I have a 72 gallon tank that is a few months old and it has sprung a slow leak at the front bottom so I am going to replace it with a new tank. Ordinarily I would just try to patch the leak but it is still covered by the manufacturer so I am going to go to the trouble of tearing it down and putting everthing in a new tank because I feel that if this tank sprung a slow leak this fast there might be more leaks just waiting to start.
My question is this, Since I am going to be putting every thing in a new tank I can switch substrates if I want. What would be best? I currently have about 90 pounds of live rock and a deep sandbed. I went with the deep sandbed originally for nitrate reduction but I also have a hang on the back refugium with macroalgae so I am wondering if I really need the deep sand bed for nitrate reduction. Is my hang on refugium sufficient to reduce nitrates for a reef tank without the deep sand bed? I was thinking of the larger crushed coral because it would have more spaces between the rocks for more smaller critters and the asthetics of it or just the same sand just a lot less, maybe an inch. This would let me have more space for more water volume which I think is good.
Anyone with experience in this with both types of substrates please weigh in, I would really like as much as advice on this as possible. Thanks.
My question is this, Since I am going to be putting every thing in a new tank I can switch substrates if I want. What would be best? I currently have about 90 pounds of live rock and a deep sandbed. I went with the deep sandbed originally for nitrate reduction but I also have a hang on the back refugium with macroalgae so I am wondering if I really need the deep sand bed for nitrate reduction. Is my hang on refugium sufficient to reduce nitrates for a reef tank without the deep sand bed? I was thinking of the larger crushed coral because it would have more spaces between the rocks for more smaller critters and the asthetics of it or just the same sand just a lot less, maybe an inch. This would let me have more space for more water volume which I think is good.
Anyone with experience in this with both types of substrates please weigh in, I would really like as much as advice on this as possible. Thanks.
