PVC tubes under gravel to remove debris

[qguy]

Instead of solely siphoning water from the tank, considering that debris tends to accumulate in the densest part of the gravel, what if we were to lay 3/4 inch PVC tubes beneath the gravel (with gravel size around 5 mm) covering an area of approximately 16 by 22 inches, leaving the rest of the bottom bare? Would this approach offer a viable solution for eliminating the need to regularly siphon the gravel using a gravel vacuum?

Anyone tried this approach?

 

[dmyersWv]

Sounds like you would be recreating an under gravel filter. They have been around forever. I my experience they work but are about the worst to maintain.

 

[cockroach]

I am not sure it is replicating a UGF completely as those tend to hold the mulm/debris in the gravel waiting to be vacuumed out.
With the size of the gravel, the waste will essentially be drained through the pores, into the outlet and on to a better life outside the tank..

If you are looking at something like this, I used a reverse flow UGF for a few years and it worked very well. The powerhead outlet goes under the gravel and the water flows UP through the gravel. This picks up waste and makes it free floating which is then removed by the filter's floss or sponge.
Good pick from Eheim.

 

[duanes]

(As said above) Its kind of the same concept as a "reverse flow, under gravel filter".
Back in the 1960s we started doing this by placing the effluent port of a power head-on the normal up flow tube of under gravel filter plates, pointing down so flow passed up thru the gravel, instead of drawing detritus into it..
Beside dislodging debris, the reverse flow created more aerobic conditions in the substrate, making for a better, healthier, and more vibrant environment for the beneficial bacterial colony inside the substrate of the tank.
I would imagine by drilling in PVC, and strategically laying them out, a more even flow could be distributed through the tank, preventing dead spots.

 

[dogofwar]

You could do similar by using a thin layer of substrate (like coarse sand) and placing a circulation pump or power head in a way that blows detritus into the water column to be sucked up by a filter.

 

[jjohnwm]

The big difference between UG filters...either standard or reverse-flow...and this idea is that the filters are constantly circulating water through the gravel, creating excellent aerobic conditions for bacteria. I used lots of UG filters back in the day, and I was especially fond of a few DIY reverse-flow versions I had. Those worked best when the water being pumped down under the gravel was mechanically filtered to remove the solid particulates...but even then they tended to accumulate very fine mulm underneath the filter plate. I often toyed with the idea of drilling one or more bottom drains to draw that schmutz out of the tank periodically, closed with valves and periodically opened during water changes...but never got around to it.

I like D dogofwar 's idea. If you want clean gravel, then don't use more than necessary and utilize pumps to prevent the solid waste from settling, allowing filters to pick it up.

Lately, I've started to think that the best gravel cleaners and waste-stirrer-uppers we can use...are goldfish!

 

[cockroach]

The big difference between UG filters...either standard or reverse-flow...and this idea is that the filters are constantly circulating water through the gravel, creating excellent aerobic conditions for bacteria. I used lots of UG filters back in the day, and I was especially fond of a few DIY reverse-flow versions I had. Those worked best when the water being pumped down under the gravel was mechanically filtered to remove the solid particulates...but even then they tended to accumulate very fine mulm underneath the filter plate. I often toyed with the idea of drilling one or more bottom drains to draw that schmutz out of the tank periodically, closed with valves and periodically opened during water changes...but never got around to it.

I like D dogofwar 's idea. If you want clean gravel, then don't use more than necessary and utilize pumps to prevent the solid waste from settling, allowing filters to pick it up.

Lately, I've started to think that the best gravel cleaners and waste-stirrer-uppers we can use...are goldfish!

This is how many guppy breeding racks in Asia are designed. Each of my 18 tanks has a ball valve below the UGF plate for that exact reason. Easy draining of built up mulm and detritus.

 

[dogofwar]

UGFs - forward or reverse - rely on having a uniform substrate to operate well. Cichlids, cats and other fish that dig really challenge this. They also require regular, really thorough gravel vacuuming. One of many reasons I'm not a fan.

 

[qguy]

This is how many guppy breeding racks in Asia are designed. Each of my 18 tanks has a ball valve below the UGF plate for that exact reason. Easy draining of built up mulm and detritus.

Finally installed it and moved all the gravel into a small section of the tank, should have done this a milion years ago, no more siphoning the gravel and water changes are so much easier with the ball valve under under the tank.

 

[cockroach]

nice on!

Got any pics of your setup?