Anybody use a D.S.B. Jaubert/Plenum Filter?

[Thomas White]

I will be starting my tank befor long and this is the next step I need to work out... Thank you for any help. I need it.

[schiejr]

My understanding is the DSB has superseded plenums-similar results with less effort. This will get you a bump anyways.

[outy]

jaubert,s methods are more then 20 years old, he started early 80,s in a labratory setting with a team of scientist to make his style work. it has to be finely tuned to say the least. and to many its thought that he supplimented his tank with natural sea water like many of his other displays.

his method is best left in the graveyard of complicated methods that are not practical for the home hobbiest.

do not confuse jauberts method for a simple plenum, theres much more to it

[Genetics]

I believe the plenum is returning and starting to rechallenge the DSB. The major advantage of the plenum was once installed it was relatively easy to upkeep and if done correctly allows for the top layer to be safely removed and replaced every 5 yrs or so. The major push in plenums I have seen recently is to keep the hydrogen sulfide buildup minimized where it has been noted to build up in DSB and eventually cause a release all at once removing oxygen from the water and quickly asphyxiating all fish within the tank. Of course this is the worse case senario that has been described but none the less is a possibility. The installation of the small region of oxygen deprived water underneath the gravel helps to keep hydrogen sulfide build up to a minimum.

If you're looking at various methods at setting up your tank I would look into the addition of a refugium and use that refugium either for your DSB, plenum, or maybe miracle mud if that idea is still around. Miracle mud functions great but lacks the buffering capacity you see with the other two. HTH

[bertoni]

Personally, I'm not convinced that the plenum actually functions much. If set up properly, they usually aren't a problem, though. I wouldn't bother. There's a series of articles at AdvancedAquarist.com that has a study of these chocies, and concludes the plenum doesn't work all that well.

A live DSB might do some filtration for you, but the stocking kits are fairly expensive. Also, they limit the animals that can be kept in the tank, since a fair number of animals will clean out the infauna that makes the DSB live.

[bertoni]

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/august2003/chem.htm

That's the first in the series.