Whatever happened to sub-gravel filters? My Dad keeps telling me that's all I need to filter my tank, but since they are no longer around they have to flawed in some way. So why does no one use them anymore?
Sub-Gravel Filters
- Thread starter abarilot
- Start date
I use one very succesfully on my 55 gallon they dont wear out. You just have to gravel vac semi often. Its the cheapest effective bio filter out there. I would not reccomend it as a sole filter but in combination with a high turnover HOB they are great. My undergravel alone keeps 20 community fish in a 55 with 0 nitrite and 0 ammonia. Ofcourse I added an ac110 and a eheim 2215 shortly after.
BTW www.kensfish.com has undergravel filters the same kind I use they are called perfect-a flo as I recall.
Thanks for the info thus far! If it is good filtration method why did cansiters and other filters come out?
i have used them until i switched over to sand on everything. they work fine with the addition of a HOB of canister.
There is nothing wrong with UGF's, period. They do require regular maintenance, i.e. gravel vacuuming, and I recommend powerheads rather than air lift, air lift just does not provide enough flow IMO. I have three tanks on UGF only and for the last ten years, my readings have been 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 10-20ppm nitrate with weekly 30-40% water changes. I use the 8 to 10 times turnover per hour for my flow rate, rather than 4 to 5. Either of the powerheads in any tank will provide 4-5 times turnover should the other fail.(Even though I haven't had a failure, I like backup filter power)
I don't trust HOB's because they're the only type of filter that I've used that failed on me. Others have had good luck with them. I'm giving them another chance because I'm trying a sand substrate for the first time in 40 years of fishkeeping, and an HOB came with the setup I got off of Craigslist. Even then my back up and supplemental filters are sponges(Like I said, I don't really trust HOB's).
Different filters came about because someone thought they had a better way. Personally, if it gives me 0, 0, and 10-20 on a regular basis, I don't care. Mostly I use undergravel and sponges because they're cheap, effective, fry friendly and I understand exactly how they work. They're what I'm used to, and nobody has shown me that anything else is as cheap, reliable and effective to run. As my tanks get bigger though, and sand the substrate of choice for the fish I like, I am finally beginning to consider sumps and canisters.
Mostly, if it works, it boils down to choice.
I don't trust HOB's because they're the only type of filter that I've used that failed on me. Others have had good luck with them. I'm giving them another chance because I'm trying a sand substrate for the first time in 40 years of fishkeeping, and an HOB came with the setup I got off of Craigslist. Even then my back up and supplemental filters are sponges(Like I said, I don't really trust HOB's).
Different filters came about because someone thought they had a better way. Personally, if it gives me 0, 0, and 10-20 on a regular basis, I don't care. Mostly I use undergravel and sponges because they're cheap, effective, fry friendly and I understand exactly how they work. They're what I'm used to, and nobody has shown me that anything else is as cheap, reliable and effective to run. As my tanks get bigger though, and sand the substrate of choice for the fish I like, I am finally beginning to consider sumps and canisters.
Mostly, if it works, it boils down to choice.