fish waste).
>>
>> A popular modern method of waste filtration in reef tanks is "live rock",
>> "live sand" = DSB, and a protein skimmer as the only mechanical
>> filtration.
>> No wet/dry, no undergravel filter, etc.
>>
>> -- Don
>> __________________________________________________ _____________________________
>> Don Geddis http://reef.geddis.org/
>> Of all the causes of astronaut insanity, getting a fly caught inside your
>> space
>> helmet is probably in the top three.
>> -- Deep Thoughts, by Jack Handey [1999]
>
>

[[email protected]]

Thanks for the definition. I feel better now.

One more question........

If I convert my 220 gallon FOWLR tank to a reef tank, I know I should
have 350 or 400 pounds of LR. I have maybe 25% of that now. But I'm
not so sure about the DSB. Do I put the 4-6 inches in the main tank,
or in a separate tank/sump? If the answer is a separate tank/sump,
what do the dimensions of that tank need to be to handle such a large
tank?

Thanks again for the help.

[Pszemol]

"Rich R" > wrote in message ...
> "Deep Sand Bed"
> but in a year from now it will be some other trick to spend
> lots of money to follow a trend ,,lol

????? I would say DSB method is the cheapest you can imagine...
And the simplest from the technical stand point.
Just go to Home Depot or any other large builders supply store
and get a couple of bags of fine sand (tropical coral sand is less
than $10 a 50lb bag in Home Depot) and pour all of it on the
tank bottom and that is it! Just - add water.
When you seed it with live rock and live sand you will get DSB.

[Pszemol]

> wrote in message oups.com...
> If I convert my 220 gallon FOWLR tank to a reef tank, I know I should
> have 350 or 400 pounds of LR. I have maybe 25% of that now. But I'm
> not so sure about the DSB. Do I put the 4-6 inches in the main tank,
> or in a separate tank/sump? If the answer is a separate tank/sump,
> what do the dimensions of that tank need to be to handle such a large
> tank?

Original idea is about sand bed in the main tank.
Have you read the article I gave you link to ?

[CapFusion]

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Thanks for the definition. I feel better now.
>
> One more question........
>
> If I convert my 220 gallon FOWLR tank to a reef tank, I know I should
> have 350 or 400 pounds of LR. I have maybe 25% of that now. But I'm
> not so sure about the DSB. Do I put the 4-6 inches in the main tank,
> or in a separate tank/sump? If the answer is a separate tank/sump,
> what do the dimensions of that tank need to be to handle such a large
> tank?
>
> Thanks again for the help.
>

You can have DSB anywhere [main tank / sump / refugium or combination of
all]. The more area of DSB you have the more BIOS-load your system can
handle. You should put in the minium like 4" should be good.
Since you indicate you have 250G, that will be good area.

CapFusion,...

[[email protected]]

I did read the link posted.......very informative. Back when I started
my FOWLR setup, I put most of the live rock and base rock on the bottom
glass. I then put in the fine sand sold at my LFS to a depth of about
2 inches around the rock (not under it). At this point, I would say a
little over 1/2 of the bottom area of my tank is LR and the rest is
about a 2" sand bed.

Because of all the rock in there, do I still have enough area for sand
to create an good DSB? Should I start over or just add another 2" of
new sand to what is already there?

Thanks again.




CapFusion wrote:
> > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> > Thanks for the definition. I feel better now.
> >
> > One more question........
> >
> > If I convert my 220 gallon FOWLR tank to a reef tank, I know I
should
> > have 350 or 400 pounds of LR. I have maybe 25% of that now. But
I'm
> > not so sure about the DSB. Do I put the 4-6 inches in the main
tank,
> > or in a separate tank/sump? If the answer is a separate tank/sump,
> > what do the dimensions of that tank need to be to handle such a
large
> > tank?
> >
> > Thanks again for the help.
> >
>
> You can have DSB anywhere [main tank / sump / refugium or combination
of
> all]. The more area of DSB you have the more BIOS-load your system
can
> handle. You should put in the minium like 4" should be good.
> Since you indicate you have 250G, that will be good area.
>
> CapFusion,...

[Pszemol]

> wrote in message ups.com...
> Because of all the rock in there, do I still have enough area for sand
> to create an good DSB? Should I start over or just add another 2" of
> new sand to what is already there?

Adding new sand to already setup tank is tricky...
Water will be mess for couple days and it could smother corals.
When I built my DSB the water was milky white for almost a week.

[phflyer21]

Deep Dand Bed (over 4")....
> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Forgive a newbie question, but what does DSB mean?
>

[[email protected]]

I don't have any corals in the tank now, so if I add another 2" of sand
(for a total of 4") the only thing that will get covered up is the
bottom 2" of LR that is visible now. Should I add the 2" on top and
then try to mix it in with the existing sand?

I'm just worried that I won't have much of an area for the DSB as less
than half of the tank bottom is sand, the rest is LR.

I could also put 4" of sand in the bottom of my sump. It is about 12"
X 21" and will hold sand after I remove the bio balls. If I do that,
will the sum need to be lighted?

Thanks again.

phflyer21 wrote:
> Deep Dand Bed (over 4")....
> > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> > Forgive a newbie question, but what does DSB mean?
> >