Bare bottom AND SSB?

[Ratpack]

In my planning I am in the middle of whether to go bare bottom or SSB. I know high flow is required or preferred for SPS and since sand storms are a concern for tanks with sand bottoms and high flow, I have a question. Are the sand storms mainly around where the outlets are for the pumps or are they everywhere? And once the initial storm is over, meaning the sand has been moved by the current, does it still continue beyond just what sand falls back into the water path? I got an idea off another board, and that is BB in the back and sand in the front. Here is a rack I built to stack my LR on so that it would be open underneath for fish to swim and not have to have so much base rock.



What do you think about lining the inside of the legs on the edge with acrylic and then the sand would just be on the exterior of the LR aquascape. Under the two islands, would be bare bottom and that is where the exits of the CL, powered by a Sequence Snapper or Dart, would be coming in and turning down via 90 directed right onto the bottom. That way it would pretty much blow detritus and stuff out from under the piles into the sand where snails, stars and such could get to it. Also, that would mean I only have to vacuum and stir the exposed sand. Make sense? I know a little sand would end up under the piles, but should be kept blown towards the front. That way there is flow near the top from the return that will be pushing about 500 gph on each end from the pump and have a DIY eductor on each one. They would be pointed from the back corners at an angle towards the front glass. Current should bounce off the glass and hopefully become a little turbulant. The CL would push water against the bottom which would fan out under the two islands until it hit the acrylic panels and back glass, which would direct it up through the LR. Another option would be use a T instead of 90 and have the bottom blow against the bottom glass and the top have a section of locline and be directed wherever needed.

In my mind, this sounds like it should give flow in lots of directions and allow me to have high flow and a SSB, but what do you think? I hope to have SPS up on the full length shelf and LPS and a few softies in other places.

[FireEater]

Here is a good tip for you on that PVC base. Scuff it up and sand on it real good to rough the slick PVC up real good.

That way the algae and coralline will have some sticking surface to grow on. It will grow on the PVC now but will also flake of periodically since it is so slick. The you will see bright white again until it slowly covers up.

[Ratpack]

Thanks, once I know it is the final layout, I will probably paint it black with Krylon fusion before putting it in a tank. I believe I read where the coraline sticks to the paint pretty good.