I have UGF's on four tanks (two are RUGF's). They are cheap, effective, and efficient to run compared to the cost to run a sump.
How many MFK'ers use UGFs?
- Thread starter r3d
- Start date
With the exception of the old sponge filter, under gravel is cheap, effective and works darn good. When I started out under gravel with risers and air stones was all I knew about, now almost all my tanks are on wet/dry but the pumps are power monsters. Under gravel is by far cheaper.
I used UGF for years with great success. I currently am using one on a 40 gal tank but the 125 that I just set up is without. I am using two high flow HOB types currently with the 125.
They do accumulate that gunk on the bottom of the plates over time but syphoning it out keeps the nitrates down.
They do accumulate that gunk on the bottom of the plates over time but syphoning it out keeps the nitrates down.
Most people think that ugf's are out dated. Let's face it there are some great canisters available now and the wet dry's work great. However the ugf is a simple and effective biological filter.
They have to be properly maintained to keep them from becoming nitrate factories. Vacuuming the gravel is very important. I usually vacuum one side of the tank at a time to keep the bacteria colony intact. Obviously using it with fish that dig will have a negative effect on it. I have seen people put one or two layers of eggcrate on the bottom of the tank and then add the gravel when diggers are present. Most people seem to be going for the natural look and the lift tubes can be hard to conceal on a large tank with multiple tubes. More and more people are switching to sand substrates and to the best of my knowledge there are no ugf plates designed to work with sand.
I currently have three tanks running, (180, and two 29's) and I'm using an ugf on one 29. I'm using it in reverse flow mode. I would have used an ugf on the 180 but I have VERY large (50# +) rocks that I'm not going to move every time I vacuum the gravel. So the ugf wouldn't have worked out. The other 29 I bought as a package deal and it came with a HOT Magnum with bio-wheels.
IMHO, the ugf is a great bio-filter for people on a tight budget or anyone who doesn't need all the bells and whistles of the modern canisters. They don't cost much so you can set up multiple tanks without going broke filtering them. They are definetly not out dated though.
They have to be properly maintained to keep them from becoming nitrate factories. Vacuuming the gravel is very important. I usually vacuum one side of the tank at a time to keep the bacteria colony intact. Obviously using it with fish that dig will have a negative effect on it. I have seen people put one or two layers of eggcrate on the bottom of the tank and then add the gravel when diggers are present. Most people seem to be going for the natural look and the lift tubes can be hard to conceal on a large tank with multiple tubes. More and more people are switching to sand substrates and to the best of my knowledge there are no ugf plates designed to work with sand.
I currently have three tanks running, (180, and two 29's) and I'm using an ugf on one 29. I'm using it in reverse flow mode. I would have used an ugf on the 180 but I have VERY large (50# +) rocks that I'm not going to move every time I vacuum the gravel. So the ugf wouldn't have worked out. The other 29 I bought as a package deal and it came with a HOT Magnum with bio-wheels.
IMHO, the ugf is a great bio-filter for people on a tight budget or anyone who doesn't need all the bells and whistles of the modern canisters. They don't cost much so you can set up multiple tanks without going broke filtering them. They are definetly not out dated though.
I am going to using them in my larger tank along with sponge filter when I build my fish room, since I can keep the cost down and not have 10 sponges in a 75 gallon tank.
I wouldn't be able to stand the thought of all that gunk underneath the plate, but that's just me. You'd think it'd become a nitrate factory real fast.
I use them on two of my tanks, both 20G (my kids tanks). I agree with them being natrate factories. I never do more than 50% WC at a time, don't think it to me very healthy. Even with the 40% - 50% water changes weekly, I have a very hard time getting the nitrates down below 20ppm. All other tanks run canister setups and I find it much easier to keep the nitrates under control. 
