Undergravel Filter Removal

[nickward_uk]

I'm thinking that I should really remove my ugf from the small tank... its not really doing very much - the flow from the powerhead is slow, as the filter is, I think, partially blocked, and it's only time really 'till it becomes fully blocked. I'm having to do fairly regular water changes as the water quickly becomes cloudy (in stark contrast to my larger tank, running an external filter)

I'm supplimenting the ugf with a small cannister filter, although this currently has a green-x sachet in it to help with my nitrates.

I'm heading off to the lfs in a bit to get a new larger cannister filter for the tank, but could do with some advice on how to go about getting the ugf out... obviuosly, I plan to run the new filter alongside the ugf for now to give the bacteria a chance to establish - will this be sufficent?

Nick

 

[Durbkat]

What size tank is it in gallons? What fish do you have in it? How long has the tank been running with fish? While your out to your fish store get your water tested while you at it. It should be fine as long as you run the 2 filters together for a few weeks.

 

[nickward_uk]

What size tank is it in gallons? What fish do you have in it? How long has the tank been running with fish? While your out to your fish store get your water tested while you at it. It should be fine as long as you run the 2 filters together for a few weeks.

Its 60 L - what ever that is in gallons..

I've got a baby golden nugget (soon to be moving home to the big tank) 3 scissortails, 5 neons 2 gouramis and a guppy.

Chemically, the waters fine (although a little high in nitrates - but then the tap waters high as well - and I'm rting to combat that with green-x) no ammonia no nitrites, but the water gets a yellow/green colour fairly quickly, and has a fair bit of suspended particles in it and it also wiffs a bit as well. I'm doing an almost 50% water change every 2 or three days just to keep the water looking and smelling good. Its had fish in for months now - maybe 6 or so, but i think the big mistake was to use too smaller a size gravel as the base layer in the substrate and this is being sucked up the tube and blocking the powerheads guard.. along with an infestation of snails in there as well, I think...

 

[Durbkat]

I'm surprised that they didn't die earler with only a UGF as a filter. 60liters is roughly about 15 US gallons of water. Like I said just run the 2 filters together for a few weeks then you can take the UGF out. How many liters is the big tank? You don't and shouldn't be using chemicals to lower your nitrates because the tank can become dependent on it and if you stop the nitrates could shoot up sky high. Nitrates can be controled by a good filter and 25% weekly vacum cleanings. The yellow water is because you are doing 50% water changes and you are basicaly remove the benefical bacteria in the tank and you should let the tank run for awhile so it can settle it self out.

 

[nickward_uk]

I you are basicaly remove the benefical bacteria in the tank and you should let the tank run for awhile so it can settle it self out.

yet the ammonia and nitites are both at zero.. surely if the bacteria were being removed, these would be higher? The problem is with the nitrates - and surely the only way of getting them out, is either plants, or water changes...?

 

[Durbkat]

Real plants can add to nitrates and a good filter and water changes is mainly the only thing to keep it down.

 

[spAcE mOnkEy]

Real plants can add to nitrates and a good filter and water changes is mainly the only thing to keep it down.

Real plants get rid of nitrates not add to them! If the plant is rotting then it would be adding to the nitrates. To keep nitrate levels down its best to do weekly water changes. Not all of us can manage to do weekly water changes, so its not like the fish will die if you skip a couple days from changing the water. 20-15% of the water each week is perfect. If you kept monster predatory fish you would want to do about 50% and it should be weekly with predatory fish.

 

[soritan]

I'm surprised that they didn't die earler with only a UGF as a filter. 60liters is roughly about 15 US gallons of water. Like I said just run the 2 filters together for a few weeks then you can take the UGF out. How many liters is the big tank? You don't and shouldn't be using chemicals to lower your nitrates because the tank can become dependent on it and if you stop the nitrates could shoot up sky high. Nitrates can be controled by a good filter and 25% weekly vacum cleanings. The yellow water is because you are doing 50% water changes and you are basicaly remove the benefical bacteria in the tank and you should let the tank run for awhile so it can settle it self out.

I could have sworn that UGFs provide superior biological filtration, so long as one is diligent with keeping their gravel clean? HOB filters gained popularity, mostly because they're easier to maintain.

I don't think I've ever seen ammonia turn water yellow... it may cloud it, but that's generally a bacterial bloom, become slightly visable.

So is the water "yellow", or "green"? Do you have bogwood or some other source of tannins in the water? Does the water look like tea, milk, or is it just 'green water'?

I agree with the monkey. Plants don't add nitrates, they remove nitrates, nitrites, and even ammonia.

 

[Teelie]

Undergravel filters aren't the superior one and they went out of fashion when the HOB, canister and other kinds of filters came into play, especially those that are wet/dry and provide better colonization for bacteria.

Discolored water is also a sign of a high mineral content too.

 

[Tolak]

Ugf's do provide excellent bio filtration, but at a price. Any mechanical filtration they do is done by the gravel, leaving what amounts to the dirty media sitting in the bottom of the tank, waiting to be stirred up by the tank's occupants. A thorough cleaning means pulling apart the tank twice yearly to get to beneath the undergravel plates. It looks just like a mud puddle under those plates.

Hob's provide better mechanical filtration, not quite as good bio filtration. Cannisters beat ugf all the way around. You can't beat a good wet dry sump for a larger tank.

Tolak

 

[nickward_uk]

I could have sworn that UGFs provide superior biological filtration, so long as one is diligent with keeping their gravel clean?
.

So is the water "yellow", or "green"? Do you have bogwood or some other source of tannins in the water? Does the water look like tea, milk, or is it just 'green water'?

The bottom layer of gravel was too small, and has clogged up the filter - I was also advised not to hoover it yet... so it went three months or so without a clean (has been done now tho...)

Yes, I do have a very small piece of driftwood - but that was boiled and soaked so dont think its that - the water's more of a greeny/yellow colour - and smells...

 

[Teelie]

Even boiling wood will not remove all the tannins. It takes a long time for them to leach out.