underground filter
- Thread starter fuzzy
- Start date
paltik said:
wouldn't that take a really long time. I would think with that much root, the system won't need as nuch filtration
The problem isnt the roots clogging the filter its that you need to vac the gravel weekly to keep a ugf working right.You cant vac the gravel with rooted plants youd wreck the roots.
Ive used a UGF with plants but its so much easier without a UGF. I had a sword plant in a tank with a UGF and i couldnt take the plant out without lifting the whole UGF with it. I had to trim the roots and leave them there which eventually would rot.
i'm going to be receiving my 180 gal tank within 2 days. and has decided to put some gravel on it for my datnoids (to look a little bit natural for them). the tank will be filtered by wet/dry CR3000 (440 gal capacity) with a mag drive pump most probable mag 24. should i put undergravel filter with two strong powerheads or should i leave the gravel or sand without any undergravel filter under it??? 
With an external that size I would not bother with an under gravel filter, they work ok until you decide to do a gravel wash, thats when you remove all of the benificial bacteria, it could leed to a dip in your biological filtration levels and screw everything up! stick with the external your a big boy now 
I like using both external and ugfs, in a 150g I used a ugf designed for a 55g tank under the front central area as added biofiltration. To avoid loss of effectiveness just vac 1/3 the filter area per week.