sand bed questions

[A.T.DAWG]

im am going to set up a 75g aquarium and dont know if i should do a deep sand bed, i heard they "crash" is this true? if so how likely/often do they crash? and how hard is it to recover a crashed sand bed? also what other types of sand beds would be good to use?

 

[mflamb]

Check this out:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=803688
Mike

 

[A.T.DAWG]

thank you that was very helpful, but i will have to think a while before deciding.

 

[mflamb]

It's always better to think before than after.....

 

[Acolin]

I hate moving tanks with sand beds, but Brian Green uses them all the time, very good for low nitrates...

 

[A.T.DAWG]

i also heard about something called a plenum, does anyone know how these work and if they are good to use?

 

[Ah64av8tor]

A plenum works great but I think you will get the same results with a DSB. Check out GARF they have a bullet proof reef that uses a plenum. There is a lot of good info on the site.

 

[A.T.DAWG]

thx this site will help alot.

 

[mflamb]

I used a plenum on a 75 reef for over 7 years before I had to move the tank. Never had a problem.

 

[A.T.DAWG]

what exactly is a plenum and how does it differ from a dsb? is one easier to maintain than the other and does one work better than the other?

 

[Ah64av8tor]

Read the Garf site it will explain, but basicly it is a dead spot of water under the sand it pulls nitrates down into it to be broaken down. It gives the same effect as a DSB with half of the sand.

 

[A.T.DAWG]

hmm...garf seems to have everything lol thx

 

[mflamb]

half the sand but the same amount of tank space occupied....

 

[A.T.DAWG]

does anyone think one works better than the other or are they about the same?

 

[Ah64av8tor]

You really cant have diggers (Jawfish, Pistol shrimp & Gobby) in a tank with a plenum is the main difference. Other than that they function about the same.

 

[mflamb]

I agree, and I want Jawfish and Gobbys, so no plenum on the 390, only a dumptruck load of sand!!!

 

[A.T.DAWG]

ok...well because i really wanted a pistol shrimp and goby symbiotic relationship so the plenum is out, I'm definitely not doing a bare bottom tank, so its between a normal sand bed and a deep sand bed.

thx for all the help guys

 

[playa0069u]

at at a.v. they have a plenum I beleive, but the put an extra layer of screan in the sand so the jawfish and what not cant get through all of the way. I think. A plenum is like eggcrate raised up on pvc pipes, with screan over it, then summ c.c then lots and lots of sand. The water in the plenum is like less than 1ppm oxygen. Now I KNOW I am wrong hear, but it is something like, because of some atom I dont remember which, because of the lack of oxygen, everybody is taking it from the no2(or 3 i dont remember lol) making it just nitrogen gas. that is completely wrong but the concept is there lol.