I have a 55 gl tank full of live plants and small com fish ,I have a undergravel filter with 2 power heads attached to it and a whisper 60 filter also......I never had any problems with this tank and all readings (ph etc) are good. So here is my Question ...I just bought a 150 gl tank and I'll be setting it up here in the next few days, Ive been heariing not good things about the UGF so should I not put it in or what ? Kinda at a crossroad here as I've had good luck with em but I don't want to start having bad with this new tank.....Thanks Silas
Under gravel filters
- Thread starter para566
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If you have rooted plats it makes it difficult to vac the gravel thourougly which is needed to maintain a ugf in good order.Also is you are getting fish that like to dig exposing the plates decreases the filters effectivness.Other than that ugfs are great I use them in a few tanks
I use UGFs set up according to recommendations by Dr. Spotte. I place bonded filter pads between the plates and gravel. The pads have 80 times more surface area, than 1.5" of gravel, for aerobic bacteria to adhere to. The pads provide a good rooting base for plants, prevent gravel from clogging the plate slits, and keep sludge from beneath the plates.
I ran a 240gal polypterus tank for over 2 years with just a UGF with powerheads (2 of the powerheads discharged to bio-wheels). When I tore the tank down to move, the white side of the pad was still white and there wasn't a bit of sludge under the plates. Not bad for 16 heavy-eating polys. I just did routine gravel washes and water changes every 2 weeks.
I ran a 240gal polypterus tank for over 2 years with just a UGF with powerheads (2 of the powerheads discharged to bio-wheels). When I tore the tank down to move, the white side of the pad was still white and there wasn't a bit of sludge under the plates. Not bad for 16 heavy-eating polys. I just did routine gravel washes and water changes every 2 weeks.