Sab_Fan;3357864; said:
They never got popular because they don't work very well...
I only tried one with sand, as I heard of them after I stopped using gravel... But in theory they will work better with gravel (but I still have my doubts)...
Reverse UGF with a sand bed?
- Thread starter vietmanx
- Start date
They never got popular because they don't work very well...
I only tried one with sand, as I heard of them after I stopped using gravel... But in theory they will work better with gravel (but I still have my doubts)...
nc_nutcase, are you saying i shouldnt even bother with a rugf? i have the holes already cut out of the bottom, so would a jet system work, plumbed thru the bottom of the tank?
Having used many UGFs
and having experimented with a RUGF w/ sand
I wont bother with either of them any more
Im not the type to tell others what to do based on my experience, but I think there is value to sharing experiences with others Feel free to move in which ever direction you wish
What exactly do you mean by I have the holes already cut out of the bottom?
I consider one of the bigger benefits of sand is it keeps the waste right there on top where either the filtration or your siphon hose can remove it.
I have made a couple Under Sand Jets (or Under Gravel Jets, although they dont function properly with gravel
) that worked fairly well. Ive found that smaller units with 3 (or so) jets a powerhead and the needed plumbing work far better than a large complex loops system with multiple jets powered by a larger pump
But in recent years Ive given them up and replaced them with Koralia Powerheads. With one smallish powerhead I can create a fanlike current blowing across the substrate keeping waste rolling in the direction I want it until it can either be collected by a filter intake or pushed to a single area where I can conveniently siphon it out.
Im not the type to tell others what to do based on my experience, but I think there is value to sharing experiences with others Feel free to move in which ever direction you wish
What exactly do you mean by I have the holes already cut out of the bottom?
I consider one of the bigger benefits of sand is it keeps the waste right there on top where either the filtration or your siphon hose can remove it.
I have made a couple Under Sand Jets (or Under Gravel Jets, although they dont function properly with gravel
) that worked fairly well. Ive found that smaller units with 3 (or so) jets a powerhead and the needed plumbing work far better than a large complex loops system with multiple jets powered by a larger pump
But in recent years Ive given them up and replaced them with Koralia Powerheads. With one smallish powerhead I can create a fanlike current blowing across the substrate keeping waste rolling in the direction I want it until it can either be collected by a filter intake or pushed to a single area where I can conveniently siphon it out.
i really want to use sand because everyone says the waste stays on top. but i have four outlets i would like to maximize...
Are you saying your tank is drilled? Meaning there are 4 holes drilled through the bottom plate of glass?
If so that has nothing to do with a Reverse UFG... that is what you need to use a sump with built in overflows... A whole different ball game, yet very possible to set up...
But no worries, if you want to use sand, then use sand... There are some precautions to take to protect your filters from sucking it up (it will damage impellors) but there aren't any reasons why you can't use sand...
If so that has nothing to do with a Reverse UFG... that is what you need to use a sump with built in overflows... A whole different ball game, yet very possible to set up...
But no worries, if you want to use sand, then use sand... There are some precautions to take to protect your filters from sucking it up (it will damage impellors) but there aren't any reasons why you can't use sand...
The secret is you have to match the total cross sectional area of all the holes to equal the cross sectional area of the pipe supplying the water to the RUGF. That way if a fish digs down to the pipes, the small size of the hole will not allow all of the water to channel up through the fish's hole. The water flow through the rest of the system will not suffer appreciably.nc_nutcase;3357790; said:
vietmanx;3359394; said:
Here's my system.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69943
Two and a half years and still going strong. I've cleaned the gravel twice so far. The first to see what I might find and the second because I started getting build up after switching to pellets (non-soluble bone meal and fillers). I feed daily and very heavily (8 to ten handfulls of pellets).
To use sand as media, you will need to use very tiny holes and a bazillion of them. The idea is to spread the water flow out as much as possible so you don't create sand boils.
this is wat a ugf system looks like you dont need to cut any holes. you just put the white part under the gravel. if you already drilled the glass or tank came like that(probably for a overflow), you can install a bulk head and insert a screw cap in to it too close it off.(if you dont use it as a overflow)vietmanx;3359394; said:
