Ugf filter problems?

[crazymoose24348]

Hello-

I am in the process of setting up a new tank. I've got the ugf plastic slotted sheet at the bottom that came with the tank, and it's got two larger holes in the back corners for tubes. I've attached a powerhead to one hole. However, when I run it, there's too strong of a curent towards the power head to the left and not down towards the gravel. My poor snail keeps getting swept up in the current. I'm new to this whole thing and a little lost if anyone has any setup suggestions.

 

[Mr tap water]

See if you can turn the power Head upwards to water surface if you can't do that try turning it into wards the closest part of the tank wall.

 

[crazymoose24348]

I have already tried adjusting the output flow direction every which way, but there's still too much current.

 

[Andy Sager]

Undergravel filters were once an improvement over the existing filtering systems of their times but now have also been replaced by better options. The main problem with UGs ( as they were once called) is that the detritus that accumulates under the plate needs to be removed or it will foul the water and that process is a bit of a pain and to ignore it was certain death to your fish at some point when the water quality just couldn't be fixed by "routine" water changes. Once that part was discovered, the idea of putting power heads onto the lift tubes to push the water down through the tubes and up the gravel bed came into existence only that meant that there was still a need for an outside filter to help collect the detritus to get it out of the water. The problem was that the UG was advertised to be the latest and greatest so that you didn't need to see a filter hanging from the tank. So the concept of having a UG to eliminate the need for an outside filter backed up and ran over itself because if you need the outside filter, you don't need the UG. So in today's fish keeping, the UG is not really an efficient way to filter a tank.
My suggestion, remove the UG and get yourself a good outside or canister filter and move forward from there. In the long run, you will be much happier ( as will your fish. )

Hope this helps.