I think it is wonderful to be able to see and hear what other hobbiests have experienced. Better than going to a pet store and getting the regurgitated questions and answers. I always learn something here from everyone and the short videos are very well done. I would love to have a 10 gallon tank that looks that good! You have a great Sunday evening. 😊👍
I think the same way as you that a lot of people would love to have a little 10 gallon tank look that good. Unfortunately I haven't seen very many in my lifetime that look quite as good as that 10 gallon tank. Hopefully though more people will come forward with beautiful 10 gallon tanks that I could show others.
Thank you for new video It's been 24 days since I re-started my 240gal discus/clown loach tank this time with plenum built according to recipe of Dr Novak. Because I maintained my biofiltration in my canisters during the transition, the tank is fully cycled and I just wait for nitrates to fall. Currently they are on 20ppm steady level with ammonia, nitrites and phosphates all at zero. The ORP is around 550, pH 6.75, KH 2, GH 5. I also monitor O2 which is 6.5. The 12 sq ft. plenum has two bubblers. I suspect it may take weeks before plenum kicks in to lower no3. While waiting, I appreciate Dr Novak comment. One thing I noticed, all plants I installed after transition are starting to grow and I do not see sign log any algeae. The substrate is gravel capped stratum+fluorite mix. Fish are doing well, some discus are spawning, loaches are every active like never before. Thank you. Greetings from Florida (Pompano Beach).
Hello fellow Floridian. A 240 gallon aquarium is a very large aquarium it would be nice if you can share photos of your aquarium and your experience so others can follow your lead.
Hello Dr Novak. Thank you for reply. I do have about an hour of video footage captured, documenting my work on this project. I just need to do some editing and will follow up once it's uploaded on the YT. Thank you again.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums Hello Dr Novak, I have uploaded video about my plenum build here: ua-cam.com/video/5sULtEOYyuU/v-deo.html Thank you for inspiration. Greetings from Ft. Lauderdale.
Hi , Here was one thing I had been thinking about to start the cycle of Anoxic filteration. 1. Fish wast that collects to the bottom of the aquarium, once reaches it's capacity under the gravel filter will be siphoned periodically into the sump. 2. Now, in the sump I will have fish waste and water, and an undergravel filter in it, instead of using air tube, I will have same air tube with aquarium water flowing into it. This way the aquarium water will have oxygen needed 2 ppm, a continuous cycle can begin, and additional water will flow into the other chamber of the sump and can be pumped back inti the aquarium. This I believe it would work great. One thing though I am unaware of : Though Aerobic bacterias from under gravel filter would be put into the sump chamber, I had a question about this : How much time does it take for it to complete nitrate cycle considering 1 litre of water and fish waste. That way a continuous cycle can be started. Benefiting the fish, plants and water quality. Thanks & Regards, Kamlesh Dhruv
Thanks for using my pic. Sorry about quality it was taken on my phone. My question is do we need to do water changes if water conditions are good. Topping off aquariums I think maybe better, I may be wrong but people maybe doing water changes because nitrates are high( wrong filtration) or maybe because they are led to that conclusion. What do you think.
Would calcium-based zeolite (clinoptilolite) be a suitable substitute for baked clay litter? I live in Aotearoa New Zealand and cannot find any kitty litter (or spill absorbent) that's made with baked clay. They are all some form of zeolite, I assume because we have zeolite quarries here making it common and cheap. The zeolite here in the southern hemisphere has high calcium content rather than high sodium content so tends to exchange calcium ions rather than sodium. I note it also has a high CEC. Thanks!
Hi Dr.Novak, I recently started a 10 gallon tank with a slow moving plenum and was wondering how much water flow you would recommend? Right now I have the full uplift tube of the under gravel filter and it comes out to above the surface of the water so I can see exactly how much flow is going through the gravel, the air pump is running probably about 10% into the uplift tube and 90% into a different air stone. In my opinion this setup allows me to see and control the flow better than having a short tube, but I would love your input.
You would have to run this one very slowly because your uplift tube is really so high it will create a draft and pour more water through the under gravel filter than what you really want. That's why I showed in my videos to cut the up lift tube shorter in order to prevent that draft.
I have not cleaned any of my under gravel filters AKA plenums. A reverse under gravel filter like they tried back in the early 70s will not work. Then it becomes an under gravel filter and only not a Plenum.
