kaOzGrUnT

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So I see this design of plenum and I noticed a PVC elbow sticking out of one corner, I read that you are supposed to vacuum the plenum, could someone explain the reason why, how often should be done and anything else you know about this system design.
 

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You are not going to find many people running plenum systems anymore-- they were quite popular 10+ years ago. It is not that they don't work, it is just most folks found that they could get the same results using a deep, or shallow, or no sandbed at all providing they set their systems up correctly and plenums just kind of became unnecessary.
 

DrGonzo

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You are not going to find many people running plenum systems anymore-- they were quite popular 10+ years ago. It is not that they don't work, it is just most folks found that they could get the same results using a deep, or shallow, or no sandbed at all providing they set their systems up correctly and plenums just kind of became unnecessary.

Randy, what were they used for?
 

kaOzGrUnT

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Sorry, my question is: Why would I have to use a pump to vacuum the plenum once set up.
I am going to use a plenum, I just want to know if the riser tube is necessary
 

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ychan

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I use plenum with deep sand bed in my tank. It works well. The pump set up is only for initial phase for circulation, tank cycling, help settlement and bacteria colonization for nitrification. After ~ one or two months, you remove the riser tube and plug the hole to create a stagnant, low oxygen zone. (switch to second cycle from nitrification to denitrification). You needs to use fine mesh to cover the plenum to prevent sand fall inside it (Otherwise, it becomes just another deep sand bed!)
 

kaOzGrUnT

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The pictures above are for reference only, it is not my plenu frame, i finished mine yesterday and it has the mesh on it, I will use large grain crushed coral mixed with argonite and then after the second mesh I'll use finer grain live sand.

what do you think?
 

tosiek

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Why the Plenum?

Really out of curiosity because as Randy said its a proven working system but outdated with all the new toys and ways of doing a system, and a little unnecessary. Only places i see them is a small sump deep sand or mud compartment and even then people just use mud alone and replace every year.

Its a part that overcomplicates the system without adding anything more than you can achieve with an easier simpler way.
 

ychan

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Just browse thru the site, you still see reefer asking question about how to denitrify. There are many ways/methods for denitrication. Plenum is just another way. It is simple to do & "cheap", but take time to work. Once setup, you won't see or remember it. It is just another way to help to decrease the nitrate level. Many vendor selling denitrators which are more than few hundreds! Plenum works but not perfect.
 

House of Laughter

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don't ever allow the water below the plenum to get into your tank water.

The draining process of the Jaubert method is only a recent concept(5-7yrs old)and the drain should be no more than 1/4 hose to drain the water,

I have a close friend who still uses this method with great success. When i first start my 92 bowfront - I used both Jaubert and Berlin methods - see the before and after images inline here.

HTH

House
 

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kaOzGrUnT

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don't ever allow the water below the plenum to get into your tank water.

The draining process of the Jaubert method is only a recent concept(5-7yrs old)and the drain should be no more than 1/4 hose to drain the water,

I have a close friend who still uses this method with great success. When i first start my 92 bowfront - I used both Jaubert and Berlin methods - see the before and after images inline here.

HTH

House

Could you elaborate more on the draining of the plenum, how often? What's the reason for it?
 

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