UGJ Stop Gravel Cleaning 4 Ever?

[PK Tester]

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/ug_jets.php

Has anyone ever seen/done this before?

It seems very interesting and it would be AWESOME to stop the need of gravel cleaning!!

Isn't this the concept behing reveres undergravel filters?

 

[grimlock3000]

Same concept at reverse UGF, just trying to keep the waste suspended until a power filter or canister catches it. This moves more water than a reverse UGF so it would be a bit more effective.

One thing you gotta keep in mind is that a system such as that requires a lot of water movement in the tank to be effective. If you have any dead spots, waste will settle there. Each of his Rio 2100s moves 700 gph, and there are three in the tank for close to 2100gph of water movement just keeping the waste suspended. Combined with power filters, that tank probably has close to 3000gph of water movement for the system to work. In the 135 tank he has, that is a 22x turnover and a lot of power usage. That might be OK for Cichlids which love a really strong current, but more tropicals would not enjoy being blown around constantly. By eliminate all dead spots on the bottom of the tank, you are also eliminating rest areas for fish.

Now that looks like I am just complaining, but I really would consider this system in a Cichlid tank

 

[FancyGuppyGuy]

None of his gravel is used as a biofilter like a Rev UGF more or less he has tubes that stick out of the gravel with water flow. Ashamed to waste all the gravel I love UGF's.

 

[TankGirl]

To my mind, a closed system requires that you "take out the trash" so to speak, and this product means that the fish have to live with the waste in the water column for a period of time. I don't think there are shortcuts when it comes to removing solid waste from the gravel, and I think that over time use of this product would cause a deterioration in water quality.

But that's just me! I'm an old-school purist

 

[grimlock3000]

You have power filters on the tank that take out the trash, then you clean the filter pads. In theory

 

[TankGirl]

Too true - but for me, with canister filters anyway, it is much easier for me to gravel vac during a water change than it is to crack the filter open frequently to remove the gunk.

Whatever it is in this product that breaks down solid waste and makes it free in the water does not seem like something I want my fish swimming in. Anybody know what exactly this stuff is made of?

 

[PK Tester]

Tank Girl did you look at the link?

UGJ = Under Gravel Jets

 

[TankGirl]

No! I did not look at the link! I thought this was that stuff you dump in your tank as a liquid and it keeps you from having to clean the gravel.

Boy am I deep into the wrong topic

As you were....

 

[TankGirl]

This is sortof similar to a reverse-flow UGF and it seems like a pretty good concept, except not for a planted tank. I saw this about a year ago on that site and considered trying it but I was too lazy - maybe if I ever re-do my ARLC I'll give it a try.