Forgive me, but, I am trying to understand the bag for aquariums and ponds. I have the Fluorite Red, but, I do not see it say iron on the package. I found the Laterite, but, it does not say that it has iron in it also. I found the Flourish Iron from your previous videos. So can I add that to the fluorite red? Also, can I make the bag with just the fluorite red and then buy the Flourish Iron and add some of that on it and place it in the pond. 300 gallon pond, homemade. Coffin liner that working great holding water for 10 years already. When I make the plenum for a aquarium, with the fluorite red, do I pour the Flourish Iron on it and let it soak in before filling? Thank you for your time and patience.
Hey doc.. Love your vids.. I also started a plenum tank with a 10G.. Do you recommend a light for it? Id like to add plants in it also..Thanks.. Keep the great content..Cheers
Total novice here. How long will it take before the system to be plugged up with waste? Also I have not heard about what air pump is being used on any videos.
That's a hard question to answer because I don't know the tank size, I don't know the size of the fish, I don't know how much you would be feeding them, there's too many variables to answer that question honestly.
If you please… I have added BCB bags to my sump about 1 week ago. I Did a 10% (15g) & 20% (120g) water change yesterday and I got increased nitrate readings. Pre change nitrate test were 8 & 15 respectively…used only RO water replacement. All other parameters are good, pH 7.6. Post water change the nitrates spiked to read 40 in both tanks! Can you help shed some light please?? Why would the RO only water change initiate a nitrate spike?Does the iron increase nitrates until the BCB bags kick in? I wouldn’t be so concerned with a 40 reading, however it is creating problems for some of the fish. I’m at a loss. Thank You for your time.
What is the nitrate reading of your tap-water that you use? Because if your tanks only showed 8 to 15 ppm of nitrates and then you did a water change and it went up to 40 ppm what changed? The BCB would be in inert because you would've seen already before water change a higher nitrate reading. Did you stir the substrate up or do anything with the filters? Stirring up the substrate can release ammonia and nitrates back into the system that otherwise would've been locked up in the substrate itself.
Dear Dr Novak, I will be getting my new 400 liter tank in a month and am interested to build a plenum like in your videos for my 5 goldfishes. As I would like to have a white sand appearance (I know you don't). Is it OK to add course white sand over the plenum first, then the laterite, and top it up with finer white sand?
Hi can i use clay pebbles instead of kitty litter because in my country its really hard to find a non clumping kitty litter and its also pretty expensive here
A pH meter shows minus 36 in my aqurium water. What does it indicate in terms of ammoina, nitrates ions. How should translate this reading. ? Pl educate.
There has to be something wrong pH goes from -36 it can't be because pH zero which is more acidic than sulfuric acid. The only animal that I know of that has a pH of zero in their stomachs is vultures.
A plenum is the space beneath the gravel. Are you talking about the substrate sitting on the undergravel filter panel? If you are tossing some clay in there, you can use iron. Or you could dose it liquid later. It'll end up in the clay anyways, since clay is negative and iron is positive. Iron is for the plants really. I have one tank where I didn't get to put iron in the clay baskets when setup, and it's done as well as the tank that I did put iron in the clay. I just put some liquid iron in every now and then. Didn't seem to matter.
Absolutely gorgeous tank! If the shrimp are healthy and the plant's are healthy what the hell more could you ask for. Oh yeah an egg in my beer. ( Lol ). You dated yourself with that one. Fortunately I'm only 39 again.
The fishkeeping hobby has literally become a cash grab for the manufacturers. It's pathetic really how they push useless products that have to repeatedly be purchased. A simple deep substrate with a plenum will work for years without having to do anything.
The only motor's I could recommend that are small would be the F zone motor or you would have to go to a more expensive motor for the canister filter. I definitely would check with Amazon and find out when their motors are going to be available again. They seem to run quite well and are quiet with no leaking and for the price they can't be beat.
