Welcome to TR!
I prefer a
BB tank. A
DSB does has limits. I think of them as a leakey faucet dripping and we can't pull the plug. We can take out water to keep from flooding ie replace the sand in our tanks to extend the life and by controlling the rate at which a
DSB fills up.
DSB's will work, however, at some point they require drastic measures to keep them going and their limitations need to be completely understood. The main problem with a
DSB is that at some point you have to export all that has been absorbed.
A properly setup
DSB will produce
detritus and put a heavy demand in the bioload.
DSB's are alive. Living breathing elements produce waste, and waste must be removed.
With a
BB tank, you are instantly taking out the
detritus from your tank. You can feed as much as you want. Rather than letting the sand bed absorb the
detritus, your high flow and
skimmer takes it right out. You can maintain a higher bioload also. I can also clean up messes and mistakes a lot faster. I don't have to guess what's in the bottom of the tank and wonder if my sand bed is truly ok.
Both systems work, but I prefer
BB.
