Under gravel filter

[PUHUCBLMX2]

Has anyone ever seen a canister/under gravel filter hybrid? I was wondering why no one has built one. Or a sump/reverse under gravel filter for that matter. Any ideas?

To be more clear, instead of having your canister sucking water through a sponge in the corner, why not have your canister sucking from a perforated platform underneath the gravel?

Similarly why not have your sump return to a platform underneath the gravel? I'm told reverse UGF's are actually better than standard UGF's.

Wouldn't either of these methods be a form of "free filtration"?

Just an idea. Any thoughts?

 

[jlnguyen74]

People who uses UGF mainly because it costs less than other filter. Once he can afford a canister or a sump, he'll get rid of the UGF, because he's tired of vaccuum the gravel every water change. Using a powerhead, or stick the intake of the canister filter into UGF pipe has been done many years ago. As for having your sump return to the UGF may not be a good idea, since you'll have poop and debris blow out of the gravel all over the tank

 

[rodger]

Back when UG filters were popular some people hooked cannisters to them. No reason you couldn't do the reverse either.

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[AROS]

When ever I see people talking about UG filters they always say they get clogged very easy and frequent, but I don't have any first hand experience with it.


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[skjl47]

When ever I see people talking about UG filters they always say they get clogged very easy and frequent, but I don't have any first hand experience with it.


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Hello; First to your question; I have used UGF many times over five decades. For a few decades they were in all my tanks. I also am not clear as to what is ment by statements such as "get clogged very easy and frequent". This was not my experience.

I have broken down many tanks run only with air powered UGF and most were open under the plate. A few had some amount of buildup under the plate but were not clogged.
Keep in mind that much of this experience was before I caught on to the practice of using a siphon hose to vacc the gravel. For some time I would make little effort to clean the gravel, just siphon the detritus off the surface of the gravel.

In response to these UGF critical threads I set up a 29 gallon tank with an air powered UGF to check on some of these claims about three years ago. The tank has a small HOB in operation as well and I do use a gravel vac from time to time. I have not had reason to break it down yet so cannot yet comment on what the conditions are under the plate. So far the tank has ticked along nicely much as my first tanks did decades ago.

Do a search on this forum on the UGF or undergravel filters. There have been many threads including much discussion in the recent past. Many posts from folks with much experience with UGF.

 

[PUHUCBLMX2]

How can an UGF get clogged? It doesn't seem possible unless you unwisely choose gravel that is small enough that it can fall between the slats in the plate.

As far as having a sump return through the gravel. The idea is to keep the gravel clean, all the crap and debris would be pushed out and go out the overflow into in the sump. it was my understanding that this is a good thing. It seems like you would not have to vacuum the gravel if you had a reverse UGF.