I never seen anymore of a problem with the rocks hitting the bottom than i did with sand.

Don't think i would let that be a deciding factor.

 

 

From what I have read, there's a couple of ways that people with BB tanks take care of that.  They siphon the bottom, which should be pretty each to do with no sand, or they use a small hand held circ pump to stir up the bottom in hopes that it will be filtered out.  I plan to use the siphon technique.  But I also plan to make a DIY spray bar to attach to the return pump and place it at the bottom of the tank.  Having never seen how these really work in action, it seems like it should work, but until I install one I really don't know.  But I've read that spray bars are really great for the rock work.

 

Does anyone have a spray bar that they would like to share info about?

 

 

I have decided to go barebottom in the next tank I am making plans for -- it will only be a 20 gal long.  Now I've been doing some reading about the rock.  Its seems that when you have a sand bed, the suggestion is to put the rock in first and then add the sand, and the sand will help keep the rock in place.  The sand will also help prevent a glass breakage should a rock fall down and hit the bottom.  So it seems I have two options.  I either need to carefully glue my stacked rock together to avoid rock falling and breaking the glass at the bottom of the tank or I need to put a sheet of something that will completely cover the glass on the bottom.  Were you thinking about what you would do to prevent glass breakage?  I really don't want to glue all my rock together if I can avoid it. 

 

 

 

Hahahaha! when i first seen the tital for this thread, thats the first thing that came into my mind! but yea, i have seen some "bare bottom tanks" (haha)  and the only two things that worry me are dont you need sand for bacteria and stuff to live in? and also wont the bottom of the tank get freaking nasty? from food and waste that doesnt get filtered out??