Under gravel filters...yes or no
- Thread starter goodisor
- Start date
I've heard nothing but bad things about them, especially for SW. They're so old-school, and reputably a pain to deal with. If you were doing a fish-only tank and using large chunks of crushed coral/aragonite for substrate, then I suppose you could use it, but only as supplement filtration.
goodisor;479677; said:
Ideal for freshwater, BAD deal for saltwater! u have to use large substrate which often harbors phosphates and nitrates under the filter!
If you use reverse flow powerheads in conjuction with a cannister filter undergravels are not that bad.
I personally wouldn't use them on a salt set up. just stick with good filters and skimmers and save your money even if its free.
I don't know why people are still asking questions about UGF??? Its such a horrible thing, they do more harm then good. The only good that could come out of a UGF is that you could save yourself an extra 10 minutes a week on water changes.
I'll explain... This is something that I found online that feel explains better then i can.
And Undergravel Filter Downsides:
1.UGFs are Hard to Maintain, Especially Long-Term
Theyre like sweeping your dog/cat poo under the rug, bad visual, but accurate to some extent. Unless youre careful about regularly vacuuming your substrate, moving the décor about, and the occasional complete or nearly complete tear down, gunk (a polite term) does tend to accumulate in the gravel and particularly under the plates of UG filters.
In fairness, all types of filtration have their respective maintenance and up-keep issues and if folks are careful enough to not overfeed, overcrowd, ignore their regular maintenance, undergravel filters can be run safely for years and years.
2. UGFs Cant Be Used With Diggers
Eartheating Juraparoids and many other Neotropical cichlids, engineering gobies of many sorts in marine systems, and many other animals that burrow extensively can create channeling problems with undergravel filters, digging out the substrate, allowing water to easily pass though their tunnels, while dropping circulation through the rest of the filter bed (the substrate) to dangerous anaerobic levels with these choices in livestock, youre well-advised to at least use other types of filtration IN ADDITION to your undergravel plates.
3. UGFs Can Produce Noxious GasesCreating Dead Zones
Most everyone whos been in the hobby long enough can relate an incident of rotten egg smell (Hydrogen Sulfide) wipe-out in an aquarium serviced with undergravel filtration. These instances are almost all matters of inadequate maintenance, where the aquarist neglected regular maintenance, fed too much of inappropriate foods, had too much bio-load reminds me of folks getting defibrillated for myocardial infarctions (heart attacks), If you would have stuck with your 12 point maintenance program we wouldnt have to jump start you. Honestly, if youre marginally diligent in gravel vacuuming/water changing, stirring your gravel and other simple aspects of proper aquarium husbandry, stinky UGF wipe-out/dead zones are highly unlikely.
4. With UGF Use Fishes Can Get Trapped Under The Plates
Whered my Clown, Kuhli Loaches, Gobies, Blennies . go? Lets see, there not carpet jerky I bet its that darned cat! There are a host of fish species (and some invertebrates) that delight in hiding out under UG filter plates the good news is that most all of them are just as facile at coming back out If youre missing some livestock and suspect that its ensconced under your UGF dont panic, dont tear the tank apart very likely your aquatic charges will re-emerge on their own when theyre hungry.
At least with undergravel use you have less chance of your livestock jumping out through extra and larger openings made to fit hoses and attachments, necessary with other types of filter use.
5.Undergravel Filters May Present A Problem With Plants
Many rooted plants (as opposed to floating or surface types) have difficulties with too much water circulation as produced with undergravel filter use growing slowly or not at all due to the aerobic changes that such gear induces. Is this a big problem? Not at all! Swordplants, Crypts, Vallisnerias, Sagittarias et al. can be easily blind potted in trays, clay pots and such or an area left open (sans an undergravel plate) for their planting or a section/plate of impervious (likely plastic) sheet inserted over the undergravel plate where you want to put them. So there!
Cloze:
Okay, so Im an old timer who still likes, can see applications for undergravel filters in modern aquarium keeping Though they do have their attendant downsides, given regular upkeep, a practical understanding of their potential troubles, mis-applications UGFs can be at least useful adjuncts to other types of filtration. They do work!
So basically i wouldn't even concider using one.
I am not sure, maybe someone else can comment, but is it even possible to use a UGF with Aaragonite, or Live sand?
I'll explain... This is something that I found online that feel explains better then i can.