So I went all guns barreling into setting up an Anoxic Filter, in 3 of my aquariums. I am pulling the plug. After spending about $70 to get the equipment, and the needed materials, and spending the time tearing down the tanks to install the systems I am giving up. It has been a full 6 months since the installation of these systems into my aquariums ... the results are NOT GOOD. I spend more time NOW than I did before cleaning class, substrates, and trying to maintain the Algae. The algae grew so out of control that it killed and wiped out hundreds of dollars worth of plants. I now have more types of algae in my tank that I have never even seen before. I tried taking Rachel O'Leary's approach, "Embrace and love your algae", but the algae have become hugely problematic. It clogs the intake on the filters it won't even come off while scrubbing. I have since had to remove all the hardscape, rocks, and driftwood, I spend 3-4 hours twice a week just trying to keep ONE tank under control. The aquarium(s) is no longer a matter of a quick 5%-10% water change, they are now more like 90-100% water changes. I even kept the fish in the dark for a whole month with no results. What gave me hope to just be able to do light maintenance on the tank, and sit back and enjoy the fish, has now turned into a lot of time that I just don't have. The Science behind is SOUND and SOLID so that is not to blame. here is one more aquarist that will be ripping apart their tanks later this year.
Another hobbyist had the same problem but he found out it was from his lighting and a lack of CO2. Once he corrected the problems the Algae magically disappeared.
That's my goal! Thanks for sharing Dr. Novak!
You can do it!
I think it is wonderful to be able to see and hear what other hobbiests have experienced. Better than going to a pet store and getting the regurgitated questions and answers. I always learn something here from everyone and the short videos are very well done. I would love to have a 10 gallon tank that looks that good! You have a great Sunday evening. 😊👍
I think the same way as you that a lot of people would love to have a little 10 gallon tank look that good. Unfortunately I haven't seen very many in my lifetime that look quite as good as that 10 gallon tank. Hopefully though more people will come forward with beautiful 10 gallon tanks that I could show others.
Thank you for new video It's been 24 days since I re-started my 240gal discus/clown loach tank this time with plenum built according to recipe of Dr Novak. Because I maintained my biofiltration in my canisters during the transition, the tank is fully cycled and I just wait for nitrates to fall. Currently they are on 20ppm steady level with ammonia, nitrites and phosphates all at zero. The ORP is around 550, pH 6.75, KH 2, GH 5. I also monitor O2 which is 6.5. The 12 sq ft. plenum has two bubblers. I suspect it may take weeks before plenum kicks in to lower no3. While waiting, I appreciate Dr Novak comment. One thing I noticed, all plants I installed after transition are starting to grow and I do not see sign log any algeae. The substrate is gravel capped stratum+fluorite mix. Fish are doing well, some discus are spawning, loaches are every active like never before. Thank you. Greetings from Florida (Pompano Beach).
Hello fellow Floridian. A 240 gallon aquarium is a very large aquarium it would be nice if you can share photos of your aquarium and your experience so others can follow your lead.
Hello Dr Novak. Thank you for reply. I do have about an hour of video footage captured, documenting my work on this project. I just need to do some editing and will follow up once it's uploaded on the YT. Thank you again.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums Hello Dr Novak, I have uploaded video about my plenum build here:
ua-cam.com/video/5sULtEOYyuU/v-deo.html
Thank you for inspiration. Greetings from Ft. Lauderdale.
Thanks for the video, information, and insight.
What a great goal for us all,
Jim
Glad it was helpful!
The Anoxic filter has givin me the most freedom I've had with aquariums Period
Thanks Dr Novak. As always it was an excellent video. 👌
Hi ,
Here was one thing I had been thinking about to start the cycle of Anoxic filteration.
1. Fish wast that collects to the bottom of the aquarium, once reaches it's capacity under the gravel filter will be siphoned periodically into the sump.
2. Now, in the sump I will have fish waste and water, and an undergravel filter in it, instead of using air tube, I will have same air tube with aquarium water flowing into it.
This way the aquarium water will have oxygen needed 2 ppm, a continuous cycle can begin, and additional water will flow into the other chamber of the sump and can be pumped back inti the aquarium.
This I believe it would work great. One thing though I am unaware of :
Though Aerobic bacterias from under gravel filter would be put into the sump chamber, I had a question about this : How much time does it take for it to complete nitrate cycle considering 1 litre of water and fish waste. That way a continuous cycle can be started.
Benefiting the fish, plants and water quality.
