under gravel filter

[krichardson]

I like the way you put it.I have always thought of them just as the poster you quoted described but here I am cleaning out my power filters weekly.


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[Gill Blue]

he told me that's the problem those are out dated technology

this is one of my favorites. if it's such outdated technology, why do we simulate them in many other filters. running water through ceramics, sponges, or sintered glass is the same thing as an UGF, only with improved media moved outside the tank.

 

[krichardson]

The ceramics compare more to bio balls than an under gravel plate.


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[Gill Blue]

it's the gravel that's the media, not the plate. think of the plate more as the hoses and outside housing of your filter. it's only purpose is to contain the media and direct the flow through it.
not to say you don't get biofilm on it, but it's a flat surface. gravel has more surface area than the plate, and the newer medias have more surface area than the gravel.

 

[marv1]

this is one of my favorites. if it's such outdated technology, why do we simulate them in many other filters. running water through ceramics, sponges, or sintered glass is the same thing as an UGF, only with improved media moved outside the tank.

That's true but we are talking about an UGF where you have a tray with with at least 15lb of gravel and an air hose to circulate the water beneath the tray.so if you want to clean in between it will be impossible to move 15lb of gravel,pull the tray and put everything back looking neat. That's why is simulated in other filter and not duplicated because an UGF is outdated and the other filters I'm sure it's easier to clean.if they didn't step up the technology we might not have FX5 filters

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[krichardson]

Also,if the gravel is the media then an awful lot of BB must be removed when the gravel is vacuumed.


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[Gill Blue]

if you want to clean in between it will be impossible to move 15lb of gravel,pull the tray and put everything back looking neat.

in my current tank I haven't pulled out my filter plate or removed gravel in 12 years. there's no need.



I've never owned an FX5, and never will. I'll design my own filter first!
oh, wait, I am. and just like the FX5 I'll simulate an undergravel filter with it.

Also,if the gravel is the media then an awful lot of BB must be removed when the gravel is vacuumed.

only the ones that can't hang on.
how would you expect to lose any more than you would rinsing your other biological filters in tank water, because that's all your doing.

 

[krichardson]

But most of my filters have either bio wheels or balls


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[skjl47]

in my current tank I haven't pulled out my filter plate or removed gravel in 12 years. there's no need.



only the ones that can't hang on.
how would you expect to lose any more than you would rinsing your other biological filters in tank water, because that's all your doing.

Hello; Yes to both statements. Once an UGF is in place there is no need to remove it or the gravel. A siphon vac like the one pictured is what I use as well. I also have fairly dense growth of rooted plants which help with the process.
I doubt that a gravel vac will remove much of the bacterial film attached to the gravel, It will do a bit of detritus removal.
That UGF are old school does not by itself indicate that they do not work. Glass is old school but continues to be a suitable tank material. All filter systems have operation issues to be dealt with. Over the fifty plus years of keeping fish, I have chased after many of the shinny new things thinking they must be better because they are new. It has not alays turned out to be so.

 

[krichardson]

You and Gill brought up some good points,I might have to try a UF on one of my tanks.


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