This week I'm upgrading to a larger HOB, currently I have nothing but chaeto. What are your thoughts on substrate, i.e. mud, rubble, LR, sand, or bare? What kind of critters would you add?
As always thanks for your time.
For a HOB fuge? I doubt sand would do very much in the way of denitrification. I'd stick with the chaeto personally. Only critters I'd add would be some pods and a few of the little euplica versicolor snails (wrongly called ipsf strombus grazers).
Yes, sand wouldn't be much help. Might toss a couple of small pieces of rubble in there though to anchor your cheato and provide a little more cover for the pods etc. That's about it though....
Agree with all the above, sand won't help much, and you need to keep in mind the weight factor hanging on one spot of you tank can cause uneven stress to the silicon seams. I use a HOB fuge on two of my tanks stuffed with macros, mostly cheato. Add some small pieces of rubble and squirt a little phyto in there once a week and it will brimming with pods. Keep a light on it 24/7 especially if you put any caulerpa in there.
