Re: Undergravel heating

To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
Subject: Re: Undergravel heating
From: George Booth <booth at hpmtlgb1_lvld.hp.com>
Date: Fri, 19 May 1995 15:34:30 -0600
In-Reply-To: Your message of "Fri, 19 May 1995 15:39:02 EDT." <199505191939.PAA04507 at looney_actwin.com>

> Also, while I think about it, I just read in the latest Aquarium Fish
> Magazine about an undergravel plumbing system for use as undergravel
> heating.  I have seen the heating cable DIY stuff but it seems a bit
> beyond my capabilities.  The plumbing system I think I could do -
> anyone (particularly George Booth please) care to give their opinion
> of this system?  

I'm not sure which system you mean, but Karen Randall has had some
success with a UGF+small_heaters system.  I'm sure she will give
details.  

My feeling is that substrate circulation is primarily useful for 
long term stability.  We had a 100g tank run just great for 18 months
with no substrate circulation.  If you're not going to have the tank
set up for a long period, you may not see any positive effect from 
the plumbing.  Do add the laterite to the lower 1/3 though.   

If you aren't using CO2, I would definitely do that first. 

George