Under Gravel Filter

[vanderdraay]

hi it may sound like a dumb question but please be nice .Is it possible to run an undergravel filter with a sand substrate im just filling my tank at the moment and the bubbles are bringing with it the sand ,is there an alterntive method to stop this or is it just due to being a new system and will it settle.Or should i have put a gravel substrate down first before the sand to allow for this or should i just get rid of the undrgravel system ? any help or views would be nice


cheers
paul

 

[plecostomus-mad]

not sure an under gravel filter is suitible for sand. your getting bubbles fr the time being as air is trapped underneath. if the tank is empty ( no fish ) swirl the sand around until no more bubbles appear, if there are fish, be gentle..eventually these bubbles with trap toxins and when they finally release it could be dangerous to the fish.

personally, i prefer gravel. ive had sand twice in my tanks and the water is Never crystal clear....not ever! plus its a pain to keep clean as you will always suck some sand up during a gravel / sand vac.

if you have just set it up and havent added any fish, i would drain the tank, remove all the sand, put the under gravel filter back in and put some natural color pea gravel in. will look stunning what ever decor you put in

 

[vanderdraay]

but why do other tanks look crystal clear and they are using sand ? Ive left it over night a good 10 hours and its still murky i stopped the airpump last night to see if it would clear but nothing yet ,does it take longer to settle or have i ballsed it up please HELPPPP

many thanks

paul

 

[the biffster]

no not suitable sand

 

[vanderdraay]

i suppose the title under gravel gives me an idea sorry im a thick sod lmao thanks anyway ,il remove it today and see how things go .

cheers

paul

 

[the biffster]

i suppose the title under gravel gives me an idea sorry im a thick sod lmao thanks anyway ,il remove it today and see how things go .

cheers

paul

have you got another form of filtration
besides the U/G

 

[vanderdraay]

yes ive just got the internal one going at the moment and will be adding the fluval fx 5 soon ,imjust running the internal to get rid of the murky water, didnt want to clog the external up ,ive only just filled the tank last night ,the temp is up now and i'm going to run it through the fishless cycle ive got mature media in both filters so should give it a good boost fingers crossed .

 

[the biffster]

if your sand as been wash thoroughly
you shouldn't have any problem with
cloudy water it just the U/G that was causing
the cloudy water i have used sand for years
and never had any problem with cloudy water
mind you i dont use it with goldfish or coldwater
set ups that's because i prefer U/G with gold fish
as i find U/G give a large filter surface area

 

[vanderdraay]

im currently running a 125 litre tank thats holding the fish im going to put into the larger one im setting up ive got a U/G filter on that but have a gravel substrate and thats crystal clear ,with an external and an internal running
i have washed the sand but il remove the U/G later and see if things clear


cheers paul

 

[the biffster]

im currently running a 125 litre tank thats holding the fish im going to put into the larger one im setting up ive got a U/G filter on that but have a gravel substrate and thats crystal clear ,with an external and an internal running
i have washed the sand but il remove the U/G later and see if things clear


cheers paul

it should as its U/G circulating the sand
pulling it from under the U/G and throwing it out
of the top of the uplift that's why it looks cloudy

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Yeah sand doesnt work well with an undergravel filter.

Interesting to still find people using UGF systems. They have been pretty well replaced by internal and external filters and they can have their problems but they can do a very good job for biological filtration.

 

[vanderdraay]

i have been using a U/G system with an internal and external filter on my 125 litre tank for 3 years and its been fantastic touch wood ive never had any problems and the water is crystal clear constantly i do a 20 litre change once a week and its never let me down.I did a lot of research on U/G's for my gravel tank and there were hundreds of mixed reviews,so i thought id give it a go, i do a full water change once a year to remove all waste in the gravel and below the U/G and thats all, unfortunately i had a dumb moment and should have realised the sand would just be pulled through , what i think i should have done is put a layer of gravel over maybe 1 " to 2 " then lay the sand over the top ,what are your thoughts and answers, either way i have removed the U/G and letting the water settle and i will just run the extra external filter with the internal .

cheers

paul

 

[plecostomus-mad]

the sand would find its way through the gravel and up through the ugf. the reason i suspect my water was always cloudy from sand particles is that i have plecos. they wiz across the bottom at speed sometimes and that kicks up the sand. either way i think gravel looks far better and its easier to maintain etc. you can get gravel that is really fine, that too looks amazing,