Filterting Question

[indir-emir]

Hi everyone, i am running an undergravel filter and an external 104 fluval filter. My tank size is 24" L x 12" W x 20" H.

My question is, would i be able to turn of my undergravel filter at night (its to noisy to sleep at night) and make the eternal filter flow at the waters surface to break the surface constantly at night, or would this be a problem?

Thank you,
Indir

 

[OldMan47]

Filters need to be left on all the time. What you might be able to do to quiet the UGF is to run it using a power head instead of using air. That would get rid of the bubble noise and the air pump noise which should help.

 

[helterskelter]

You should be ok just running the external, if u wanted.

Course you lose out though, as i firmly believe in UGF, as the surface area is massive, if kept clean and a good flow rate. they are a great filter system.
So if u want to use a powerhead that will work fine as if submerged they are much quieter.

 

[Colin_T]

you can put the intake tube from the Fluval 104 into or onto the uplift tube of the undergravel filter and it will suck water from under the filter plates and into the external filter. Then you will only need the Fluval to run both filters.

 

[indir-emir]

Hmm Colin, would that still make air pipe things run though? As the UGF has 2 pipes which blow out air bubbles.. Would they still work for aeration?

 

[Colin_T]

you would have to take the airlines out of the uplift tubes and just let the Fluval suck the water up. Then if you want aeration/ air bubbles, you could have an airstone in the backcorner or behind a rock or other ornament.

Most undergravel filters have an uplift tube and airline for each foot of filter plate. This is because the airbubbles don't draw the water up that well so you need more of them. Whereas a powerhead or power filter should be strong enough to do your entire tank from one uplift tube only.

 

[indir-emir]

Ok so basically i put the one thats not pushing water out into the tube? And remove the 2 air bubble tubes out of those pipes?

Wouldn't this allow fish to get sucked under the plate though?

Indir

 

[Colin_T]

you remove the 2 air bubble tubes and if they have a cap on the uplift tube then you put that back on one of the uplifts.
The Fluval external filter will have a tube (with a plastic strainer on the end) that takes water from the tank and puts it into the filter. That is the intake tube. And it has another tube that sprays the water back in to the tank. That is the outlet or return pipe.
You put the tube that is taking water from the tank and draining it into the filter and insert that tube into the undergravel uplift tube. You will have to remove the strainer from the intake tube before you do this.
If you have the caps, (top part) on the uplift tube then there should be no way afor a fish to get sucked down the pipe. Most fish won't bother going down a pipe anyway unless they are something like loaches or catfish.

 

[indir-emir]

Hmm I intend on having a few bristlenose catfish... Woudl they go down? If so how would i go about preventing this?

Ill set it up now and post a pic to make sure its the right thing. Ill have to buy an extra air stone though, coz there is none in there once i remove the two air bubble things.

Regards,
Indir

EDIT: Can i leave one of the air bubble cords in? Or must both be removed?

 

[Colin_T]

You can leave one of the air bubbles running and have the Fluval running on the other side.

Adult Bristlenose are unlikely to go down the uplift tubes but small ones might. You can put a bit of netting from a fish net or a piece of plastic bag over the uplift tube. Use a rubber band to hold it on to the pipe. That will stop anything going down the pipe.

If you want to buy an airstone try to get a multi coloured plastic one. They are plastic airstones/ diffusers that have 4 different sections and each section is a different colour. You can take them apart and clean them. This means you don't have to replace them when they block up. Most other airstones block up eventually and need replacing.
The multi coloured plastic airstones only cost a couple of dollars, which isn't much more than a normal airstone that is made of sand.

 

[indir-emir]

Okay ill try to find those so that the tank has some oxygen in it since the undergravel one will not be on much. Wouldnt a rubber band degrade in water or pollute it?

Ok made an attempt at placing the intake thing into the uplift tube but aparently the cap is stuck on really well... and i cannot get it out. Any ideas on how i could get it off to put in the intake tube?


Indir

 

[Colin_T]

normally the top of the uplift tube comes off quite easily. Can you post a pic of it so we can see if it comes apart as some types don't actually come apart, most do tho.

If you have the Fluval outlet spraying across the top of the tank, then it will provide oxygen to the fish. Surface turbulence can come from air stones, course air bubbles, or anything that disturbs the surface. Airstones do a very good job but the Fluval should do a pretty good job too.

Rubber bands last for a while under water. Give them a wash before you use it and if it breaks after a while then just replace it.

 

[indir-emir]

I cant seem to get it off. Ill upload a pic in about 5 minutes I currently have my Fluval breaking the surface and its running at max rate and disturbing the surface a fair bit

This is the cap (i believe): Looks like it can be pulled of but is on tight and im afraid i may break it

Side on view of tubes:

Thank you,
Indir

 

[Colin_T]

that type of uplift tube should come apart. You could try twisting the top and bottom parts and see if that helps. If it doesn't (it might have been glued on) then you can cut the opaque coloured uplift tube with a sharp knife or thin bladed hacksaw. The tube is easy to cut through and you could simply chop it under where they join.

 

[indir-emir]

I can remove it from the bottom part, but i thought i was supposed to put the intake tube INTO that pipe? The top cap is stuck on big time and im gonna end up cutting it if i cant get it off and i need to get it off coz i cant sleep with the undergravel on lol

Aprrox where would i ahve to cut thouhg? Just below the cap part? Or above the tube so theres a bit of the cap lefton the actual pipe?