plenum or DSB

[Bunky Squid]

I currently just have a 3" sand bed in my 10 gallon tank, but next Tuesday i'm moving everything into a new 25 gallon acrylic so this gives me the opportunity to setup a plenum.

I've done a lot of reading on GARF (their bulletproof reefs) and some printed material as well, but no one mentions their use in a nano-reef.

 

Is anyone currently running one or does anyone have experience with them? Is it worth the time to setup or will a 4 inch dsb work well enough?

[tinyreef]

bump

 

i put a plenum in my new nano but whether it's better or not i can't say. it's a questionable subject to me and i'm using one! my other tanks are perfectly fine without, only dsb's.

 

i wouldn't bother if you're concerned about it. less to worry and second-guess yourself over. i just did it more as an experiment.

 

some people even hold that dsb's for nanos are effective. i would disagree there though.

[SLOreefer]

no personal expierience here but the common idea in nano reefs for plenums or dsb is that there is not enough surface area for it to make any difference. the depth of the sand ina nano will not effect the nitrates or anythign else whether you have 1 inch or 5 inches. the surface area is so small that it is not going to help.

[tinyreef]

the thing is with the thought of the area limiting is the dsb's effectiveness is logical but then that argument should also extend to live rock as well.

 

both mediums seek to exploit the anoxic areas in their structures, LR's deep porous structure (hence ineffective petrified rock) and a dsb's depth and preferable small grain size.

 

if you use 1" the dsb is pretty much ineffective. ime, this is where everyone starts differing is the exact depth of effectiveness, 2"~6"! imo, 6" is deep! 3"~4" is about right but that's my opinion only.

[Toyfreek]

I have been told the reason the DSB dosen't work in a small surface area is due to the limitations on the populations of worms and other critters. Although the anaerobic area is lacking as well.

Toy

[Dave ESPI]

Plennumns have fallen out of favor... WHY?

I use them with good results. I also have 3 inches of sand whick is live over them in large (50gal+) tanks nas in smaller nanos like 10 -45 gals I use an eggcrate 1/4 inch lifted plate with nylon screening covered with 2 - 3 inches od araganite and LS. The only concern with plennumns is areas of exposed under plate (like if a fish or invert hollows out a cave.... WHICH A DAMSEL IS DOING RIGHT NOW !!!!! BRB......)

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Back, sorry ! where was I..... The sulfied gas which can be lethal in DSB when uncovered are minimal, but if the areas are exposed, they can re release nutrients in the water neccesitating a w/c. My nitrates are minimal if not 0 all the time, and there is no common cementation occouring as the Phosoganic Bacterium cant use the environment to "glue" all the substrate together. All in All.. It works for some, but DSB are still in the "debate Phase . AFAIC and Im still skeptical about long term results as sand dies and invert populations are constantly changing. Just as Tiny and Toy touched on.

If I think of anything else, ill add later.. right now I have to beat in a damsel' gills...X)

[Bunky Squid]

thanks for the recommendations everyone.

 

I think that I will set up a plenum with the instructions from this

plenum how to site.

 

hey Dave ESPI, do you see any problems with this setup?

 

Just to make sure i don't mess up.

 

So the water area beneath the plenum is pretty much stagnant, right? There aren't any powerheads or anything sucking the water from beneath the sand bed? ( this may seem liek a dumb question but i'd rather not mess this all up)

Some guy in a Petco heard me talking about my thoughts of puttin in a plenum and might have gotten it confused with under-gravel filtration. He gave me some powerhead recommendations, and sort of confused me as well.

[tinyreef]

you're right the water's supposed to be 'stagnant'. i don't want to sound like an advocate for plenums, i'm not. it's just a technique like any other.

 

you could use the UG filter as the plenum. just don't connect the tubes and cover the top of the UG's grill with some flexible tank dividers. i cut up some for my nano that way and stake welded them to the UG.