Dsb Construction

[nickd]

I'm currently setting up a 6 ft tank which will have a 42 x 15 x 17 inch sump. The substrate section will be 24 x 17. Couple of questions:

1 - will this be sufficient if I choose to go DSB with a plenum? I'm not sure if it's big enough to cope.

2 - I'm presently running mud with algae and having good results. If I decide on this, then I'm considering running an AP600 skimmer as well.

Having read Simons piece on DSB (reef-eden) and enjoyed it very muchly, I'm wanting those experienced reefers to confirm if it will work on this size.

Replies greatly received :rolleyes:


Regards

Nick

[kim]

You don't seem to have enough space for a DSB plus a plenum ? Since the structure of each is quite different, you probably shouldn't try and combine them.

kim

[danny]

Putting a plenum under a sand bed is a good idea I believe. I can`t see any problems arising from doing so but it could have a couple of advantages.

1, having an equalizing effect on the oxygen level in the lower layers so reducing the chance of areas becoming stagnant.

2, allowing easier migration of organisms through the sand bed.

3, The fully processed inert waste (mulm) have some where to go rather than just blocking up the lower layers of sand.

FWIW I run a 3" sand bed with plenum in an 18" x 10" .

[nickd]

I'm happy regarding the DSB with plenum. I believe the school of thought was to have a DSB about 2/3 of the tank base.

I wondered if running one only 1/3 of the area, but coupled with 100 kg of rock and a Deltec AP600 skimmer would cope with bioload of the tank.

What do you think?

I either go this route or stick with mud and algae.

I can see benefits of both systems.

Nick

[Glyn]

Nick -

Before you add a plenum, read the "Overall Summary" section near the end of this recent article;

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/7/aafeature

The whole 2 articles are heavy going, but they do seem to have carried out controlled research on DSBs & plenums.

Glyn

[5061litres]

a DSB and a PLENUM are 2 different things.
A DSB is made purely of grain size smaller than 1mm down to 0.005mm. aragonite sugar fine is the most used.

A plenum is an area of water seperated but contained underneath a bed of sand that is roughly 3-6mm in size.

Both do a good job at what they do, but a plenum takes longer to establish IMO.

i have used both on tans that i have had and the DSB has come up trumps each time. i have always gone for a DSB as big as i can get it.
I have seen various sizes of DSB on my travels ranging in size from just 13"x6" on a 5' tank, to one that was double the size of the 6' tank that it was attached to.

Whatever u go for (DSB :ph34r: ) make sure that u seed it with cups of sand from other peoples tanks, so as to get a very diverse range of life forms in and on teh surface of the sand.
the more life that u can get in there to begin with the better the results in the long run.
just 1 cup of sand from 4 peoples tanks will be great.

tony.

[danny]

They may be different by generally accepted definition but you can put a plenum under fine sand too. :)

[brioc]

i would go for a dsb and also have algae in with it and maybe another tank just with algae have run a 130gal tank like this with high stocking and nitrates level at 15ppm would like it lower but its ok "brioc"