Plenum HELP-Stay or go?

[saltydog64]

Hi slatydog64,

I agree with the guys, the tank has to be set up and maintained for a plenum and has to be done. I have a situation in my tank now and am also not trying to turn it into a plenum vs bb vs dsb vs ssb by no means. I wanted to know if my I guess not maintained plenum is adding to my problem I cant pinpoint where else it may be coming from Just looking for some good direction, advice and suggestions. As to pulling the plenum out I did not do that yet I will probably pull it after the new year so I can have it well planned out and extra hands on deck. But here are some pics from underneath the tank looking up at the plenum you could see the PVC spacers. I don't think it looks that bad.

Anthony

Anthony,

Those pics are excellant and you're right that looks very good under there nice job !!

I certainly didn't take it as any kind of bashing, which is good of you to say and I too have no interest in doing that.....

So what to do ??? One thing you could do is to take a look @ the tread on running a sulfur denitrifier found here :

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1400576&goto=newpost. If you go there, go to the start, an excellant read on a nice DIY project and it really works, as I run one to this day and maintain a range of Nitrate from 0 to 5 PPM with one. At one time my Nitrate was as high as + 200 PPM :mad2::mad2:, and the tank was over-run in micro-alage....a real mess, @ least u don't have problem as your tank looks great !!!

Taking a look @ your setup you certainly aren't intimiated by any of the equip. used today so what the heck what's one more toy :lolspin::lolspin:

With Christmas coming up good to put off any big changes right now good move...

Good luck on whatever u do...

Dick

 

[jbardwel]

plenum

plenum

your tank looks nice to me, if it is not broke I wouldnt fix it. Nitrates are probably just one measure of tank health, the most important measure is how well it looks, to me yours looks great. Change can be bad, if you take the plenum out you risk disturbing what looks like a great ecosystem, just MO

 

[ONEWAY]

HI Jim
In the pics the tank looks good but there was some rtning going on. That's what brought me to the problem with the nitrates all other parameters are right on. And some corals showed stress. It is getting better but not where I want it to be, that's why I think the plenum might be leaching nitrates. I can't pinpoint why I can't get the nitrates low. I also am not a heavy feeder. So that's why Im looking for ideas if the plenum is the problem.

Anthony

 

[saltydog64]

HI Jim
In the pics the tank looks good but there was some rtning going on. That's what brought me to the problem with the nitrates all other parameters are right on. And some corals showed stress. It is getting better but not where I want it to be, that's why I think the plenum might be leaching nitrates. I can't pinpoint why I can't get the nitrates low. I also am not a heavy feeder. So that's why Im looking for ideas if the plenum is the problem.

Anthony

Tony......As you continue to ponder your option(s) I really don't think the Plenum it's self will "leach" NO3, but other things can and do, for example the rocks them selfs or the substrate, but not the Plenum per say. I took another look @ your posted photos on photo-bucket and I have a ?? for u, what are those black lookiing sponges in your setup...we got rid of bio-balls because their a Nitrate factory, those sponges could also be "bio-active"
as I'm sure they are....if so, they'll kick NO3 for sure...just my quick $0.02

Dick

 

[ONEWAY]

Hi dick, yea I know anything in the system that can cause a problem is taken care of on my weekly maintainace. Those sponges are to catch micro bubbles from my skimmer which is changed weekly along with my overflow filters and filter sock. That's all I have for michanical filtration.

Anthony

 

[albano]

Hi slatydog64,
But here are some pics from underneath the tank looking up at the plenum

for the record I have a 150g sump/plenum for a 300g DT, for the past 5+ years, which I was planning on using on my 450g upgrade...As I recall from reading while setting up the system, it was important to block ALL light from the plenum...how much light is under your stand (if any)?





http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/tank-threads/63397-hundreds-corals-fish-free.html