Menard, advise on plenum

[Sullyman]

Menard, could you explain your plenum, what you made it with?
I used one for years, made it with an old under gravel filter plate
that was wrapped with plastic screen. Curious how you set yours up.
Also, If I went with the crushed dolomite as a substrate, how deep would you go? I'm thinking about taking this Kolorscape sand back to HD and going for the Dolomite. I wonder if they have screens out at that quarry.
Bob

 

[Douglas LEHMAN]

Hello
Menardo left me incharge. Cut a piece of egg crate 2" shorter than the length and 1" short of the width, glue 2" lengths of 3/4" pvc pipe every 6" or so and wrap top and bottom with fiber glass window screening. Center it in the aquarium and cover with 4"+ of aragonite I like and use Carib Sea Crushed coral. How large is the aquarium. For my new 180, 72"x18"x4"X.06=311 lbs. Ouch maybe I'll go BB?

 

[Sullyman]

Thanks Doug. I think I'm going to pursue the crushed dolomite.
I've been thinking about how well my tanks have done with plenums. That sounds like a much better way to do it, thanks again Doug.
I'll be looking at about the same amount/pounds as you, but I won't be moving it.

 

[Douglas LEHMAN]

Hello
Does this mean I work for Menardo, whens payday?

 

[Sullyman]

And working through the night, no less.
Menard left us in good hands.

 

[menard]

Bob
The way I made my plenum,its easy, reliable,stable all the way.
Back in the old days they tought set the plenum and expect it to handle all for U. They were mistaken, Do all the husbandry thats nessesary, plenum will keep it stable.

U can do this 2 ways In the tank or remotely. If U gonna do this remote make sure the surface area is half the tank volume.

The beauty of plenum is, U dont need tons of LR to make it work, in time the plenum bed becomes effective as LR.

OK, materials

Egg create
CPVC
Plastic zip ties
Fiber glass screen

Now cut the egg create to size, Leght and width of the tank, give it 1/2" clearance all around.
Cut the CPVC pipe in strips, this gonna be your spacers , zip tie them onto the egg create.
Now the plenum is done, put them in the tank and apply your 1st screen, then pour crush corals, shells, dolomite ,more variety is better, make that 2" thick
Again apply the 2nd screen on top then apply another 2" of carib sea sea floor sand, U can apply another screen if U keep sand dwelling such as fish , sandsiffting animals.
The 3rd screen prevents them disturb the bottom.

Heres pic for ya.

 

[Ereefic]

What are the maintanence requirements to keep a plenum operating smoothly? What are the 'do's and dont's' of a plenum system?

 

[Sullyman]

Thanks Menard, What size pvc do you use?

 

[rickyb]

I used 3/4". Does that make me in charge for Monday afternoon?

 

[menard]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7895156#post7895156 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ereefic
What are the maintanence requirements to keep a plenum operating smoothly? What are the 'do's and dont's' of a plenum system?

Lots of nasarius snails. The advantage of 3rd screen allows U to siphon the top w/o diturbing the bottom.
The bottom must not be disturb, let the anaerobic bacteria do their part, same as the inner core of the live rock .

 

[menard]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7895341#post7895341 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sullyman
Thanks Menard, What size pvc do you use?

I used 1/2" CPVC not PVC, this one gives U 3/4" space to high for me.

 

[Ereefic]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7895806#post7895806 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by menard
Lots of nasarius snails. The advantage of 3rd screen allows U to siphon the top w/o diturbing the bottom.
The bottom must not be disturb, let the anaerobic bacteria do their part, same as the inner core of the live rock .

So you just need good critters to stir the top layer of sand. That's it? Sounds too easy.

Does bioload of the tank determine the effectivness of the plenum?

 

[zoebeaglezoe]

sullyman could you post pictures as you set it up. is this going in your display tank?

 

[menard]

Does bioload of the tank determine the effectivness of the plenum? [/B][/QUOTE]

Yes, you need to feed the bacteria in return the bacteria give U a healthy plenum.
Kinda like ZEO, w/o having to buy all that ingredients to keep youir system healthy.

 

[Ereefic]

How do you compare a plenum to a traditional DSB? What are the pro's and con's of a plenum over a DSB?

IYO, is a plenum better than a DSB? If so, please explain.

 

[Sullyman]

Menard it all sounds good, the stability is what I'm looking for. That and less live rock, more room for coral. Very easy to set up. How does it look along the glass.
I'll take some pics, if I have a working camera, a little rain damage yesterday. Anybody sell cameras?

 

[menard]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7896593#post7896593 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ereefic
How do you compare a plenum to a traditional DSB? What are the pro's and con's of a plenum over a DSB?

IYO, is a plenum better than a DSB? If so, please explain.

My experience, Plenum over traditional DSB.
Takes 3 yrs before U know the answer to this.
DSB you really have to stay on top all the times.
Plenum could take neglect and still gives U peace of mind.w/o having to worry about agae bloom take over and choke your whole system.
Take alook at my system, all I do is water change,I make sure Ca and Alk. are balance, clean the skimmer, Done, I walk away. Nothing else

 

[Ereefic]

Any problem using finer sand throught the whole depth instead of coarser stuff at the bottom?

 

[menard]

. How does it look along the glass.

Coralline coated along the glass.

 

[menard]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7896934#post7896934 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ereefic
Any problem using finer sand throught the whole depth instead of coarser stuff at the bottom?

No problem !
Since U mention that, i experiment w/ all sorts of substrate combination i could think of everytime I set new tank for my costumers.
So far so good.

Southdown would not work for this applications.Too fine.