How to keep a 4-5 inch sand bed oxygenated with zero problems and/or work.

Thomas Hynes
• 32 minutes ago
Just an observation: In all the videos discussing the use of a plenum within the aquarium, you are not speaking about the under gravel filter be it a premade manufactured unit from a manufacturer, or even a creatively built out of materials that can be found every Dollar store to a large hardware store. I am sitting here at my desk now and looking around and have found a piece of Styrofoam that could easily be modified into an under gravel filter unit with some modifications made to it. Your videos are quite clear on the fact that you just want to move water. As I began to understand from your videos and lesson plans, that not only is water movement important in the water column, but it is also just as important to move it through the substrate. Rivers, lakes, streams, these bodies of water, have water moving not only from upstream or downstream but down through the ground. Applying these principles takes a vegetable garden grown, at least my practice is to till up the soil during the growing season. Why do I do this, I do this to have water move from the top down to the roots, to break up the soil, and reoxygenate the soil around the roots. Therefore the principles should apply just as equally well to the aquarium. Why would individuals feel that this is NOT a good idea?: Okay, I am guilty, I am guilty of just dumping substrate onto the bottom of the aquarium, tell you what, have not had the results I was looking for. Always had algae issues, clouded water...on 12/231/2021 before midnight, I installed my first plenum built on your presentations and today is day 4...the water in this tank has NEVER EVER looked this crystal clear, From a biological standpoint of the anoxic bacteria groups populating the plenum area, I have no idea how long that will take, however, what little algae growth I had on some of the plants and rock and wood is not spreading as rapidly as it has in the past. I have adopted your principles and I am feverishly spreading the word, like some cult leader, no just kidding...but I am explaining the principles and I have already gotten on others to sign on with me. Keep up the good work, it makes sense once you begin to understand all that is happening and why it needs to happen. I can't thank you enough for opening my eyes! AGAIN! -

[@adrianscott8287]

I have a 29-gallon tank with 9 tetras. My tank has a 4" up tube from the slowwww plenum; barely bubbling with a very generous amount of flourite clay substrate and kitty litter, about 2 inches and the rest is topped off with aquarium gravel. The water is completely clear all of the time and I use an over the tank filter to siphon off the waste - that's it. No smell, no funk, no algae and the fish behave as if I picked them from the store. I noticed they have a healthy slime coat on too - Im gonna cry. It has always been my dream to keep fish healthy and happy and now it's actually happening. Thank you, Dr. Novak.

[@archiegoldrush6310]

This video is about 1 year old now, and I am a new subscriber. 40 odd thousand hours of free education, I have say the aquarium hobby is indebted to you Dr Novak. I've been in the hobby for 13 years, and always chasing information for improvement and learning, many of proving to be a bit misguided. Very thankfully to my KZbin algarhythms has brought me one of the most important channels of aquarium health and science. I can now pull down my two aquariums and set them up properly with confidence this time, using the anoxic method with the plenem, and see my fish (and plants) flourish without the different issues I've been battling. A most sincere thank you for your unselfish sharing of intellectual experiments, research and knowledge.

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

It seems like chasing information as part of the hobby, too.

[@geraldoyo1]

Thank you Dr. Novak for your contributions to the hobby! I really enjoy listening to you.

[@GlassSurfing]

Rot gut cheap! 😂 I just redid a tank that was going crazy with algae. It's my second time putting in a plenum with the baked clay and laterite under sand in planted tanks. I'm excited ro see the long-term results. Thanks for sharing your wisdom so generously!

[@nickga2050]

Kevin thank you so much. I've been watching your videos and it seems like you have the perfect recipe for low nitrates! I can't stand the battle of algae and nitrates! I have put a couple bcb bags in my canister but am not looking forward to tearing down my 75 gal planted to put in the plenum. I wish I would've put it in from the start! Thanks for helping everyone in the hobby to make it more pleasurable and low maintenance.

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

You are very welcome

[@annalee7403]

Another great video, doctor. I said this well over a year ago, one look at how happy and healthy your fish speaks volumes and is testimony. I'm still watching, but not commenting as much anymore. 🙏

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Thanks once again for watching and your comments.

