cleaning with an underground filter

[saaebn]

Hello-

I was hoping for some advice

I have a 75 gal tank with an underground filter. I am hopling to buy a cannister filter soon and take out the underground filter. It came with the tank and so I used what I had. I have about 2 inches of rock over the filter. When I clean do you just surface clean with rocks? Do you really dig in deep and really clean clean the rocks? Or do you clean the rocks, then scrap them away and clean with filter? Do you worry about the filter showing during cleaning? what about under the filter? I have heard that it is where bacteria can grow and not to diturb it too much but wont it get really bad under there? I am just unsure how "clean" to clean my tank. I don mind doing it - just dont know exactly how.

also- how often should you clean off your artificial plants and stumps in the tank?

Thanks again,
Stacie

 

[TheNewGuy]

It's going to be a mess, UGF filter's get pretty nasty after they've been in there a while. this is just me but you may want to hook up the UFG to the inlet of the canister filter to help it get cleaned out when you start removing the the UGF. doing so would also seed your new filter. after letting it run for a day or two the remove the UGF and use a gravel vac to clean the gravel REALLY well. I'm still a newbie but I think that's the way you would want to go.

 

[JamesMJ2]

You can also attach power heads to UGFs. not only will this make them more effective you can also reverse the flow(some models) and blow all the crap out. You do not have to remove all the gunk that gets trapped in the UGF, you would have to do that only once every 4-6 months, just gravel vac as thouroghly as you can. Best thing to do would be to get that canister going like "TheNewGuy" said. Much more effective filtration, much easier to service, and provides better water movement.

 

[Punkymom]

I hated UGF. I had to tear the whole aquarium upside down just to clean them. I'm beside myself now because I have a power filter that hangs off the back and I don't have to tear my aquarium down!!! Of course, when I had the UGF, it was in a 10 gal and now I have a 55 gal. So I would be SO miserable if I had to do that with this one!!! Some people like them, I don't!!!