to plenum or not to plenum...dat be da question!

cichlidite · 07-08-2002, 04:25 PM

I ran across this interesting summary of the plenum, clearly written by an advocate of the concept.

http://www.pgjr.alpine.k12.ut.us/aqua/plenum.html

I've also read that this is not a necessity, even without a DSB. I'd be very curious as to your thoughts, and some examples of successes and failures with a plenum. Pros? Cons? Cost/benefit? More trouble than it's worth? Gotta have?

Based on what I have seen and heard, I'm leaning toward a DSB in a refugium, and leaving 1.5 inches of sugar-fine in the tank, and no plenum.

Gratis,
Mike

galleon · 07-08-2002, 06:11 PM

The use of a plenum comes from a system devised by coral scientist Dr. Jean Jaubert. His original system (called the Microcean) is a very effective way of keeping a living reef. It was originally designed to replicate wild reef conditions exactingly enough for accurate research. Using just a plenum with protein skimmer and other add-ons not used in the Jaubert system seem to be a waste of time. In my humble opinion, if you aren't using the Microcean, then I wouldn't bother going to the extra work of a plenum. More detailed Microcean info: http://www.thereeftank.com/forum/sho...hlight=Jaubert
Chris

DeepSix · 07-09-2002, 08:39 AM

just the info i was looking for

, i had a misconception about these too. i though one could run a protein skimmer injunction with a plenum, but it actually works against it

.
so,would a plenum work in a fish only tank using a typical bio-ball sump filter?

d6

ShirleyM · 07-09-2002, 10:47 AM

Plenums....what a subject for debate ... and i believe if there were some serious scientific research done, we might have less reason for debate.

I read, read, and read everything scientific I could find on plenums, even talked to two sources, one local and one a marine biologist grad student/researcher from out of state...never really could decide which way to go back when Troy was setting up his 30G reef (our first to enjoy!). The plenum just made more biochemical sense, so we have a plenum in all our tanks except the 10G. (30G reef, 120G reef, 125G fowlr). We also run protein skimmers on all but the 10G. The 10 and 30 have no sumps. The 30G was successful for 3-1/2 yrs (Troy took it down in March since he can't keep one at his place for quite awhile), the 120G is 3-1/2 yrs old, the 125G is 2-1/2 yrs old, and the 10 is nearly 4 yrs old. The tanks also have 4-6" medium size Caribe Sea aragonite.

Regarding the skimming, and again this isn't scientific, but a large quantity of water makes it past our skimmers without being "skimmed". I believe that larger sumps and larger skimmers (huge skimmers) would make a significant improvement in water quality and other conditions in the tanks.

I have no idea if the plenums have helped, made no difference, or hindered. And our local fellow reefers with DSB, no DSB, plenum, or no plenum, all seem to go thru the same occasional algae problems we have gone through...

Galleon, I read your article - impressive and a lot of work put into combining all the information from all the sources! I'm going to print it to read more carefully later...

Shirley