[@drb4074]

Glad to see you putting some info out about sand in tanks. It's useful to know that sand can be used just fine with the anoxic setup and a plenum. Because one of the biggest costs in aquariums after livestock, is the substrate. The prices on what is basically pebbles is insane. 10 dollars can net you enough sand to put several inches in most any aquarium. Meanwhile, 10 bucks wouldn't get you enough aquarium gravel to cover a corner.

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

You're absolutely right aquarium gravel's have become very expensive. But then again they always have been expensive in this aquarium hobby even 50 years ago. It's just that now people are using sans and hopefully they will do it the right way to benefit.

[@rockfella27]

Thx doc! Sand for the win. Favourite of so many hobbyists. Value for money substrate.

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

That's the reason I did it because sand seems to be the number one substrate in aquariums nowadays.

[@rockfella27]

@@anoxicfiltrationplenums I know doc. You want the hobby to be enjoyable for folks on budget as well.

[@guppiesstories5942]

Thanks for the update on the 40 gal Dr.

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

You bet

[@rudys0951]

Just want to say thank you! Your videos are awesome and I am learning so much! I am at the process of figuring out how best to make a plenum for my 250gallon goldfish bowl that was a water tank in it’s past life.

[@michaelwalker4667]

Thank you for yet another great video. And thanks for your answers to your comments.

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Any time!

[@edwinb.2756]

after watching a few of your vids.. ive set up a 10gallon with a plenum... just finished it...im using a hang on back filter....im excited to get it landscaped and stocked.. Thanks...

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Glad to hear thanks for the news

[@williamlee4946]

thank you Dr Novak

[@divingaquarist]

To me, the aquarium plant hobby is a separate thing from the aquarium fish hobby. Just a difference of where your passion is. Obviously they can be combined to an extent. To me those beautifully scaped tanks that are full of plants are more like a work of art. I've never liked 'overstocked' tanks, I'm more of a 'less is more' person myself. Not that I understock, but is shouldn't look too busy.

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

The trouble is most planted tanks only look their best at their precipice then after that they begin to decline unless a lot of work is implemented. I think it's at the decline that we see so many videos within a years time saying: Oh I neglected that particular tank so I'm going to tear it down.

[@divingaquarist]

@@anoxicfiltrationplenums The pictures and videos we get to see are indeed usually at the peak of the scape, and keeping it that way is an enormous amount of work. That is the downside of CO2, in my opinion, it just goes too fast the way they do it. I'd love to do a scape one day with slow growing plants like anubias that require very little maintenance, just to challenge my artistic side.

[@sunnysideup5826]

@@anoxicfiltrationplenums exactly

[@TheGrmany69]

@@anoxicfiltrationplenums I wouldn't be surprised, most plants you see in aquariums are either hardy invasive plants that only bloom within certain conditions but that ultimately reproduce asexually or emerged plants - usually ferns - that never get to develop completely, most need continuous parameters of clean water to thrive as they only exist in streams and mountain rivers with very clear seasons of hot and slow current or cold and strong current. To summarize, you can't mix the whole living cycle of a bunch of random plants, just a very reduced period of their whole life.

[@aquahobby1982]

@@anoxicfiltrationplenums with all due respect i agre at the same time disagree with your statement. Let me explain. In planted aquascape ( i had been doing it for 10+ years ) its again a matter of choice on what u want to achieve. All IAPLC , AGA competition tanks which we see are work of art and in order to maintain that tank long term a hell lot of work is required. Its simply because plants will overgrow and surpress the true esence of aquascape which an aquascaper is trying to achieve. So, its true as long as compitition aquascapes are concerned. They do require hell lot of work and tough to maintain in longf term. BUT...... having said so, long term aquascapes r verymuch possible without the fear of " Ohh i neglect my tank and I need to tear down my aquascape ". If possible , plz look into my CONGO Tetra aquascape which is runing almost a year with very minimum maintenance. The key here is choice of plants. My aquascape is CO2 injected tank and most of my plants are Epiphyte. only plants i trim is " Ceratopteris Thalictroides ". So the conclusion is if u want a long term aquascape , ur choice of plants need to adjusted accordingly.

[@laurasutton4057]

I just set up a small tank with a slow moving plenum. Used oildri, aqualat, fluval stratum and topped it with small pebbles. Used eheim substrat pro under the filter plate. Will be adding a few fish and a snail soon. Looking forward to see how it does. I have two more tanks I want to do. Good video and have a great evening! 👍

[@rockfella27]

Good luck. Share your experience.

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Sounds great!

[@pedrocastel8177]

Love your aprouch! I've tried some plenum and some work better than others

[@staceybulleigh8408]

Very impressive

[@TheWalk23]

Very impressive, You explain things well.

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

I appreciate that!

[@gardian1701]

Nope. I have a 115gallon full of Tetra! 👌 Another awesome video. ❤️

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

That is awesome!

[@johnbfrommanchesterengland4580]

Hi Kevin. . . Am soaking my sanicat pink kitty litter in iron solution to allow it to absorb the iron before I put it in my new plenum , another step closer . I always enjoy your videos . Thanks . John .

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Sounds great!

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Great tip!

[@TheGrmany69]

I've observed within mountain streams that the substrate in certain areas are basically gravel with current going through it, underground current, and these rivers tend to hold crustaceans, water grabs and shrimps. What is interesting to me is that this is basically the same concept of bacteria filters and bioreactors, these streams have nothing else but this to purify water and it's the purest, clean and very tasty.

[@vanissaberg5824]

I've observed the same in the river near my old home. The river bed is solid limestone bedrock and islands of gravel. If you dig into the islands you can see the water slowly moving through it just like one gigantic bio filter.

[@komalthecoolk]

Bad comparision of stale water in aquariums with rivers and streams that keep getting fed fresh water from higher altitudes. they're not the same.

[@njbaquatics4827]

Great stuff I really think you should start a Facebook group the world is definitely starting to spread. I’m just setting up my second tank with a plenum and BCB

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

I do have a Facebook page and I update it whenever I do a new video. But I really don't take on much after that because I was kicked off of Facebook because I had too many followers. Yes you read that right. I had too many followers and because I could not recognize three of the faces of the people that were on my Facebook page they canceled me.

[@njbaquatics4827]

@@anoxicfiltrationplenums typical Facebook and it’s a shame really it’s somewhere we could all communicate easily. And share our ideas. In this new change it’s going to be heavily planted and I’ve noticed a lot of the well-known aqua scape guys. Using bags of rocks under the substrate to build up higher points on the Scape. Which is something I would like to do obviously I’m including the plenum. But I was wondering rather than bags of rocks do you think your idea with the BCB zip bags woodwork in place of these rocks. I like the idea of it I’m just not sure I can get enough flow going around the area and it will just become anaerobic. Would love to hear your thoughts on this I’m sure you’ve seen people Use this technique to build up the scape hopefully you have the time to think about it and reply

[@suzannemoran7281]

What a wonderful aquarium you have Dr Novak and such beautiful goldfish. I am becoming rather fond of my goldfish. As you know my plan is to put them outside in my above ground pond in the Spring time . But I am starting to think that I might be better off buying a larger aquarium and a larger canister filter and of course a plenum to fit the bottom before I put my substrate in. Then maybe purchase some fancy goldfish to go with my 2 shubunkins and 2 comet goldfish. Or is that cruel Dr Novak ? 🤔

[@oic20v91]

Thanks for another great vid Doc, but can you pls make a vid of how to check oxygen level of the substrate? I would love to know how my tank level are. Thanks and happy new year

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

A good oxygen test kit will cost you close to $100 first of all like a LaMotte. Then you're going to need some hypodermic's with long hypodermic needle's on them. It's a long tedious and expensive process to do. Most hobbyist will not because of cost to do it themselves. Basically if you're not a limnoligist like myself that test a lot of lakes and ponds it's too tedious of a process and too expensive for most hobbyest to even concern themselves with.

[@oic20v91]

@@anoxicfiltrationplenums thanks Doc for the reply, it would still be great if u could make a vid next time you check. As no one else do these tests on KZbin and I am sure even if we can’t afford it, it will be great knowledge and interesting to see how it’s done. I had learnt so much from your channel, and redox readings and bcb etc, that no one else mention. Anyway thanks again for your reply and wish u a happy new year to you and your family. Most importantly stay save and healthy.

[@sunilnirwana2131]

Sir,I watch all your Videos. Thanks for the wonderful education. Most of Channels don't advocate using Carbon in Planted tank setup. Please advise 🙏.

