Why Not To Use Ug Filters..

[KhaosInc]

Normally I would never use UG filters, but this was a tank that was tossed together in a hurry and I never got back to changing the set up.

it housed 2 red eared slider turtles, but Im sure a moderate fish stocking would have created the same mess.

There was a power head and an air pump running the UG filter, and a fluval 404 as well filtering this 75 gallon tank (admitidly only half full to allow for a basking area) I tore it down today and moved them to a 150 gallon tank, this morning the tank looked pretty clean. weekly water changes, and the gravel did get vacuumed. I honestly hadn't tested the water in ages..

I don't have a before pic, but this is the aftermath of pulling up only 1/2 the UG filter (to get the powerheads off).. keep in mind there was only a mix of black and natural gravel in that tank... there is no sand... thats all poop.. and this tank was only put together for a few months.

theres no UG filter in their new set up powerheads and 2 canisters...

 

[*Fishkies*]

Yeah turtles can also make a mess on their own. Underground filters are a debate sometimes because some say they are good and some disagree. I disagree sort of because wll the gravel can get stuck in the little holes, also sometimes the dirt underneath can't always get sucked up or picked up. So I think it would just be better to have to do vaccumings of the gravel then have a UGF as it seems like they do nothing really.

 

[darkwolf29a]

I agree with Fishkes. UGF aren't the end all they used to be. When I first got into fish keeping, that's what you bought, and they were everywhere. Now, we've learned better. I'll never put one in another tank,that's for sure.

 

[poopsydrew]

People still use those??

Sorry for the mess khaos. That looks like its gonna be awful to clean.

Drew

 

[KhaosInc]

was real easy to clean... dumped the whole mess, gravel and all in the compost pile.. hosed it out..

now... what to do with an empty 55 gallon tank.

 

[raptorrex]

there do still seem to be some uses for UGF, but i guess even the cheapest of cheap internal filters will do a better job. they have deffo nad their time, still the air pump/powerhead may come in useful. If you are into inverts this would make the daddy of all Crab lodges!