The Under Gravel Must Go ...

[Jabba]

OK following many attempts to get sensible values in the tank and about six gazillion water changes and treatments the only conclusion my LFS has is that perhaps in the very hot spell the tank got too hot and some bacteria or something died and have turned nasty under the plate of the under gravel filter.

I am therefore going to remove the gravel filter and replace it with a Fluval 205 that I intend mostly for particulate scrubbing and carbon since I already have an Eheim 2227 running.

My question is how would you guys go about this with the least disruption to the inhabitants, I am particularly concerned about the Otto's ...

I think I need to take the fish out completely and tear down the whole tank but I am particularly concerned about the Otto's ... not much algea in a 80 litre brewers bucket.

Would you put the water from the tank into the relocation bucket - ?

I haven't time to wait for the tank to cycle before the fish go back in and I have no other tank ready cycled in which to put them, I also have no time because of the conditions in my existing tank to wait for a new tank to cycle - catch 22 ...

How should I go about removing the undergravel filter in the fastest and least disruptive way ?

 

[demonmagus]

can't help with removing the filter but I know one of the reasons they aren't popular is because to clean them you have to rip the tank apart.

Are there no TFF media donors near you? Or you could ask your LFS?

 

[Jabba]

errrrr wot's TFF ???

 

[diademhill]

errrrr wot's TFF ???

Tropical Fish Forums


As UGF is considered old hat & a lot of people have no experience with them, your store probably doesn't know the best way to use them - in reverse.

Use the canister output to drive the undergravel by putting the outflow tube down the uplift. You need to seal the tube to prevent backflow but this is easily done with a rubber band washer.

The canister them becomes a prefilter & all the gunk is pushed upwards so the powerfilters can catch it. Your gravel bed becomes a huge biological filter.

Start by giving the gravel a thorough vaccuuming and setting up the new canister this way. After a week turn the other one too.
I would use some carbon for the first two weeks.


If you try this it will save you & your fish a lot of stress. If you don't get on with it you can do a strip down in a month when you have two running filters.
HTH
Sue

 

[Jabba]

What a cracking idea .... never thought of that .... it will be done that way at first, gives me a breathing space I am away all next week on business.