UGF-Powerheads or aeration?

[cougaran]

I have on my 38 gal set up aeration with all 4 stacks going. I've been thinking of going to powerheads. Any thoughts? Also its in a bedroom so i dont want anything too noisy. I know i'd need two powerheads, any brand recomendations? Also probably should go with reverse flow right?

 

[TCTFish]

UGFs are an aquarist's nightmare. You'd be much better off spending the money on a good HOB power filter and dismantling the UGF. Even with powerheads on reverse flow can cause a bad disease outbreak of somekind. All that does is take the waste that's been pulled under the UGF and blow it back into the open areas of the tank. People have hooked the powerheads on reverse flow to a canister filter. In that case, what's the sense of having the UGF in the first place if it's going to require so much more equipment to keep the tank from fowling over a period of time? Nitrates can become grossly saturated and produce disease causing bacteria and parasites. Sometimes a tank with a UGF seems absolutely fine for a couple years and then suddenly everything starts to break down with something. Do yourself the favor and prevent future head and heartaches that are associated with UGFs and get rid of it altogether.

 

[cougaran]

Im running a whisper 5 filter also with this system. Eventually when is set up my 90 gal im going to put the whisper 5 filter on it. But i have spare whisper 3 filters somewhere in the house. I've also thought of going canister, but for the 38 gal it doesnt seem to make much sense, id rather get the canister for the 90 gal.
So basically i'm using hob filtration with a ugf w/ aeration, but it doesnt seem like its worth spending the money for 2 new powerheads.

 

[poikilotherm]

I was shocked by how much mulm was trapped under my undergravel when I pulled it out. As you guessed, and like TCTFish, I believe that if you are committed to keeping the UGF, reverse flow is your best bet. I, however, would pull it out one panel at a time, and if you are careful, and have a gravel vac ready to grab the filth as you lift the panel, you can probably do it with your fish in there.

Keep a reasonably large filter on the tank, keep the gravel pretty thin, and aerate with stones/wands/ornaments/whatever strikes your fancy.

 

[TCTFish]

Powerheads are generally good for water flow...to create current to keep the water from becoming stagnant. Nothing wrong or odd about running a canister on a 38. It gives you that much more capacity for filtration as well as easier maintenance in the long run. If you are financially restricted, you can just remove the UGF and get another HOB. Save your money for that 90. Aqua Clears are good. I like them better than Whisper and they're just as economically priced. Aqua Clear has a larger capacity for bio media than Whisper. You get more for your money IMO. The Whisper you have can run the carbon and the sponge for mechanical and chemical filtration while using an Aqua Clear strictly for bio media.

Believe me...after 20+ years of seeing the same scenerio over and over with UGFs and peoples tanks being down right nasty and fish dying, they're not worth it. That Whisper 5 alone is better than having the UGF.

 

[TCTFish]

poikilotherm...

Are you familiar with the DSB way of biological filtration for denitrification? It eliminates the need for gravel vacuuming. Great for tanks with lots of rock work like African cichlid tanks and marine reef systems as well as large and/or deep systems.

All it takes is at least 4" of substrate...small grain...and some critters that crawl through the sandbed. Denitrifying bacteria cultivate and eat away the nitrates Not only are you relieved of vacuuming the substrate (just need to exchange water), but the system as a whole is more natural and healthier. Denitrification allows for a full nitrogen cycle to take place instead of being cut short from vacuuming.

 

[cougaran]

My dad did that essentially but he used a UGF with it. Over time the underneath part would fill up with sand and i know he was getting little filtration through the UGF , but the sand base part worked. He also used a whisper filter on top. I remember later he bought one small powerhead and ran that as well.

 

[Apocalypse_Gold]

Yet another ugf bashing post. I admit that if they are neglected they are a big mess. If maintained they are wonderful. Everyone talks about all the stuff that builds up under it. Think of your ugf as a gravel vac. With moderate aeration all the stuff gets stuck under the filter- like stuff in your bucket when you do a pwc. So Empty It! Stick a siphon hose down the up-tube when doing your pwc and you will be sucking up more junk than you would with a gravel vac. Then vac the surface. There are disadvantages to ugf's. Root feeding plants do not do well. I pot mine to deal with this. To actually answer your question, powerheads or aeration, powerheads turn your gravel into a big bio-filter but has little mechanical filtration-It keeps spitting out the gunk so your hob picks it up and clogs faster, but you don't need to gravel vac as much. With aeration you get more mechanical but less biological-but still more than with no ugf. Forget the powerheads, but not the ugf.

 

[poikilotherm]

TCTFish,

I was not familiar with it, but it totally makes sense. You want anaerobic zones so that nitrate can be reduced to N2, but not too low of a redox potential. Is that about right? Thanks for pointing it out to me, I will definitely try it in the 600ish gallon tank that I currently only own in my dreams. I actually grow denitrifying bacteria in the lab, I just never thought that there was a good way to get denitrification in an aquarium without other, undesirable, anaerobic metabolic products (sulfide, methane, etc.). So what are the best freshwater bioturbation organisms?

 

[malkore]

maxi-jet is the best powerhead brand, IMO.

 

[cougaran]

I'm curious Apocalypse_Gold why forget the powerheads? I'm kinda leaning in that direction, my air pumps are kinda of old and repairing them may be a nightmare.
I am running a 4 output whisper air pump, but i have had to t them together to make any real contribution to the aeration on the UGF. i have another double air pump powering the two inner tubes and they are very weakly making a contribution. What size tanks are you using a ugf with? and what brand/model air pump or brand/model powerheads are you using?
If i do decide to go powerheads, i was thinking about the maxijet-400, only $14 each at aquarium guys. only they dont reverse flow i believe.
I have to agree with Apocalypse_Gold, I like UGF and i already have one for my 90 gal so when i reset that up again its going in. I used them in the past and really believe they greatly add to the nitrifying bacteria system working properly. I have had cichlids in several tanks and they were very messy with dead fish debris, food and poop. But I have always used them in conjunction with a HOB filter.