Undergravel Filteration

[Ralphw62]

Hello.

My 40 is about 1-2 weeks old. Back in the day I always used undergravel filters with good pumps and air stones.

I really hate to remove everything again but I can save all my water and put it back.

I want to add an undergravel filter to compliment my power filter and UV filter. my personal opinion is the bacterial filtration cant be beat. plus it cuts way down on maintenance. Not looking forward to the tubes showing , but the bubbles are kinda nice.
I was told at fish store that most everyone these days(made me sound old) only uses power filters.

any opinions on this subject?
Thanks
Ralph

 

[tribalbrit]

Under gravel filtration is a bit old fashioned these days. Power filters are a much more efficient method and externals even more so. The bacteria remains out side the tank and also the the muck does too.
Also if you want real plants the under gravel method makes this harder to achieve

 

[fluttermoth]

You'd also have to remove most of your rockwork, as that would cover up most of your filter plates otherwise.

I'd leave at as it is. While there's nothing wrong with UG filtration, it isn't the best choice for 'show tanks' with a lot of plants and rocks/wood. They're not as low maintenance as they seem either; you can sometimes syphon the build up of 'crud' out with a syphon down the uplift tube, but they usually need totally stripping down every year or so.

 

[DrRob]

If you really want the pure biological grunt and want something similar then have you looked at the Hamburg mattenfilter?

 

[Ralphw62]

If you really want the pure biological grunt and want something similar then have you looked at the Hamburg mattenfilter?

I'm looking it over and seeing what its about...

 

[Mikey1]

undergravel filters in my opinion are the best filters out there, old school or not, they can not be beat....

the only exception is if you have live plants, then not so good....

if no live plants, and the UGF is maintained properly, it is one of the best filters out there.....knowing how to maintain it is the key....it provides a nice large area for bacteria.....i have run many 6-8 foot tanks on UGFs alone

if maintained properly, an UGF will last you a lifetime, with no other costs except the filter itself....no media to ever replace,

the key is knowing how to take care of it and how to maintain it

 

[Ralphw62]

I'm with ya

 

[cpwebsite]

Power filters in my opinion are more efficient and they also have the ability to use various types of media more effectively. Plus if you want a bunch of bacteria in a power filter just put in a bunch of sponges and put a sponge over the intake.

 

[Ralphw62]

you think using both is too much?

 

[techen]

I believe plants are the best filters...

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Without a doubt UGF is the best bio-filter there is, as long as it works in any given tank. It must be done correctly, maintained properly and given assistance for mechanical filtration via and secondary filter. The key to a properly functioning ugf is the gravel size. You need something in a medium gravel. Smaller and it impedes flow, larger and it lets too much flow through. Ideally, a reverse UGF aka RUGF, is the better option. In this a powerhead or small pump is used to blow water down the uplift tube and then up through the plate and the gravel. And here is where the the secondary filter comes into play and why and rugf is preferably to a traditional ugf. Because the flow is up through the gravel this tends to keeps particles from settling into the gravel to rot and/or clog. Instead they stay in the water table where a good mech filter can suck them out. Now you actually need to vacuum less and you get cleaner water too.

It goes without saying that one must sponge the intake of the powerhead for pump to trap and debris. And yes, you must rinse out the sponge weekly. But now you have a huge bio-filter and a small mech filter. Add the secondary filter which can be an HOB, Internal or external what ever you like to do the mech. You can actually use a canister filter to power the system andto do the mech if you are so incilned.

I ran one until I spotted swordtail and cory fry under the plate and decided I needed not to continue risking that.

The biggest reason for not planting is primarily the gravel isn't ideal for plants. But you can have rock and wood work and you can put plants on them. And you can manage to get a few plants into the substrate. No you can got nuts with these things in such a fashion that you cut off too much of the flow through. But 25% should be just fine.

I believe plants are the best filters...

Unless you keep plant eating fish of course

 

[Mikey1]

Without a doubt UGF is the best bio-filter there is, as long as it works in any given tank. It must be done correctly, maintained properly and given assistance for mechanical filtration via and secondary filter.

i respectfully disagree.....

if an UGF is maintained properly, and the waterflow is correct, it is the ONLY filter you need,

i have run 180+ gallon tanks for many years on UGFs alone,

i think the problem is, most average or novice fishkeepers dont understand how they work, and as a result they dont maintain them properly, or maybe i should say dont know how

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I had a UGF as a kid, and HATED it. Years later I realize it was not the fault of the UGF.

I'd probably consider it again, but I dislike the uplift tubes... Of course, now that I've learned to scape a tank a little bit, I could probably work something out to disguise them better than I use to. In the old days they stood in the back of the tank like Greek columns!

 

[Ralphw62]

aquascape!! yes