Bio plates replacing rock?

[agame2021]

So been playing around with an idea for a tank for my wife. She wants a all in one but doesn’t want much rock because she wants it open and not cluttered.

so I was playing with this idea.
Get the 1 inch plates and cover the bottom of the 40 gallon cube.
Place rocks (small amount) on the bio blocks.
Add an 1.5 inch sand bed of medium grain size sand.

she is looking as this for her stock list:
Pair of black storms clownfish
Mandarin goby (after we get a good amount of pods)
Orange tail blenny
Orange back fairy wrasse (again after pods culture is up)

then jam pack with colorful corals.

again working theory but want to know what you guys think about the bio blocks under the sand seeing as there isn’t much info on it. Especially the long run.

 

[blaxsun]

Bio media works best when it has a constant flow of water to interact with, either in an external or AIO sump. The more rock you have in your tank the more effective a bio filter you'll have (since most of the biological bacteria is in the rock and not the substrate or water column).

You could also do a more low-profile rockscape with Marco shelf rock.

 

[GARRIGA]

Perhaps more effective placing pumice or matrix or MarinePure in the chambers of the AIO. Plus todays live rock isn’t porous therefore having or not having it matters not as it pertains to filtration

 

[MnFish1]

So been playing around with an idea for a tank for my wife. She wants a all in one but doesn’t want much rock because she wants it open and not cluttered.

so I was playing with this idea.
Get the 1 inch plates and cover the bottom of the 40 gallon cube.
Place rocks (small amount) on the bio blocks.
Add an 1.5 inch sand bed of medium grain size sand.

she is looking as this for her stock list:
Pair of black storms clownfish
Mandarin goby (after we get a good amount of pods)
Orange tail blenny
Orange back fairy wrasse (again after pods culture is up)

then jam pack with colorful corals.

again working theory but want to know what you guys think about the bio blocks under the sand seeing as there isn’t much info on it. Especially the long run.

I'm going to give a couple opinions

Quick answer - no - do not do that. if it s a small tank use water changes and the filtration that was designed for the tank. If you want a more complicated system - use a sump, etc. This is not meant as a criticism but rather - just - use the system you're planning to buy. Here is the longer answer

1. Fish like rock in which to hide - to avoid stress - in the open ocean - clowns look like they are just sitting in an aquarium - but in fact - there aren't people walking up to them 6 inches away.. Including clowns at times - especially - (unless) - you're purchasing a mated pair).
2. Mandarin gobies are (in many not all - cases) picky eaters.. They like to pick at living things in rock
3. For nitrification - as others have said - its the oxygenation - thats key to the bacteria - but an all in one - may have this already (right??) - so maybe you're overthinking. Use the all-in one - do water changes.. and you could be fine??
4. You didnt (maybe I missed it) - didnt say the size of the tank. I would put a very small (1/4 inch or less) sand layer - easy to siphon out detritus etc) - and use the filtration of the all in one and not overload it..

EDIT - and Happy you're at R2R. You might get a lot of opinions - but most will be correct

 

[damsels are not mean]

so I was playing with this idea.
Get the 1 inch plates and cover the bottom of the 40 gallon cube.
Place rocks (small amount) on the bio blocks.
Add an 1.5 inch sand bed of medium grain size sand.

This is effectively the same as making a 2.5 inch sandbed. Except it can't be siphoned and won't harbor as much worms and pods and such.

she is looking as this for her stock list:
Pair of black storms clownfish
Mandarin goby (after we get a good amount of pods)
Orange tail blenny
Orange back fairy wrasse (again after pods culture is up)

You really need more rocks for the goby and blenny especially. Both will spend all day grazing and without something to graze on they usually don't do well. I wouldn't get a fairy wrasse either, they are very active swimmers that would want more space than a 40 cube.

 

[agame2021]

Am I doing over thinking?! The answer is yes always my co-workers hate it.
This is really good feedback so thank you for your thoughts!
I’m trying to help my wife understand these things too but we are all still learning.

my whole thing with this exercise is to better understand what can and can’t be done but also the good better best.
My co-workers at the LFS told me that my way of thinking in this hobby is ghetto and sketchy at best of times guess that was how I was raised so I wanted to see what successful reefers are doing so I don’t mess this up.

it also comes down to my wife is very stubborn about what she wants and it’s hard to get her to understand. I would prefer a sump system because I don’t understand “all in one”s… but she wants this specific tank and stand and has her own ideas on rock scapes and fish. Hopefully she will find someone she trusts and can listen too!

 

[MnFish1]

Am I doing over thinking?! The answer is yes always my co-workers hate it.
This is really good feedback so thank you for your thoughts!
I’m trying to help my wife understand these things too but we are all still learning.

my whole thing with this exercise is to better understand what can and can’t be done but also the good better best.
My co-workers at the LFS told me that my way of thinking in this hobby is ghetto and sketchy at best of times guess that was how I was raised so I wanted to see what successful reefers are doing so I don’t mess this up.

it also comes down to my wife is very stubborn about what she wants and it’s hard to get her to understand. I would prefer a sump system because I don’t understand “all in one”s… but she wants this specific tank and stand and has her own ideas on rock scapes and fish. Hopefully she will find someone she trusts and can listen too!

Overthinking is always better than under thinking. I do not think your thinking is sketchy - but I will say - fish like hiding places. Having an entirely open tank with a perfect filter (or mostly open tank with a perfect filter) - no matter how you do the MAY lead to stressed fish

 

[blaxsun]

it also comes down to my wife is very stubborn about what she wants and it’s hard to get her to understand. I would prefer a sump system because I don’t understand “all in one”s… but she wants this specific tank and stand and has her own ideas on rock scapes and fish. Hopefully she will find someone she trusts and can listen too!

The best way to explain it is that it's not so much what we want - but what the fish need. I have 36 (and counting) fish in my tank. At night each of them basically disappear into their own unique sleeping/hiding spot. It's not that different from sleeping out in the open in a park as opposed to the comfort of your bedroom.

 

[Alenya]

You can use the bio blocks or balls on stands in the back of the all in one - lots of room and flow for bacteria then. Definitely keep a sand bed for those fish.