need a quick answer to a easy question.....

[penguinpimp1990]

i have no experience with undergravel filters..... but i am aware that the water is sucked through the gravel and under the plates and up the airtubes, but what i dont understand is where the bacteria colonizes? does it colonize on the gravel surface or under the gravel plates? also if it does colonize on the gravel surface wouldnt gravel vacs not only suck up the fish waste on the surface of the gravel but also suck up the bacteria on the gravel surface? EDIT: also id like to say that the ugf is being used along a power filter that is fully cycled and bacteria full

 

[Tolak]

It colonizes throughout the gravel, as oxygenated water travels through the whole thickness of gravel. Unless you go totally nuts vaccing the gravel all the way to the bottom, and go over the same area many times, you will not suck out all the bacteria. It's similar to giving your filter media a rinse in tank water, you are removing the debris it has filtered out, but most of the bacteria remain.

Many people like to vac half of the tank at a time, & wait until the next water change to vac the other half. I vac all the gravel at once, but also have filtration other than ugf.

Tolak