So i used an under gravel filter not as a filter but as a support for rocks in my african tank instead of getting egg crate. Seemed like a good idea until the first time I gravel vacced and realized that things were surly getting trapped under the filter and could eventually cause problems. what is the solution? Should I occasionally hook it up as an under gravel filter and try and suck all the sediment out or should I just revamp before it's too late?
i only thought this was a good idea
- Thread starter unkle_billy
- Start date
should I just revamp before it's too late?
That would be my choice.
Couple of hours work would pay off.
Move the fish to a container, turn off the filters, pull most of the water, pull the gravel, pull out the plates, siphion out the gunk.
Just a note, many do not use eggcrate.
Have your rock on the glass, won`t hurt a thing.
Would be a good time to change to a sand bed.
Good luck.
That would be my choice.
Couple of hours work would pay off.
Move the fish to a container, turn off the filters, pull most of the water, pull the gravel, pull out the plates, siphion out the gunk.
Just a note, many do not use eggcrate.
Have your rock on the glass, won`t hurt a thing.
Would be a good time to change to a sand bed.
Good luck.
You either run it or not. You still need to clean the gravel when using a ugf. Don't go crazy cleaning the gravel, you'll remove all the BB. If there are to many rocks to make cleaning possible I wouldn't use it as it will plug up and eventually cause elevated nitrate levels.
I have a ugf running conventional flow with a power head in my 35 hex along with an AC50. The water is perfect. When doing weekly WC I clean the gravel some.
I have a ugf running conventional flow with a power head in my 35 hex along with an AC50. The water is perfect. When doing weekly WC I clean the gravel some.
Maybe this is just me but if your UGF plates are resting flush on the bottom of the tank I don't see that small amount of material that is going to get under those plates being an issue. It's going to be no more of an issue then the material that would get down in the egg crate that you would not be able to get out. Make sure the cap are on the UGF plates. On occasion, pop the caps off and siphon from the filter plate opening.