Under Substrate Heating.....

[Sp00ky]

Anyone know anything about this? i intend to use it on my 3x3x2 tank but cant seem to find anywhere to buy the elements !

 

[jayjay]

I know it costs alot and doesn't really do much different than a normal heater.

 

[Sp00ky]

I know it costs alot and doesn't really do much different than a normal heater.

correct, but it cause of the current it causes through the substrate (sand in this case) it prevents anaerobic pockets building up. Yes, i know i can stir the sand, but this doesnt always prevent the pockets building up. and as the tank is 3ft tall and going to house my discus and a big shoal of sterbai on the bottom, i would rather be safe than sorry.

 

[BigIan]

unless you want to pay big bucks they don`t come with a thermo stat and so just stay on permanently thusly over heating your tank.

your being way to over paranoid about the pockets dude, i haven`t had the slightest hin of anything like that in my tank and its been running with an inch and a half to 2 and a half inches of sand for 7 months now

 

[Sp00ky]

unless you want to pay big bucks they don`t come with a thermo stat and so just stay on permanently thusly over heating your tank.

your being way to over paranoid about the pockets dude, i haven`t had the slightest hin of anything like that in my tank and its been running with an inch and a half to 2 and a half inches of sand for 7 months now

found one that will do it all with thermostat for £40.00 for the size of tank!

WINNER !!

 

[jayjay]

I like the pockets in the sand they do more good than bad. As soon as they touch the water they aren't poisonous and they lower nitrate.

 

[Sp00ky]

I like the pockets in the sand they do more good than bad. As soon as they touch the water they aren't poisonous and they lower nitrate.

they also can cause death in fish, and as the bottom is going to be a sea of corys i would rather not take the chance thank you very much. additionally, i would rather take the word of Ian Fuller when it comes to corys and the pockets. i would also rather not have a tank smelling of farts LOL

 

[jayjay]

Provide evidence of a fish being killed by these pockets and I may believe. It's the fact chemistry of the water stops them doing anything like killing your fish.

Though IME mine don't smell, except these weird pockets I had once.

 

[Sp00ky]

Provide evidence of a fish being killed by these pockets and I may believe. It's the fact chemistry of the water stops them doing anything like killing your fish.

Though IME mine don't smell, except these weird pockets I had once.

dude, when you have over 40 years exeperience and are seen as one of THE foremost experts on Corydoras and have bred species that others cannot, have given speeches throughout the world on your chosen topics and are looked up to by many, THEN you can ask me to give you evidence. If THE foremost UK breeder of Corydoras tells me he has lost fish through the build up of these pockets and recommends me to use UGH for this particular tank then i think im going to take his advice rather than have an argument with you about it.

My question in this thread was if anyone knew where to get one. If i wanted a deabate on my chosen method of heating then i would have asked that question. Now, if you please, if you do not have anything more to add to the original subject go bother someone else.

 

[BigIan]

i wouldn`t use it as your sole method of heating the tank dude as it may well over heat the substrate (not best for the corys) and leave the w3ater cold (as the sand is dencer than water and the molecules don`t move much.
and as the idea of under substrate heating is to convect water through the4 substrate inorder to create waterflow bringing oxygenated water to the sand to prevent anareobic pockets building up and the production of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) i would couple it with a standard heater aswell...

 

[Sp00ky]

i wouldn`t use it as your sole method of heating the tank dude as it may well over heat the substrate (not best for the corys) and leave the w3ater cold (as the sand is dencer than water and the molecules don`t move much.
and as the idea of under substrate heating is to convect water through the4 substrate inorder to create waterflow bringing oxygenated water to the sand to prevent anareobic pockets building up and the production of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) i would couple it with a standard heater aswell...

that was my idea lover

gonna have 2 additional heaters in there one as a fail safe. i just wanted the UGH to help the plants as the tanks not gonna be getting much natural light in it

 

[BigIan]

you gona stick a layer of latrite down aswell and some Co2?

 

[Sp00ky]

you gona stick a layer of latrite down aswell and some Co2?

gonna stick a layer of fert down yeah. then a layer of sand over the top

 

[jayjay]

Dude, so the cory breeder is a scientist aswel, or does he not understand why they don't matter.

Also they make very little difference to plants.

Just telling you the way it is, not arguing.

 

[Sp00ky]

Dude, so the cory breeder is a scientist aswel, or does he not understand why they don't matter.

Also they make very little difference to plants.

Just telling you the way it is, not arguing.

LOL, scientist or not, are you trying to say that Ian Fuller, the man who has bred over 70 genera of corydoras since 1974, writes articles for PFK and The Tropical Hobbyist, has written 6 books all published to date doesnt know what hes talking about !!

Can you hand on your heart 100% guarantee me that the gases will not affect any of my discus or corys to the extent that if they died from such gases you would pay to replace them ? Whilst i appreciate that there are varying views on this topic, if someone with much more experience that you and i have on this subject says he has lost some of his stock and the only thing it could have been was these gases, i am inclinded to be safer than sorry.

I shall be sure to pass on your comments to him the next time i speak with him