window screen/egg crate under sand bed ?

nxma14 · 05/12/2007, 12:01 AM

Setting up a new 125 gallon tank, 6 feet X 18â€ X 22â€ . 800 gph max flow Refugium under the canopy, Aqua C EV 240 Skimmer.

Would you recommend putting small diameter pvc pipes to frame out the bottom of tank for window screen or egg crate prior to putting the sand in. What are the benefits?
For proper biological filtration, will I have to sacrifice a minimum of 4â€ of tank height for sand ?

pledosophy · 05/12/2007, 12:59 AM

What you are reffering to is called a plenum.

IMHO I like to use remote sandbeds, which is a DSB which is housed outside the tank, and not lit.

I will warn you that the depth of sand, the size of the sand, the brand of the sand, whether or not you should have sand, and a shallow sand bed, a deep sand bed, or a plenum, combined in topics probably have over a 100,000 posts on this site, maybe more. Your in for a dousy.

IMO you do not have to sacrafice the extra room if you do not want to, but you will need to plan for nitrate export.

There are many succsessful ways to run a tank.

JMO

Sk8r · 05/12/2007, 01:14 AM

I just set eggcrate on my bottom glass, to prevent rocks from turning or moving due to burrowing---and to prevent a major part of the weight of a larger rock resting all on one single point on the bare glass.

nxma14 · 05/12/2007, 10:10 PM

Thank you pledosophy

Bax · 05/13/2007, 06:30 AM

I have egg crate across the bottom of my 4 x 2 120 g. I placed the bottom rocks on it first, then added sand. The rock has still managed to move a little over the 9 or so months the tank has been up. I think the EG adds stability.

Doesn't there need to be several inches of sand below the EG to act as a plenum?

seansod · 05/13/2007, 08:49 AM

I put the eggcrate on the bottom then put in the rock and sand. So far (3 years later) all is well.

Tony

05/12/2007, 12:01 AM	#1
nxma14 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Chicago Posts: 43	window screen/egg crate under sand bed ? Setting up a new 125 gallon tank, 6 feet X 18â€ X 22â€ . 800 gph max flow Refugium under the canopy, Aqua C EV 240 Skimmer. Would you recommend putting small diameter pvc pipes to frame out the bottom of tank for window screen or egg crate prior to putting the sand in. What are the benefits? For proper biological filtration, will I have to sacrifice a minimum of 4â€ of tank height for sand ?

05/12/2007, 12:59 AM	#2
pledosophy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Beaverton Posts: 5,290	What you are reffering to is called a plenum. IMHO I like to use remote sandbeds, which is a DSB which is housed outside the tank, and not lit. I will warn you that the depth of sand, the size of the sand, the brand of the sand, whether or not you should have sand, and a shallow sand bed, a deep sand bed, or a plenum, combined in topics probably have over a 100,000 posts on this site, maybe more. Your in for a dousy. IMO you do not have to sacrafice the extra room if you do not want to, but you will need to plan for nitrate export. There are many succsessful ways to run a tank. JMO __________________ 120g mixed reef 90g QT

05/12/2007, 01:14 AM	#3
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I just set eggcrate on my bottom glass, to prevent rocks from turning or moving due to burrowing---and to prevent a major part of the weight of a larger rock resting all on one single point on the bare glass. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

05/13/2007, 06:30 AM	#5
Bax Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 5,619	I have egg crate across the bottom of my 4 x 2 120 g. I placed the bottom rocks on it first, then added sand. The rock has still managed to move a little over the 9 or so months the tank has been up. I think the EG adds stability. Doesn't there need to be several inches of sand below the EG to act as a plenum? __________________ 150 gallon Perfecto with 1500 gph GH overflow / DIY stand-wine bar / Dart Return / SRO XP3000 Ext skimmer / 75 g frag / 40 g fuge / 40 g DIY sump / Orphek P156 & Kessil 150A Current Tank Info: 150 DT/ 40B fuge/ 75g frag/ 40 g sump/ SRO XP 3000 Ext/ TUNZEs & VorTechs circulation/Dart return/ MTC Pro Cal/ UV & Oz

05/12/2007, 10:10 PM	#4
nxma14 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Chicago Posts: 43	Thank you pledosophy

05/13/2007, 08:49 AM	#6
seansod Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach, Va. Posts: 135	I put the eggcrate on the bottom then put in the rock and sand. So far (3 years later) all is well. Tony