bare tanks

[predatorkeeper87]

Can anyone explain the benefits of a bare tank to me, as opposed to a more natural look tank with substrate, rocks, wood, plants etc. As far as i can work out for myself it's a maintainance thing which is a valid point from the hobbyists point of view, but what about the occupants. We all want what's best for our fish, NOT us, right? I'm asking the question because of some footage i've seen on joeys you tube channel. Now we all know joeys the king, the guys awesome but i just can't get my head around those beautiful leopoldi rays and that majestic arowana in bare tanks, especially the rays as i thought rays like to bury themselves in sand. Without a doubt i'm sure joey does it this way for a very good reason, i just don't know what it is!!!! If i understood more then maybe one day i'll have a bare tank myself, who knows. Anyone?

well joey's leo's had bigger problems than no sand...

but regardless I hate barebottom tanks. We keep fish because we like the fish themselves, at least some of us anyhow. I can't justify keeping my pets in a tank with NOTHING in it. I already keep them in a glass box....I at least give them plants and décor to keep it as natural as I can.

 

[esoxlucius]

well joey's leo's had bigger problems than no sand...

but regardless I hate barebottom tanks. We keep fish because we like the fish themselves, at least some of us anyhow. I can't justify keeping my pets in a tank with NOTHING in it. I already keep them in a glass box....I at least give them plants and décor to keep it as natural as I can.

I'm with you on this one, they just look so clinical to me, as if you should approach them with rubber gloves and a face mask on! What happened to his leos, the footage i was watching he said they were close to a $1000 each!!

 

[predatorkeeper87]

I'm with you on this one, they just look so clinical to me, as if you should approach them with rubber gloves and a face mask on! What happened to his leos, the footage i was watching he said they were close to a $1000 each!!

a faulty heater fried/poisoned his system. Asian aro lived, leos didn't.

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

I somewhat agree with wanting to have substrate. I don't really think a tank can be a "show tank" if it has no substrate. It just looks like a piece of equipment to me at that point. It doesn't really even need decor, but in my mind, substrate is a must for a show tank.

I can, however, see how some situations should use a bare bottom tank. Situations such as grow out tanks, fry tanks and quarantine tanks. These are certainly times when a bare bottom is useful and should be used. I think that these are all "behind the scenes" tanks though, and are not something you would normally be showing to people or watching for enjoyment. They would, however, be the support of a main display tank.

I know that when I am able to start growing out some discus, I will grow them out in a bare bottom tank. However, once I get them to a certain point I will be moving them into my main display tank, which I plan on having sand, driftwood and plants in.

 

[predatorkeeper87]

I somewhat agree with wanting to have substrate. I don't really think a tank can be a "show tank" if it has no substrate. It just looks like a piece of equipment to me at that point. It doesn't really even need decor, but in my mind, substrate is a must for a show tank.

I can, however, see how some situations should use a bare bottom tank. Situations such as grow out tanks, fry tanks and quarantine tanks. These are certainly times when a bare bottom is useful and should be used. I think that these are all "behind the scenes" tanks though, and are not something you would normally be showing to people or watching for enjoyment. They would, however, be the support of a main display tank.

I know that when I am able to start growing out some discus, I will grow them out in a bare bottom tank. However, once I get them to a certain point I will be moving them into my main display tank, which I plan on having sand, driftwood and plants in.

ill agree with QT and grow outs being barebottom, that's a different story

 

[pacu mom]

Ok.. Dumb follow up question as I have been considering a bare tank (for the ease of maintenance) but haven't pulled the trigger (due to looks).. How do you pick up waste on the bottom? Do you guys still use a gravel vac (although lacking the gravel component) or do you blow it around with a powerhead and let the filtration pick it up? I had been wondering if strategically placed powerheads would help in this regard. Also pondered a powerhead mounted on a stick/handle which I could use to blow crap out of the corners.. How do ya'll do it? By the way,?although I'm nit crazy about how it looks, if done right, with the right lighting, a feature fish can appear to almost be gliding across a black background - that's pretty cool.

After doing daily water changes on the 55 gallon tank, my husband was determined to have a low maintenance tank. He put PVC in the shape of a large E on the floor of the tank. It was a fail. We noticed that the debris tended to eddy and collect in certain places of the tank. He extended PVC almost to the floor of the tank in two places. These poop suckers work fantastically. The debris scuttles across the floor of the tank and is quickly removed from the tank. In ten years, there has been no debris to vacuum up.

Others have extended their uptakes nearly to the floor of their tank and also had great results. Our poop suckers were rigidly mounted via bulkheads. Our brute fish have destroyed two bulkheads by ramming into the poop sucker pipes. Because we are in our sixth year of a major tank upgrade (another story), my husband jury rigged the last poopsucker installation on the 300 gallon tank by simply extending a white PVC pipe down through the hole in the top of the tank with no bulkhead. It is a much more forgiving situation as the pipes move a little when pushed.

I like the black background and had the big tank made with black lamination in the back. Even found a source of black PVC. Five years ago we decided that we wanted a background instead of the lovely black with black pipes. BTW, some of us have undecorated tanks because our fish will hurt themselves or destroy whatever is placed in the tank. The uptake and return pipes will be the only "decoration" in the big tank. Wish we had not cut the black PVC to use with bulkheads....too late to remake the plumbing...

 

[Allan01230]

Bare bottom tank never had it never will

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

Lol, Joey must have red your post. Here is his latest video about bare bottom tanks:

 

[esoxlucius]

It sounds like he's trying to convince himself about bare bottomed tanks, ohhh look at my arowana swimming mid water, it dosen't need substrate. Yeah but joey, what about the bottom dwelling leos you fried. Is king joeys crown slipping. Haha.

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

I'll be honest, I'm a fan of Joey's... Having said that I really think that your comments are uncalled for. He is another aquarium enthusiast that happened to be victim to a faulty heater. Just start a thread on that and see how many people come forward when you ask how many fish have been lost with a faulty heater. IMO, he takes very good care of all the species he ownes and keeps up with the honest truth about his experiences on his channel. It doesn't sound to me at all he is "trying to convince himself of bare bottom tanks," or anybody else for that matter.

Although I agree with you that I don't care for bare bottom tanks "looks wise" I am sorry I shared that link with you. It seems that your mind is set and there are no grey areas for you.