Plenum?

[rsprangers]

Has anyone used a plenum in a planter tank? What’s the diff between a plenum and an undergravel filter?
I’ve watched YouTube by dr Kevin novac. I can’t seem to tell the diff.

 

[Caliban07]

Plenums utilise a gap between the glass base of the tank and the substrate. A small amount of flow is fed down in to the layer to create very low levels of oxygen. This facilitates the growth of microorganisms that use nitrate as an electron acceptor instead of oxygen to grow which allows you to run very low levels of nitrate.

Dr Kevin Novak uses them to great effect. His videos are on YouTube.

I don’t know much about under gravel filters.

 

[rsprangers]

I’m wondering if I have my airline attached but very very low if that would work

 

[Delapool]

Sounds different to u.g. filter. I used air stones on risers to lift water up and suck water through gravel so I think that would be fairly well oxygenated.

I remember reading one shop website that wouldn’t use these filters in case of power failure and the deeper sections of gravel would no longer get oxygenated water flowing through.

 

[Caliban07]

I’m wondering if I have my airline attached but very very low if that would work

They are not really needed. Most matured substrates will naturally form areas with very low levels of oxygen anyway. If you don’t actively add nitrate, keep stocking at a reasonable level and use live plants then you can quite easily register a 0 on the nitrate test kit. I’ve been running 0 nitrates and phosphates for some time now.





Unfortunately as the Hygro is now higher than the light fixture the leaves have gone droopy. I’m going to raise the fixture so the plant knows which way is up [emoji23]

 

[coralbandit]

Plenums utilise a gap between the glass base of the tank and the substrate. A small amount of flow is fed down in to the layer to create very low levels of oxygen. This facilitates the growth of microorganisms that use nitrate as an electron acceptor instead of oxygen to grow which allows you to run very low levels of nitrate.

Dr Kevin Novak uses them to great effect. His videos are on YouTube.

I don’t know much about under gravel filters.

I Like the idea behind this ..
I will probably be incorporating this in the upcoming 75g. build .
The problem with deep sand beds is eventually some how they become disturbed..
This is like a double locked vault..
I wonder if feeding the plenum [ vodka or other carbon source] could enhance denitrification like in denitrate reactors.
I have built reactors before.Pretty simple and straight forward but still another piece of equipment to maintain... This seems effortless after the build...

 

[Caliban07]

I Like the idea behind this ..
I will probably be incorporating this in the upcoming 75g. build .
The problem with deep sand beds is eventually some how they become disturbed..
This is like a double locked vault..
I wonder if feeding the plenum [ vodka or other carbon source] could enhance denitrification like in denitrate reactors.
I have built reactors before.Pretty simple and straight forward but still another piece of equipment to maintain... This seems effortless after the build...

Hi CB

I’m not sure. I can’t see any reason it wouldn’t but judging by Dr Novak’s aquarium (he uses it for Discus and doesn’t change water very often) I wouldn’t see the need. It’s so effective. However like I say, over time in any aquarium you are essentially creating your own plenum all over albeit as you alluded too they are best left undisturbed.

It really depends what you want from your system. If you are aquascaper and need to move plants around regularly you may not benefit as well from a maturing substate if it is being disturbed regularly but you may not enjoy the extra gap at the base of the tank from an aesthetics point of view.

If like me and salt water keepers you want to run low nutrient tanks and change less water they would be a great advantage. Even more so in a salt tank that does not have the added benefit of plants to remove nutrients too. I’ve managed to do it without the plenum and I can wholeheartedly say that even though I don’t change water often, the tank water is stable and in some ways ‘cleaner’ than the average aquarium.

I’d definitely recommend trying it. At least you could feed back to the community and my bet is that it will serve you well.