I started this post last night and got booted by AC updating. I have the habit of copying what I've typed once in a while, because I like to reach for the mouse and hit the back button on the side of it. And poof, all gone. So I get to start from their.
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Yesterdays stuffs...
Do you have any pics or links to a DIY plenum?
Bob Goemans, found here >
http://www.saltcorner.com/1024/index1024.htm
You would have to buy his books or one of'em to get the good stuff from him. Gotta make a living some how. :huh:
This one says it has...
"Constructing the Plenum Living Sand System"
and
"Freshwater Plenum Systems"
http://www.saltcorner.com/1024/index1024.htm
Hummm? Someone besides me has done it! Kinda makes me wonder if I was first?(in FW) LOL I know, how ya gonna prove it, and does it really matter.
Although he had never mentioned it, back when I was reading his stuff in magazines. And most of what I read was kind of like one of our DIY Build threads. Doing it and telling about it, all at the same time. And 100% about SW.
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The other guy and maybe the originator. Was John Tullock.
This guy >
http://www.amdareef.com/mbr_tullock.intro.htm
And countless other links for him.
Do a search on him, and you'll see.
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Today.....
Heres some instructions I just found >
http://www.pgjr.alpine.k12.ut.us/aqua/plenum.html#Figure1
I didn't read them. But looks just like what I done by the pictures. Except for one thing.
I wraped the egg crate with the screen.
As in...
Lay screen on table.
Lay egg crate on it.
Fold screen over it, with some silicone hear and there to hold it.
Then siliconed the pvc tubes to that.(ok, 2 things different)
It wasn't all nice n snug, but kept everything where I wanted it while moving it around. It sounded better than arguing with it in the tank.
I think I had 2" of playsand on top of it.
Also, if it didn't mention it. I made it small enough that I'd have about an inch of substrate all the way around it. it seems that All of our bacterias prefer darkness.
And like I mentioned about the Denitrator tubes, or probably any denitrator. This needs to be real close on exactness too. Mainly amount of open area and depth of substrate.
I did use his ideals for both of those, per sw/reef.
It was a few yrs back, and I don't remember the exacts on either.
Do some searching on "plenum" and you should be able to find something out there on the size for them.
Or, buy his book.
Obviously he's done fw too, now.
And a P.S.
And again, no qoutin'. As in, research it, before trying it. I'm just trying to give some heads-ups, info stuff. That could need considered.
In SW for a substrate. I think he used two different types. I'm pretty sure, it was argonite for the bottom layer. This was helping with the calcium lvl in the water for corals. Something about the water in the open area(plenum), would drop in pH to something like 5.?. Which the aragonite would react to, releasing calcium.
And a good reason for him to wonder how long the substrate would last. Would it end up self-destructing etc.
I quit getting my magazine subscriptions long before he would have been able to write about long term affects.
And well... then the internet came around. Ya AOheL. And yea, I started refering to it as that, after I figured out I could use anybody and IE.