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Why? It's been used ever since I've been in the Hobby far over 60 years plus. Also now for planted aquariums it's not any good? Yet in the past it was. Oh yeah that's right, today's planted aquariums barely have any fish in them to have to worry about using carbon. They also barely even feed the fish anything maybe they may even skip a day or two in between feedings and feed the fish only two or three times a week and that's it. In reality if you really have no fish in the aquarium why would you need carbon.

[@dodiacuario4921]

Hello, sorry if my English is not very good, I am delighted to have known your channel and its filtering system, and I will put it to the test in a few days in a shrimp aquarium (17 galons) I will place the plenum in the bottom, put 1 inch of soil for shrimp then laterite(300g aprox) and 1kg of zeolite, and end up with 1 more inch of soil for shrimp, do you think that will be okay? I can not have cat litter, and I do not know if the substrate measurements will be correct, I would appreciate the answer pd i dont have bcb, only normal backpack filter thanks.

[@tankedaquatics6787]

First, in a tank like that, yes I would be the one to fill it up with 1/2" sized Tetras...but that would be me. Question I have and just some clarification. I know what a BCB basket is and how it works...however if you put down a Plenum, then some kitty litter along with laterite, aquarium soil and cap off with say a gravel...does the kitty litter layer along with the laterite act like a BCB basket along with the plenum. I have heard you say you don't need to do both, but you can. I am just wondering in what circumstances would using BOTH be beneficial, or adding a layer of BCB material on the bottom buried under the substrates, soils and sand and or gravel or both would be either just as beneficial or over kill...or is there no such thing as overkill?

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

In my book you can never have too much filtration.

[@tankedaquatics6787]

@@anoxicfiltrationplenums You have a book that you wrote?

[@user-ii1ei9gw8t]

wonderfu!!! i am amazed shocked.... finding it hard to believe after all the bull.....t i got pumped into my head pardon my french 😉

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@TheGrmany69]

I've seen tanks like this one packed with bleer tetras and neons without trouble. And in nature, these little buggers can be found of all colors and forms, there are literally tenths of species, some of them to discover yet... they live in big schools packed altogether in little streams or in little areas of vegetation at the margins of bigger water bodies just centimeters away from predators, these fish can and will thrive in packed overcrowded aquaria.

[@TheGrmany69]

Danios are another example of this. Danios zebra are found all clustered together in inundated grasslands and at the sides of watercourses.

[@arturproc7047]

Hi, great ! What plants do you have in this tank?

[@TheGrmany69]

I am Venezuelan, you will never find a ram or a tetra cardinal in dirty water, they only live in areas of crystal clear water with lots of submerged vegetation like "morichales" and submerged savannas or in highly oxygenated black water. It's required for any fresh water aquarium, specially those biotopes appertaining to Orinoco's and Amazon's basins, to have more submerged plants than fish because it's an important factor to regulate the system... hence, aquarium keeping for tropical and fancy fish is in reality a variation of aquascaping than anything, matching the correct plants with the correct fish... something like a koi carp or a common goldfish will hardly require any living plant in their aquarium or at least will require mighty emerged plants that suck up the toxins out of the system plus regulate the microorganisms in the soil, in their natural environment that's what you will see and plenty of small tropical fish benefit a lot from the presence of these submerged plants near them because that's what they need to survive, all their life happens withing either driftwood or living submerged plants; black water rivers, to clarify, are actually that color because hardwood trees are the ones sucking up the nutrients directly from the water and the soil of the river, hence the dissolute tannins that stain the water and changes its pH values, the plant's are the main actors here, not the fish.

[@TheGrmany69]

I think one of the main reasons why people don't like fish in their Dutch school aquascaping is due to the myth that the fish will get the plant dirty... in tropical rivers the dense masses of submerged plants get full of organic matter the bears crustaceans and all sort of bacterial colonies which these fish feed on. But that's all it is: a myth, you benefit more from the fish than the opposite. Aside, Dutch school aquascaping is a very contrived and artificial form of aquascaping, the sole idea of aguascaping is to evoke and you do so by refining what you find in nature.

[@FatherFish]

My tanks are 15 years with no substrate change

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

I would have to ask you a question why would you change your substrate? In fact, the substrate that I am using in my goldfish aquarium has to be at least 40 years old and I mixed it with the sand. Substrates really doesn't go bad and can be reused forever.

