In my experiences with DSBs the bacteria will colonize the bed on it's own, seeding has always been a contraversial subject unless you are seeding it by using some sand removed from another DSB. You could use soil as that is full on anaerobic bacteria, specially when taken from a deep hole, even better if taken in vicinity of a healthy stream or waterway.
The DSBs I've had in-tank were around 6" deep, but remote DSBs were always a good 8" deep... I used 6gal buckets salt is sold in and pretty much filled them to the top.
That said, I cannot say I have had a good experience using DSBs in freshwater. In essence, they work very well in reef tanks where bio loads are low compared to freshwater and the concentration of NO3 needs to stay very close to 0ppm. In freshwater I feel there are more effective ways to keep nitrates in a safe range. Water changes are obvious, cheap and easy to perform compared to saltwater. A remote freshwater refugium would be my choice personally, this will be more efficient and provide other benefits to the system besides the removal of NO3...
Can you give us some more info on the system and reasons to be considering a DSB?
Thanks
Giancarlo Podio
--- In tropicalfishclub@yahoogroups.com, john Buford <jbuf@...> wrote:
>
> Ray.
> Even though i know better i fell into the trap of not double checking my sources especially with blind internet statements. There is something that i have been trying to track down for a long tiome and i can not find a real answer. I want to set up a remote deep sand bed for a fresh water tank. All of the reading so far seems to agree on 4 to 6 inches of sand and a very slow movement of low oxygenated water. Whast my question is what anaerobic microbes would ideally exist in the deep sand bed. Secondly what would i use to seed and nourish the anaerobes hopefult jump starting the colony.
>
> TIA
> John
>
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