Undergravel Filters

[daveydoodle]

I was hopiong to get a few opinions on what people thought of using undergravel filters IN ADDITION to a general power filter (ex: Penguin 350). I have a few tanks and in each, use only external power filters. My largest tank is a 72 gal bowfront, medium planted, heavily stocked with various community fish. I do the average water changes, and everything runs very well and looks good (crystal clear, good w/ chem strips teating).
I'm transfering a different 37 gal to a 55 gal, and am thinking about using an undergravel filter in addition. I have a good resource that says DO NOT use them, as it traps excess amounts of waste, that can become toxic if you ever move it. I just wanted to know what people think, experiences?!

 

[CTD]

Is this going to be a Planted Tank?

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

I never use undergravel filters for many reason.

-They are a huge pain to clean.
-You have to have those things sticking out of them, they look ugly because of it.
-Can't have them in planted aquariums.
-I use sand for all my tanks, so it wouldn't work anyways.
-Gravel gets dirty looking aswell since everything sucks through it.
-Require an airpump.
-Don't work very well anyways, compared to every other filter.
-If you get an undergravel filter, you might aswell just get a sponge filter instead.
-They don't compare at all with Canister or HOB PowerFilters, if you need more filteration, get a bigger filter.


Those are my reasons, that I can think of at the moment, why I would never use a undergravel filter.

 

[daveydoodle]

Thanks! That's honestly what I want to hear. I'm not a fan of them because the waste is still there, just hiding under the filter. And if you ever need to move it for any reason, that amount of waste is instantly toxic. I'm with sand now, but am going to transfer to small gravel. The tank will be lightly planted.

 

[kreesdqban]

My tank came with a UGF (hand-me-down) and decided to use it because my dad loved it. I used it for about 2 months n just took it out yesterday. The tubes looked ugly and it didn't seem to be doing much but just being a stand for the powerhead. But what I didn't like the most was the fact that all the c*#p would go to the bottom where I couldn't get it during PWC's.

I have alos heard of many other people who were not satisfied with it...

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

Yeah, UGF are very old school, and were actually used a lot back in the day, but i'm guessing there wasn't really anything between UFG and Canister filters back then. Now we are better and smarter about filters haha.