i heard somewhere that if you have a barebottom tank that it messes with the nitrogen cycle or something like that, is this true? or does the bacteria just build up on the filters and the decorations more? i suppose this wouldnt be such a problem as i have two filters i my tank and i could just alternate the cleanings of them, but does this make it more vulnerable to change?
bare bottom nitrogen problems?
- Thread starter nitrofish1
- Start date
Most of my tanks are bare bottom and my fish do well. The concern is probably that bacteria cannot grow on the substrate in a bare bottom tank and can only grow on the filter media. However, my tanks are well filtered, not overcrowded, and I do 80%+ water changes every other week. And it's much easier to remove debris in a bare bottom tank.
ok. i will prolly be upgrading my filter soon here for more fish and less filter media variety. but i usually leave in about a handful or two of gravel. still very easy to clean.
i found something on here that looked very good and is just like bare bottom tanks. he put in marble tiling on the bottom of the tank that lock together and just sit there. you could almost do any color pattern you want.
bare bottom actually helps keep the water parameters better as you dont have any crud build up in the substrate. if you need to rely on your gravel for bio filtration, then your tank is seriously under-filtered IMO
i think it may have been your tank i saw. no i remember it was someone with light colored tiles with bichirs and an aro in an 180g tank.
yup i know which one your talking about! street cypher's tank! thats what inspired me to do tile on the bottom 