Under gravel filter or normal hang on the back filter?

[pedikeens11]

So I just got a used 29g and need to purchase a filter, heater, and hood with lights. I was wondering what people thought of the under gravel filters and or if anyone has one if they are any good.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[katiekelsey]

I have a 46 gal tank. I use a hang on back filter and also an undergravel filter.
I use two powerheads with the undergravel. My local fish store recommended this set up and I've been very happy with it.

 

[Old Scales]

If you plan on having plants, an under gravel filter is not desirable. There are many articles about this. OS.

 

[earlysteven]

I agree with old scales but if your not using plants I would get both it'll make life a lot easier .

 

[Delapool]

I'd also have a hob or something to go with an ugf if you did get it.

 

[newbie_dave]

I had a ugf and a 3 cartridge internal filter when I had gravel and my water was always crystal clear

 

[Old Scales]

Under gravel filters are old technology left over from the 50's and 60's before the invention of HOB's and magnetically actuated impellors that powers them. Everything was air driven back then. (Bubbles) Think of an UG filter as making your gravel a giant filter pad. It holds and processes the mulm until it gets filled with solids that won't dissolve. In an HOB, you take out the pad and swish and clean. Guess what you have to do when an UG filter gets full? Tear down the whole tank and take out the gravel and flush wash in a bucket. Might be OK for a 10g. but try that on a 30 or a 55g or larger. OS.

 

[mkatts]

Under gravel filters are old technology left over from the 50's and 60's before the invention of HOB's and magnetically actuated impellors that powers them. Everything was air driven back then. (Bubbles) Think of an UG filter as making your gravel a giant filter pad. It holds and processes the mulm until it gets filled with solids that won't dissolve. In an HOB, you take out the pad and swish and clean. Guess what you have to do when an UG filter gets full? Tear down the whole tank and take out the gravel and flush wash in a bucket. Might be OK for a 10g. but try that on a 30 or a 55g or larger. OS.

+1
Had UGF on a 55 gallon because was told I had to have it in combination with the HOB. Even with weekly water changes and vacuuming, when we moved and tore the tank down, there was and inch of waste under the grids that never broke down. I have no idea about chemistry levels of the tank as I had no idea that even existed 20 years ago.
But I don't use them in my new tropical 29G tank or 1 year old 10G goldfish tank. Even as dirty as the gold fish can be, the weekly vacuuming takes care of waste that makes it to the gravel.

 

[gilpi]

If well planned and well kept, an under gravel filter shouldn't need any more cleaning than any other tank with gravel. Yes they are old technology but you will get a huge filter bed providing lots of biological filtration. And they are a big bang for the buck.
The trick is to use the right size gravel, the right gravel depth and using a decent power head.
Some people use it in reverse mode after going through a pre-filter.
Not sure it would be a good idea for a planted or a cichlid tank since the cichlids will disturb the gravel.
For convenience, I would still use a canister or hob.

 

[ArtistGardener]

I had one for years in the 80s and 90s and it worked fine BUT I didn't have live rooted plants (just floaters) and had to do a tear down every year to clean out the muck, which wasn't a big deal on a 20 gallon tank. The one thing I really hated though was that occasionally a kuhli loach would get down in there and couldn't get back out. And yes, I waited for several days to see if it would reappear. I would always find it wedged into some corner between the UGF and the glass, stuck as can be.

 

[pedikeens11]

i haven't bought any type of filter just yet as i just wanted to see what people experienced and or thought of them. and I'm definitely thinking of going heavily planted with this tank so from reading above...doesn't sound like a good idea. This being my first tank to do the right way i want to do all the research possible before going in. thank you all who responded tho!!!!

 

[gilpi]

Then I would definitely go HOB or canister, good luck.

 

[mrvincent]

Eheim canister instead HOB or undergravel. Anyways I don't recommand undergravel filters, as it full the substrate of waste.

 

[Matt68005]

Use sand and a sponge and hob. Tanks with gravel get nasty fast, especially new one with new fish people who tend to over feed.

 

[PB_Smith]

Every filter system/method has it's pros and cons and require maintenance.
If properly cleaned and maintained an UGF is fine.
I use a mix of grain sizes in the gravel bed of about 2"-3". After a bit it settles into layers that actually trap the majority of the muck in the upper layers where the larger grains are and not lower layers where the finer grains of sand/gravel have settled. Using mixed sized gravel does help. Using the standard sized colored type gravel alone is about the worst gravel size for an UGF.
Same principle as having different types of filter fiber media; blue/white, that is most often seen.

In actuality having an under-gravel filter installed, even with a slow flow through it and HOB/canister as primary will yield benefits, and even save your fish being that you can always hook up a battery powered air pump and maintain decent filtration in the event of a power outage.
Doing that has saved fish I've known in the past.

plus an UGF can provide some of the most crystal clear water.