[@FatherFish]

@@anoxicfiltrationplenums Not simply still there but never disturbed, never "cleaned," never added to, still productive because the entire system is balanced. Nothing is removed. Nothing is cleaned. Nothing is disturbed.

[@lukeholloway7836]

I put 6 inch of gravel because the tall tanks are to high for rancu

[@jj27071991]

What is the alternative for Laterite? Cant find any in Malaysia 😢

[@wtf1a1a]

How do u test ur O2 in the substrate, would be interesting to see what mine is like

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

First you need an oxygen test kit. Then after that you take samples with a hypo and go to different levels and pull water samples from those levels. Mark each sample of where you got it and the depth of which you got it.

[@wtf1a1a]

@@anoxicfiltrationplenums ok not gonna lie I read that but I don't think I understood it. What's a hypo and where/what is an oxygen test this a first hearing about it

[@Sean3D2Y]

What could I use to put over the top of the Bio media so I could place Sand Over it?

[@toddmiller1933]

I’ve just set one up in the 245 for the first time ever, I couldn’t find e the laterite her in Uk. I used a jbl volcanic plant powder, will this still be ok and work

[@albertbraunwalder4357]

Hanna Nitrate checkers are supposed to be accurate for Marine water only!

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

I have personally tested and double checked and triple check the Hana nitrate checker against an API nitrate test kit and guess what, they both read exactly the same for fresh water. Try it and experiment and you'll find out I'm absolutely right.

[@Abc-tu9ry]

Can sand only be used as substrate throughout over the plenum ?

[@snipernote]

Thank you for your update Question : Do you use dechlorinated water when you change the water ?

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Depends on how much water I exchange if I only exchange a few gallons I don't bother.

[@AlpacaMade]

Respectfully, I disagree with some of your opinions. Few of us have the ability to test the O2 of our substrate. Filtration is a complex process, not by nature limited to the plenum plates, sponge filters or any other device not found in nature. I have followed your channel casually for several years and have used the method for myself. It is no better or worse than any other method that is successful for the individual. That is why we keep aquariums and try different methods; to be successful.

[@richardwaldhouse8067]

Thanks Dr. Kovak, how do you check for redox and oxygen in the aquarium?

[@user-mv2oo4hc3j]

If you don't have a plenum would malaysian trumpet snails introduce oxygen to the substrate and roots if the plants

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Trumpet snails are good for shallow substrates not for deeper substrate, because they really don't dig that deep into the aquarium substrate to keep it open like some of the invertebrates that you find in marine system.

[@user-mv2oo4hc3j]

@anoxicfiltrationplenums ahh thank you I have a dirted tank with one Inch of soil ,one in h or so of florite capped with sand was wondering if tht wi work in the long run or do I have to find an alternative

[@danielson4962]

Fatherfish and Ocean Aquarium does deep substrates with non plenum and still works, how does that work out? Highly stocked also.

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

I did a video on this with the Tampa Bay Florida aquarium, which they actually show one of the curators stirring up the substrate about four times a week because he stated; if they did not then ammonia levels in the substrate would raise too high. Back in my archives and you can actually watch the video.

[@danielson4962]

@@anoxicfiltrationplenums ocean aquarium 100% does not do that. I have kept tanks with 4+ inch sand beds for over 4 years without touching them, highly stocked with fish breeding regularly. There must be something missing in this idea that it’s bad to have such a deep substrate

[@cherieuting8535]

can you recommend a variety of plants that the goldfish will eat and a variety of plants the goldfish wont eat? Also, what happens to the mulm with a plenum?

[@kevinrichter5879]

How many inches of fluorite red should I put over the 1/2 inch of cat litter and latterite? It’s for a 30 gallon with plenum with one bubbler. I would like to add 2 inches and adjust the bubbler for the low o2. But if that will not work let me know how deep. Tank is only 16 inches tall

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

I would put down about 1 inch of your Florite red then top it off with the kitty litter and then topped it off with whatever you wish to finish up your substrate.

[@kevinrichter5879]

@@anoxicfiltrationplenums how thick should this cap be if using sand.

[@gk9417]

👍✌️🇨🇦

[@ChuckMSH]

Thank you very much for all the information and testing. I am wondering if you have any opinions on something similar but where the substrate is 4" deep at one end of the tank and goes up to 14" deep at the other end. I have a 90 Gallon 4 foot long aquarium and I need one end of it to be less then 4" of water depth for the mud turtle I Keep. I set up the aquarium with a plenum using under gravel filter plates. From your video I would be confident on the side of the tank with only 4" of depth but I am concerned about the deeper side since I assume the water flow through the sand is going to take the path of least resistance. Thank you Kent

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

I really don't think there's going to be a problem because fluids will continuously move even at extreme deep substrates.

[@albertbraunwalder4357]

Hanna nitrate checkers are supposed to be accurate for saltwater only

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Then that will be your little secret.

[@na1du]

@@anoxicfiltrationplenums Why not just add some aquarium salt to the test sample? lol

[@drtimber]

Dr. Novak I used fluorite Red. Is this okay?

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

yes it is

[@alanphan8476]

You said you refilled it with the garden hose without dechlorinates it? If we refill a little water, we don’t need to dechlorinate it?

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

As long as you're not doing a big water change I do not add chlorine remover to the water it will gas off very shortly.

[@davidyoung7955]

Just wondering about under gravel filters used them a long time ago

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

I actually have videos explaining about under gravel filter's and dirt magnets and so on.

[@albertbraunwalder4357]

How can you measure 11.9 ppm nitrate? I have difficulties to differentiate between 10 or 20ppm

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Use a Hanna Handheld Colorimeter for Nitrate HR will do salt and freshwater.

[@drb4074]

You can buy more accurate nitrate testing kits than the general API kits that dominate the industry.

[@edrickcosme]

Hello, thank you for the information. I have the same tank that you have (90G SCA) that I want to set up for soft corals. Would all this (BCB and plenum) translate to a deep sand bed marine tank? If so would 4” of coarse sand would be ok? Again, thank you for the information that you provide.

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Yes, absolutely

[@na1du]

I would love to see what happens when you decrease your air bubbler speed.

[@HisValor]

Dr. Novak, do you put a mesh to seprate the plenum from the sand? I imagie sand would slip through the UG filter I am using as a plenum (space between bottom of glass to the top of the UG plate.

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Yes I added a screen so the sand would not shift down into the Plenum.

[@HisValor]

@@anoxicfiltrationplenums Thank you

[@billymaulana7880]

Can we not airate the plenum dr?

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

yes you can but it requires very little oxygen.

[@billymaulana7880]

I think i'll try to make it, thanks a lot Dr. 🙏

[@kylehamilton626]

Do you add anything to treat chlorine when you do the water changes ?

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Good question. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't, this will all depend on how much water I exchange during a water change.

[@ThenMustVery]

Dr. Novak,. How do you prevent parasites?

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Parasite ,what parasite?

[@ThenMustVery]

@@anoxicfiltrationplenums ich parasite

[@komalthecoolk]

Is it just me or some of the gold fish swimming weird and swimming close to the surface ?

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

These particular goldfish like to rest close to the surface. It's not anything unusual once you learn the habits of different goldfish varieties and how they swim. Goldfish because of their compressed bodies do swim and act a little different than normal or should I say non-hybrid fish.

[@DRaquascapes]

I can see cyanobacteria forming. Also, you mentioned that you capped aquasoil with sand? Assuming its quality aquasoil,you removed its CEC capability. So basicly you saran wrapped a sponge,rendering it useless. Once the initial nutrients are depleted,it cannot absorb additional nutrients,holding it for the roots of the plants,which is the main advantage of aquasoil. Also,aquarium co-op is all about fish,very little about plants. Were true aquascapers part of that survey? The Aquascaping "hobby" in america is growing. Aquascaping is more about plants and fish are just a part of the balance of an aquascape. Aquarium co-OP caters more to fish hobbyists. That survey isnt legit as it targeted their demographic... fish people.

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

Sponge! Okay if you say so. Aquarium co-op sells quite a lot of plants to the public it is a major part of his business.

[@rudys0951]

Just want to say thank you! Your videos are awesome and I am learning so much! I am at the process of figuring out how best to make a plenum for my 250gallon goldfish bowl that was a water tank in it’s past life.

[@anoxicfiltrationplenums]

You are so welcome!