Under gravel filters?

[TheFragile]

I was curious is under gravel filters are any more beneficial to a tank than a canister or exterior filter. More / less maintenance than the other? Better for the bio filter?


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[Delapool]

I was curious is under gravel filters are any more beneficial to a tank than a canister or exterior filter. More / less maintenance than the other? Better for the bio filter?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

The hassle I always found was it was a tank pull-down to clean them. And plant roots grew through the slots.

Been thinking of them again though.

 

[Mebbid]

I was curious is under gravel filters are any more beneficial to a tank than a canister or exterior filter. More / less maintenance than the other? Better for the bio filter?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

They are very effective. If you use the correct substrate like a pumice or a small lava rock gravel you could potentially create a sizable denitrifying area where a lack of oxygen would cause some bacteria to consume nitrate.

The downside is they are a pita to clean and that's why people don't like them.