Reef Discussion

Walthall89 · 02/25/2016, 09:14 PM

Hey all!

I am doing some more serious research for my soon to be rebuilt reef tank. (crappy light = death to all.)

So I picked up a book at 1/2 price books "Natural Reef Aquariums" by John H. Tullock.

In the first chapter it discusses biological filtration, and its says a method to boost denitrifying bacteria is to basically have an area under your sand bed that is sealed off to fishes and inverts where you can have anoxic water to boost bacteria growth and create better bio. filtration.

Is this method used by anyone here?

The method states that you do the following;
Bare Bottom Aquarium >> Plastic spacers 1-2" in depth >> Something called "Eggcrate" in the electrical trade >> Fiberglass layer or Plastic Screening >> Live Sand.

Just interested in your thoughts as my sand is just sitting on my glass.

thegrun · 02/25/2016, 10:03 PM

It's called the The Jalbert/Plenum Method, developed in the 1980's, it not often used anymore. There were issues with Hydrogen Sulfide gasses collecting in the anaerobic areas and then releasing all at once into the tank killing all the livestock. There are still some practitioners but simply using about a pound per gallon of live rock for filtration seems to be a safer method of bacteriological filtration.

02/25/2016, 09:14 PM	#1
Walthall89 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: St. Louos Posts: 4	Reef Discussion Hey all! I am doing some more serious research for my soon to be rebuilt reef tank. (crappy light = death to all.) So I picked up a book at 1/2 price books "Natural Reef Aquariums" by John H. Tullock. In the first chapter it discusses biological filtration, and its says a method to boost denitrifying bacteria is to basically have an area under your sand bed that is sealed off to fishes and inverts where you can have anoxic water to boost bacteria growth and create better bio. filtration. Is this method used by anyone here? The method states that you do the following; Bare Bottom Aquarium >> Plastic spacers 1-2" in depth >> Something called "Eggcrate" in the electrical trade >> Fiberglass layer or Plastic Screening >> Live Sand. Just interested in your thoughts as my sand is just sitting on my glass.

02/25/2016, 10:03 PM	#2
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	It's called the The Jalbert/Plenum Method, developed in the 1980's, it not often used anymore. There were issues with Hydrogen Sulfide gasses collecting in the anaerobic areas and then releasing all at once into the tank killing all the livestock. There are still some practitioners but simply using about a pound per gallon of live rock for filtration seems to be a safer method of bacteriological filtration.