Underground filter

[TomSawyer]

Hi guys

I'm going to settle for 2 new aquariums; one 2ftx1ftx1ft and the other 36inx14inx14in. Is it worth to install an underground filter along with a powered filter? if yes, i would be very messy to clean it up after?

Thanks

 

[dolphin]

Hi TomSawyer

The more filteration that you have, the more stock you can have in your tanks.

UGF's are OK but the tank will need to be stripped down every so often (about every 1-2 years), which is messy.

 

[EddieW]

Also an UGF is not recommended if you are planning to have live plants in the tanks.

Personally I started out with a UGF but as soon as I got my next new tank I switched to an internal power filter and on my latest I have gone for an external canister filter. Each type of filter has proved easier to maintain that the previous one.

Some people have also had problems maintaining their water parameter when using a UGF - I don;t know whether I did or not as I didn't know what to check when I had mine

HTH, Eddie

 

[impur]

I have used an UGF for years with no problems. I have a 55 gal, 48x18x18. I use a powerhead in each corner. I also have a emperor 400 on the tank. With regular gravel cleanings i think you will find the UGF a very good one.

 

[Tanked]

I'm not a big fan of the UGF as my water would not settle. I got continuaous ammonia and nitrite spikes. I removed it from the tank (added an emporer 400) and within a week my water settled and all was good.

 

[totalbolshevik]

I'm pretty new at this, but I had a tank for many years that never got cleaned or anything. It had a UG filter and eventually "crashed" after so many years without proper care. It had built up a layer of grime under the filter, and the pH eventually dropped so low that the fish couldn't hack it anymore and several of them decided to take a trip to the great fishbowl in the sky before I got it sorted out. Now I'm scared of UG filters.

 

[Jamnog]

under ground filters are not very popular as you can see here but for all the hastle there is the advantage that they are cheap. so long as you clean the gravel with a gravel hoover allot of the problems will not occour and if your talking about powering the system with a power head then you may be able to reverse the system thus ensuring the muck does not get all clogged under the plate.