Undergravel filter

[FishFan77]

I was digging through all the junk in my garage and found an old, forgotten tank with an undergravel filter. I figured I might as well use it since I have it. I put in plenty of filter media and got the tank cycled in a few days. Now I have in 3 platties, all doing good. The only thing is, this undergravel filter requires a lot of cleaning. Is there anything I can do to make it filter better? I was thinking about getting a sponge filter pad and putting that on top of the filter plate to boost mechanical filtration. Would something like that work am I going to be stuck vacuuming the tank every two days?

 

[hpiguy]

If you really want to use it, my opinion is get a reverse flow powerhead for it with a sponge prefilter. That way you use the bio filter of the gravel, with less garbage being sucked down into the substrate. Water goes down the tube, then up through the gravel instead of down into the gravel pulling garbage with it and then out the uplift tube.

If you run it normal, and stick a pad over the filter plate you'll have huge issues with decomposition and water quality as stuff gets stuck in there and rots out of reach.

My overall opinion is to not use it at all. But the above is a suggestion in case you feel you must use it.

 

[FishFan77]

Haha. Ya I know they aren't really recommended, but I have a place for it so I might as well use it. How will that stuff cost me?

 

[hpiguy]

Looks like about $25.

http://www.amazon.com/Marineland-PH0660R-Penguin-Reverse-Prefilter/dp/B0002565UM