Thanks & Regards,
Kamlesh Dhruv
Thank you doc👍
Marvelous
Thanks for using my pic. Sorry about quality it was taken on my phone. My question is do we need to do water changes if water conditions are good. Topping off aquariums I think maybe better, I may be wrong but people maybe doing water changes because nitrates are high( wrong filtration) or maybe because they are led to that conclusion. What do you think.
Thx doc.
Would calcium-based zeolite (clinoptilolite) be a suitable substitute for baked clay litter? I live in Aotearoa New Zealand and cannot find any kitty litter (or spill absorbent) that's made with baked clay. They are all some form of zeolite, I assume because we have zeolite quarries here making it common and cheap. The zeolite here in the southern hemisphere has high calcium content rather than high sodium content so tends to exchange calcium ions rather than sodium. I note it also has a high CEC. Thanks!
Hi Dr.Novak,
I recently started a 10 gallon tank with a slow moving plenum and was wondering how much water flow you would recommend? Right now I have the full uplift tube of the under gravel filter and it comes out to above the surface of the water so I can see exactly how much flow is going through the gravel, the air pump is running probably about 10% into the uplift tube and 90% into a different air stone. In my opinion this setup allows me to see and control the flow better than having a short tube, but I would love your input.
You would have to run this one very slowly because your uplift tube is really so high it will create a draft and pour more water through the under gravel filter than what you really want. That's why I showed in my videos to cut the up lift tube shorter in order to prevent that draft.
Hi Dr., I have a cupple of questions, How do you clean the undergravel filter? What do you think about reverse under gravel system? Thanks.
I have not cleaned any of my under gravel filters AKA plenums. A reverse under gravel filter like they tried back in the early 70s will not work. Then it becomes an under gravel filter and only not a Plenum.
Forgive me, but, I am trying to understand the bag for aquariums and ponds. I have the Fluorite Red, but, I do not see it say iron on the package. I found the Laterite, but, it does not say that it has iron in it also. I found the Flourish Iron from your previous videos. So can I add that to the fluorite red? Also, can I make the bag with just the fluorite red and then buy the Flourish Iron and add some of that on it and place it in the pond. 300 gallon pond, homemade. Coffin liner that working great holding water for 10 years already. When I make the plenum for a aquarium, with the fluorite red, do I pour the Flourish Iron on it and let it soak in before filling? Thank you for your time and patience.
Hi! Can i use chelated iron for anoxic filter? It is hard to find laterite in my country. Thanks and more power!
Great video I was wondering what size bag do you use to make the chemi pure bags
Any size you wished to make them out of that will fit your particular situation or filter dimensions.
Hey doc.. Love your vids.. I also started a plenum tank with a 10G.. Do you recommend a light for it? Id like to add plants in it also..Thanks.. Keep the great content..Cheers
Total novice here. How long will it take before the system to be plugged up with waste? Also I have not heard about what air pump is being used on any videos.
It will take years
When using a plenum with a BCB canister would this be able to handle an overstocked tank full of fish?
That's a hard question to answer because I don't know the tank size, I don't know the size of the fish, I don't know how much you would be feeding them, there's too many variables to answer that question honestly.
i just got a Fz filter but can not get the motor you have do you know of another good motor?
They said they have no idea if they are going to get any more.
If you please… I have added BCB bags to my sump about 1 week ago.
I Did a 10% (15g) & 20% (120g) water change yesterday and I got increased nitrate readings.
Pre change nitrate test were 8 & 15 respectively…used only RO water replacement. All other parameters are good, pH 7.6.
Post water change the nitrates spiked to read 40 in both tanks! Can you help shed some light please??
Why would the RO only water change initiate a nitrate spike?Does the iron increase nitrates until the BCB bags kick in?
I wouldn’t be so concerned with a 40 reading, however it is creating problems for some of the fish.
I’m at a loss.
Thank You for your time.
What is the nitrate reading of your tap-water that you use? Because if your tanks only showed 8 to 15 ppm of nitrates and then you did a water change and it went up to 40 ppm what changed? The BCB would be in inert because you would've seen already before water change a higher nitrate reading. Did you stir the substrate up or do anything with the filters? Stirring up the substrate can release ammonia and nitrates back into the system that otherwise would've been locked up in the substrate itself.
Dear Dr Novak, I will be getting my new 400 liter tank in a month and am interested to build a plenum like in your videos for my 5 goldfishes.
