Jaubert system
The Jaubert system describes a method with which reef aquariums are operated. In contrast to the previously customary pure fish aquariums decorated with dead coral sticks, which contain no or only a few invertebrates , the Jaubert system enables hard corals to be kept in an aquarium . It was developed by Jean Jaubert, a marine biologist who works at the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco .
The most important features of the Jaubert system are an eight to ten centimeter high substrate made of coarse coral sand with a grain size of two to five millimeters and the so-called plenum , a 10 to 30 millimeter high cavity under the substrate.
The plenum is built using a plastic grid that is placed on the bottom of the aquarium on spacers. The holes in the grid must be so fine that the coral sand cannot slide into them. You then pour about five centimeters of coral sand onto the plastic grid, then insert a plastic net that prevents burrowing animals from rummaging through everything, and fill up the rest of the coral sand three to five centimeters.
The substrate is located between the plenum and the oxygen-rich aquarium water and is now so thick that oxygen-free zones are created in which nitrate can be broken down ( denitrification ). The water in the plenum is very low in oxygen, but prevents the formation of toxic hydrogen sulfide in the soil.
Other requirements of modern reef aquariums such as strong lighting using halogen spotlights (HQI), optionally combined with blue T5 or T8 lights, or pure lighting with modern T5 lights and strong water movement also apply to the Jaubert system.
The Jaubert system is often not set up with just one grain of coral break, but with 3 different ones. In the lowest area, directly above the plenum, there is a large coral break with a grading curve of 10 to 30 mm and a layer thickness of approx. 3 cm.
A non-woven fabric is then placed on top to prevent the individual layers from mixing. Now the second layer of medium coral break is piled up and covered again with tissue, in order to then be covered with the last layer of fine coral sand.
The Jaubert system is particularly common among French marine aquarists. Other systems for reef aquariums are the Berlin system , the mud filter system and the deep sand bed .
Web links
- 1x1 of marine aquarium filter systems: The Jaubert system
Light grid plates on spacers as plenum.
Insertion of the separating fleece. Often one takes cleaning fabric from the hardware store for this, it has to be highly alkali-resistant and is therefore salt water resistant.
The first layer of rough coral breakage.
A new layer of mesh is placed between each layer of the substrate.
The finished Jaubert system with fine coral sand as the top layer.