And Undergravel Filter Downsides:
1.UGFs are Hard to Maintain, Especially Long-Term
Theyre like sweeping your dog/cat poo under the rug, bad visual, but accurate to some extent. Unless youre careful about regularly vacuuming your substrate, moving the décor about, and the occasional complete or nearly complete tear down, gunk (a polite term) does tend to accumulate in the gravel and particularly under the plates of UG filters.
In fairness, all types of filtration have their respective maintenance and up-keep issues and if folks are careful enough to not overfeed, overcrowd, ignore their regular maintenance, undergravel filters can be run safely for years and years.
2. UGFs Cant Be Used With Diggers
Eartheating Juraparoids and many other Neotropical cichlids, engineering gobies of many sorts in marine systems, and many other animals that burrow extensively can create channeling problems with undergravel filters, digging out the substrate, allowing water to easily pass though their tunnels, while dropping circulation through the rest of the filter bed (the substrate) to dangerous anaerobic levels with these choices in livestock, youre well-advised to at least use other types of filtration IN ADDITION to your undergravel plates.
3. UGFs Can Produce Noxious GasesCreating Dead Zones
Most everyone whos been in the hobby long enough can relate an incident of rotten egg smell (Hydrogen Sulfide) wipe-out in an aquarium serviced with undergravel filtration. These instances are almost all matters of inadequate maintenance, where the aquarist neglected regular maintenance, fed too much of inappropriate foods, had too much bio-load reminds me of folks getting defibrillated for myocardial infarctions (heart attacks), If you would have stuck with your 12 point maintenance program we wouldnt have to jump start you. Honestly, if youre marginally diligent in gravel vacuuming/water changing, stirring your gravel and other simple aspects of proper aquarium husbandry, stinky UGF wipe-out/dead zones are highly unlikely.
4. With UGF Use Fishes Can Get Trapped Under The Plates
Whered my Clown, Kuhli Loaches, Gobies, Blennies . go? Lets see, there not carpet jerky I bet its that darned cat! There are a host of fish species (and some invertebrates) that delight in hiding out under UG filter plates the good news is that most all of them are just as facile at coming back out If youre missing some livestock and suspect that its ensconced under your UGF dont panic, dont tear the tank apart very likely your aquatic charges will re-emerge on their own when theyre hungry.
At least with undergravel use you have less chance of your livestock jumping out through extra and larger openings made to fit hoses and attachments, necessary with other types of filter use.
5.Undergravel Filters May Present A Problem With Plants
Many rooted plants (as opposed to floating or surface types) have difficulties with too much water circulation as produced with undergravel filter use growing slowly or not at all due to the aerobic changes that such gear induces. Is this a big problem? Not at all! Swordplants, Crypts, Vallisnerias, Sagittarias et al. can be easily blind potted in trays, clay pots and such or an area left open (sans an undergravel plate) for their planting or a section/plate of impervious (likely plastic) sheet inserted over the undergravel plate where you want to put them. So there!
Cloze:
Okay, so Im an old timer who still likes, can see applications for undergravel filters in modern aquarium keeping Though they do have their attendant downsides, given regular upkeep, a practical understanding of their potential troubles, mis-applications UGFs can be at least useful adjuncts to other types of filtration. They do work!
So basically i wouldn't even concider using one.
I am not sure, maybe someone else can comment, but is it even possible to use a UGF with Aaragonite, or Live sand?
Well if you wanna use the UGF, use it as a PLENUM in a deep sand bed. But make sure you put no airpumps, powerheads or anything which draws water through it. Remember the substrate you use in the marine tank usually breaks down and tuns into calcium for the marine aquarium. It has to be continually replaced as the tank ages, which means it is not an ideal filter for SW because it will clog in time, eventually no filter is what you would be left with......
Dominuslive;481315; said:
Plenum is the best way to go!!! Dont bother with standard UG filters, u can use eggcrate and nylon screening! Dont bother with reverse flow either, reverse flow is bogus and dosent work. It was "The big thing" a few years back, but now people have come to their sences.
I admit I didn't read the whole thread but I wanted to give my 2 cents about UGF.
I LOVE them only if you use powerhead with them or go reverse flow and that is only for FRESHWATER.
UGF is not ideal for saltwater because you would end up with excess nitrates which is not desireable for SW.
I LOVE them only if you use powerhead with them or go reverse flow and that is only for FRESHWATER.
UGF is not ideal for saltwater because you would end up with excess nitrates which is not desireable for SW.