As I would like to have a white sand appearance (I know you don't). Is it OK to add course white sand over the plenum first, then the laterite, and top it up with finer white sand?
Yes it is perfectly fine to do it that way.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums Thank you for the reply. I will make a video of it and send you the link when it's done!
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums I am having difficulty looking for the suitable kitty litter. Would 'zeolite' clay do the trick?
Hi can i use clay pebbles instead of kitty litter because in my country its really hard to find a non clumping kitty litter and its also pretty expensive here
Some people have asked that but you must keep the clay pebbles no bigger than 1 to 3 mm in diameter.
Hi is unscented bentonite cat litter good for goldfish won't it harm them?
Nope...
A pH meter shows minus 36 in my aqurium water. What does it indicate in terms of ammoina, nitrates ions. How should translate this reading. ? Pl educate.
There has to be something wrong pH goes from -36 it can't be because pH zero which is more acidic than sulfuric acid. The only animal that I know of that has a pH of zero in their stomachs is vultures.
@@anoxicfiltrationplenums sorry. It is minus 36 mv
How can I measure the O2 level in my plenum?
How many bags do I use for a 1000 gal. pool pond ?
used 21 BCB baskets of 7x7x11 to do a 1200-gal pond
Dr. Novak for the first time, I tested 0 nitrates today! Woohoo, the anoxic filter works! I'm having a beer to celebrate!
Excellent! Don't forget to have one for me.
if your doing a plenum and bcb bags. do you put iron in both?
A plenum is the space beneath the gravel.
Are you talking about the substrate sitting on the undergravel filter panel? If you are tossing some clay in there, you can use iron.
Or you could dose it liquid later. It'll end up in the clay anyways, since clay is negative and iron is positive.
Iron is for the plants really. I have one tank where I didn't get to put iron in the clay baskets when setup, and it's done as well as the tank that I did put iron in the clay. I just put some liquid iron in every now and then. Didn't seem to matter.
Absolutely gorgeous tank! If the shrimp are healthy and the plant's are healthy what the hell more could you ask for. Oh yeah an egg in my beer. ( Lol ). You dated yourself with that one. Fortunately I'm only 39 again.
Thats it buying a 10 gallon just to look at my cherry shrimp on a carpet of dwarf sag
The fishkeeping hobby has literally become a cash grab for the manufacturers. It's pathetic really how they push useless products that have to repeatedly be purchased. A simple deep substrate with a plenum will work for years without having to do anything.
To Kevin Novak ph.d any motors for me?
The only motor's I could recommend that are small would be the F zone motor or you would have to go to a more expensive motor for the canister filter. I definitely would check with Amazon and find out when their motors are going to be available again. They seem to run quite well and are quiet with no leaking and for the price they can't be beat.
Egg in your beer, My Mother used to say that. I never understood it. Maybe its good....but I admit it I'm not trying it.
So I went all guns barreling into setting up an Anoxic Filter, in 3 of my aquariums. I am pulling the plug. After spending about $70 to get the equipment, and the needed materials, and spending the time tearing down the tanks to install the systems I am giving up. It has been a full 6 months since the installation of these systems into my aquariums ... the results are NOT GOOD. I spend more time NOW than I did before cleaning class, substrates, and trying to maintain the Algae. The algae grew so out of control that it killed and wiped out hundreds of dollars worth of plants. I now have more types of algae in my tank that I have never even seen before. I tried taking Rachel O'Leary's approach, "Embrace and love your algae", but the algae have become hugely problematic. It clogs the intake on the filters it won't even come off while scrubbing. I have since had to remove all the hardscape, rocks, and driftwood, I spend 3-4 hours twice a week just trying to keep ONE tank under control. The aquarium(s) is no longer a matter of a quick 5%-10% water change, they are now more like 90-100% water changes. I even kept the fish in the dark for a whole month with no results.
What gave me hope to just be able to do light maintenance on the tank, and sit back and enjoy the fish, has now turned into a lot of time that I just don't have.
The Science behind is SOUND and SOLID so that is not to blame. here is one more aquarist that will be ripping apart their tanks later this year.
Another hobbyist had the same problem but he found out it was from his lighting and a lack of CO2. Once he corrected the problems the Algae magically disappeared.