Corrugated Plastic as substrate filter???

[johntbyrne]

This is probably a crazy idea and stupid. I was thinking that if you place a sheet or several sheets of the corrugated plastic in the bottom of a tank that the holes would fill with water but have little to no flow resulting in low o2 zones and filtering. The only problem I see is keeping detrius out of the little tubes creating a Nitrate sink. Like I said probably stupid but has anyone tried this? If it was used with a sand bed I think maybe Ditrius wouldn't be a problem. Cutting the plastic to fit very close to the sides of the tank would help too I would think.

Anyone try this?

 

[drew22to375]

I really don't see it creating low o2 zones. Sand is a heck of a lot finer than the holes on the coroplast. If you do use it in your tank make sure you wash it really good or flash it with a torch to burn off all the manufacturing oils.

Drew..

 

[johntbyrne]

If water doesn't flow through the corrugations it should create the low 02 after some time, especially with sand covering it. With this said I could be wrong too I'll admit. Folks have used these as Nitrate reducers by flowing very low flow water through the corrugations. Water would flow much slower in this case so I kind of think it could work. I'm tempted to try it in a refugium. I was thinking several sheets with corrugations running long ways in the refuge.