Cycle question!!

[Whatigot]

I was advised against a plenum by everyone, but by noone who had tried.
I'm actually setting up a 90 gallon reef right noe with a plenum because it seems like all the books I read suggest that it is an excellent system that requires very little maintenance.
As I understand it you need to think about changing or seriously cleaning the overlaying substrate avery 24 months or so....
It seems like there are a lot of hobbyists to don't reccomend it but very very few who have actuallhy tried it.
I have read that you need to be careful about how much rock/sand you are using as too much will result in too much dentirification and nitrification.
seems like everything else in this hobby and requires some measure of planning and adjustment.
I am looking foreward to seeing for myself how it works.

[hillbillyreefer]

Thanks for the input I will do some more reading on the subject and if I find anything really worthwhile I'll let you know.

ATM I'm leaning toward about 2" sand in the display and then putting together a HOB refugium in the back to hold my skimmer, heaters, macro etc. etc. I was going to buy one, but the cost for what you get seems a little high. It's just a box with a couple baffles, an inlet and an out let. I have some acrylic in the shop so this weekend I think I'll whip one up. I'm also considering a DSB for the fuge but haven't really decided on anything.

Has anyone on here played around with xenon bulbs? I was going to play with
led's but xenon would be so much easier. There is a good selection of bulb temperatures and ballasts should be cheap, reflectors shouldn't be hard to retro.

One of the best parts of this hobby is all the DIY stuff you can do if you want too. The next best part is sitting beside the ecosystem you've created while looking at and reading about what others have created.

So many ideas so little time.

Brad