Undergravel Filter Or Hang-in

[robertherrington]

Hi, I was just curious what everybodys opinion is. Is it better to use a hang-in type filter or an undergravel filter in a 10g tank with mollies and platies? And Which Is Easier
Thanks

 

[rdd1952]

HOB hands down. UGFs are all but obsolete with all the new filters available. The gravel gets clogged with debris and waste and your flow rate slows. They are also a pain to clean.

 

[Yazan]

Well I have a UGF and not really happy with it, so i would go for HOB.

 

[babybell911]

I have a HOB it's excellent filter. UGF are a pain in the butt

 

[Yazan]

UGF are a pain in the butt

Ummmmm... Can i ask why? You don't need to clean or maintain a UGF as much as any filter.

 

[chibi]

I think underground filters are pretty useless. Definitely HOB. Underground you can't really clean, which I guess makes it easier, but it can be harmful for fish if everything starts building up under the gravel. HOB are much more reliable.

 

[andywg]

UGF are a pain in the butt

Ummmmm... Can i ask why? You don't need to clean or maintain a UGF as much as any filter.

UGF pull all the waste (including physical) into the bacteria for it to slowly rot. Furthermore, once the gravel starts to clog somewhat you get "rat runs" which the water go through, menaing the water is only passing through a somewhat small amount of the gravel used.

Finally, the waste will accumulate under the UGF trays and require cleaning about once a year or so. While this is less frequent than maintenance on other filters, other filters don't require the removal of the entire substrate to perform maintenance on.

UGF can work well, but there are far better alternatives out there.

 

[Kiwigirl]

I have HOB on all my tanks, except for ones with built in filtration units.

They are so much easier to maintain and by the sounds of it much more reliable than the UGF.

 

[dc3]

HOB's drag all your waste down into the gravel - which means they are still in your tank slowly decomposing. A HOB's mechanical filtration component will physically pull most of the junk out of the water and break down the rest... depending on your substrate - like sand - you may not even have that option - most people I know strongly recommend against UGF - Reverse-UGF is a whole different story, but as it stands a good HOB packs the best filtration punch.

 

[rdd1952]

HOB's drag all your waste down into the gravel - which means they are still in your tank slowly decomposing.

I think you mean a UGF drags the waste down

 

[Danno]

UGF is old school

 

[Yazan]

I wish i never took this full setup!!!!

 

[jimw13uk]

i've just bought a UGF but am going to hook it up in reverse to give better water movement and to shift all the crap up to the top for my other filters to clean away.

I used to have a UGF and it was brilliant to start with - really cleaned my water up and I was dead impressed - then i decided to clean it out after a 12/18 months and boy was that messy

I'd go for other filtration systems than a ugf

 

[Yazan]

I did not clean mines yet, and don't look forwerd to it.

 

[Neo8223]

Yet another vote for HOBS. I've gone on my small tank from a UGF to internal to HOB. Hobs are the best choice Also takes up less space in a tank. You are going to take up like 1.5cm of height with a UGF plus a huge tube on the left or right hand side.... or both (not too sure) depending on your setup, compared to 1 thin tube going to the bottom of your tank taking up less space that the tube on its own Another bonus with my HOB is that you can clean it without having to turn it off!

Hope this makes ur mind up.