Putting together sump/fuge, water volume verse sand bed

[MikeDeL]

I went out today and bought the tank and glass panels I will be using to build my sump/fuge. I have 2 ideas I am considering for the fuge section.
1. DSB all the way across the bottom
2. DSB for about half the fuge section and bare bottom across the other half.
I am considering option 2 the sole purpose of increasing water volume. This would get me an extra gallon of water or so. So my question is which would be more valuable an extra gallon of water volume in a 20 gallon system, or 75 square inches of 3.5 inch deep sand bed?


Thanks,
Mike

[Henry]

the sand, imo.

[mhaynes01]

"when in doubt go all out"

"ME"

[GaryP]

There is little biological activity in bulk water. The purpose of a refugium is to maximize biological activity. The more sand and macro, the more biological activity.

Gary