The Jaubert Plenum System

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WestTex

Gambusia
MFK Member
Jun 15, 2008
135
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New Braunfels, Texas
Found this article on a possible alternative to the 1lb of LR / gallon system and was wondering if any of you have ever tried it.

I was researching the Pistol Shrimp/Watchman Goby combo for my 20 gal that i am going to set up when i cam across it.

http://www.proaquatix.com/Docs/WatchmanGobies.pdf

The only thing that has kept me from setting the tank up has been the cost of 20 lbs of live rock for a FWLR setup.

Have any of you tried this method? If so how much LR would you suggest in addition?
 
ahh... plenums... jaubert's conspiracy...

the idea has been thrown around alot since the 60's but no real headway has been made.. and success seems to come to individuals.. not processes.. jaubert specifically had his in an open water system.. which could have also lead to his success..
essentially all it is, is a deep sand bed.. ~6 inches.. too much for a 20 gallon unless you like half the tank being sand.. :D
 
I have never tried the method but it seems just like regular logic to do so. I mean sand does have way more surface area than rock so it just makes sense. I have thought about setting up a tank with no LR in it and running a few experiments to find out ways I can handle the bio load without LR ,a skimmer or a heavy filtration system. Specifically for sharks that way you do not have to put rock in the tank which takes up swim space. I was thinking something with plastic straws as the filtration system since I have seen people use them instead of bio balls. All the rock does is provide a surface for bacteria and micro-organisms to grow on.
 
Having never done a salt tank and had it relatively well cost wise..i'm reluctant to invites 200 bucks in live rock and sand. I don't like to cut corners on my tanks, but I am interested in any possible alternatives that would work very well and still save me a little money.
 
Just buy some normal rock and then like 1 pound of LR and let the rock cure and become LR. For sand you can just use play sand which costs around 5 bucks for 50 lbs. If you add some LR it will make everything turn live after a while. It just takes some time but is a lot cheaper.
 
That's good to know. I may go and buy 10 lbs of LR with another 10 lbs of normal rock and some coral sand. I'm in no hurry so i will let it sit for a month or so before I add a couple critters to the tank
 
live sand wouldn't replace the LR anyway... they do different things for a tank
 
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