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29-03-2011, 10:16
I recently purchased an aquarium book on planted aquariums, and decided that instead of skipping to the plants, I would read through the basics of setting up a planted tank, and came across an interesting chapter in the book where it discusses using heating cables under the gravel.
Basically it's a cable that is stuck to the glass base with the use of suckers. The cable heats up through resistance.
What the book goes on to explain is that whilst the plants absorb nutrients through the leaves, it is also imperative that it absorbs nutrients through the roots as well, as some plants can only take up certain nutrients through the roots. The problem comes in that we have very little, if any, movement or circulation of water through the soil base. Bringing in new nutrients through the use of water movement is therefore essential to the nutrient absorption. It also claims that in nature, the soil is naturally warmer than the water surrounding the plants, and that plants will often do better with a warmer substrate.
The heater cable works on the principle that it heats the surrounding substrate slightly higher than the water column, and this creates small currents between the cool water above the substrate and the heated water within the substrate.
The other benefit of this is that waste build up on top of the substrate (from plant matter, fish waste, and excess food) is also drawn into the substrate, and necessary bacteria that are within the substrate break this down better than if it were left on the surface of the substrate. It goes on to explain that area's immediately around the plant's roots will be high in oxygen, due to the plant bringing oxygen down through the root structure, and where there is not plants, anaerobic bacteria colonize the substrate. I'm not going to go into too much detail on the anaerobic bacteria, but basically it's often an area of a tank that is overlooked, (and sometimes seen as bad), but the benefits are huge. This slow movement of the water will provide the anaerobic bacteria with the necessary nutrition, but without "flooding" them with oxygenated water.
What are your guys thoughts and opinions on this?
(Dirk Bellstedt Laure Rudi wearsbunnyslippers ?)
Basically it's a cable that is stuck to the glass base with the use of suckers. The cable heats up through resistance.
What the book goes on to explain is that whilst the plants absorb nutrients through the leaves, it is also imperative that it absorbs nutrients through the roots as well, as some plants can only take up certain nutrients through the roots. The problem comes in that we have very little, if any, movement or circulation of water through the soil base. Bringing in new nutrients through the use of water movement is therefore essential to the nutrient absorption. It also claims that in nature, the soil is naturally warmer than the water surrounding the plants, and that plants will often do better with a warmer substrate.
The heater cable works on the principle that it heats the surrounding substrate slightly higher than the water column, and this creates small currents between the cool water above the substrate and the heated water within the substrate.
The other benefit of this is that waste build up on top of the substrate (from plant matter, fish waste, and excess food) is also drawn into the substrate, and necessary bacteria that are within the substrate break this down better than if it were left on the surface of the substrate. It goes on to explain that area's immediately around the plant's roots will be high in oxygen, due to the plant bringing oxygen down through the root structure, and where there is not plants, anaerobic bacteria colonize the substrate. I'm not going to go into too much detail on the anaerobic bacteria, but basically it's often an area of a tank that is overlooked, (and sometimes seen as bad), but the benefits are huge. This slow movement of the water will provide the anaerobic bacteria with the necessary nutrition, but without "flooding" them with oxygenated water.
What are your guys thoughts and opinions on this?
(Dirk Bellstedt Laure Rudi wearsbunnyslippers ?)