Undergravel Filters

[smithw14]

I thought I read somewhere (maybe in this forum, but I can't find it) that an undergravel mechanical filter is not good with crayfish since they dig. I am upgrading from a 20g to a 55g used tank, and the underground filters came with the tank, so I'm not sure what to do with them. I just bought a filstar xp3 for my 55g, but if it would be helpful and benefictial to run the underground filter as well, I'll do it.

I don't quite understand how they work since it just seems they suck up the water and waste that falls down to the bottom then just spits it back out to the top. I know this increases circulation through the gravel, but it sill doesn't completely make sense to me since its not trapping waste at all, or really filtering it at all. I suppose the gravel is the filter? Or maybe I am missing some parts.

I suppose I could use airstones to power them - one on each side. I really don't like my aquariums to make too much noise, and the airstones I have make a bunch of noise. I am also concerned that having two uptake tubes spewing out on both sides in addition to running my xp3 will make it look and sound like I am trying to start a wave pool!

Anyway, please give me your thoughs.

Thanks.

William

 

[F-18 TECH]

I have had nothing but bad luck with undergravel filters. All the bio matter located in the filter must be cleaned some how right. So that means a messy tank tear down and restart. This can be a large stressor to any fish. I have heard that you can clean under the filter with a tube from a Python but again this sounds like a lot of unnessary work when there are so many other filtratration options.

 

[YuccaPatrol]

Toss that free underground filter in the garbage immediately and go buy an Aquaclear 100 or similar large HOB filter.

Under gravel filters are very inferior to the modern HOB filter. Save yourself some money by going to petsmart with a printout of their online price so they will match it. You'll save about 50% on the deal.

 

[rich311k]

I agree throw out the UGF. The Filstar will do the job all by itself no need for any other filter on the 55.

 

[hc8719]

to answer smiths question, UGFs will trap all the waste at the bottom instead of doing its job and sucking it out, and believe me you dont want that to happen, (when you clean out the tank, and lift up the UGF, waste goes everywhere, and you'd wish you never had an UGF

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Toss the ugf and don't look back. The Filtstar is adequate and no reason to add an inferior filter to the tank.

 

[DarylF2]

I didn't know any better back in December 2005 when I set up my 38-gallon tank (after about 8 years empty), and re-installed its UGF. Now my tank is established and VERY healthy, with nice plants and breeding Corydoras and much joy.

So, should I rip this all out to get rid of the UGF? I'm monitoring it (via the glass tank bottom) and it looks fairly clean. Just a little gook is down there, and the amount hasn't increased in months (possibly because a colony of snails, and two baby Corydoras (I think the eggs must have been sucked down there and hatched???) are in it). I'm getting some roots intruding into it, but nothing serious. The tank is quit healthy and I'm not excited about ripping it up...

Suggestions?

EDIT: Click the link in my signature to go to my web site with pictures of my aquariums, including a shot of my UGF with the trapped Cory kids.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I would. But then again, I despise UGFs.

 

[Creamhorses]

Well somebody's gotta say something good about 'em.

Here's my take...right or wrong...just shoot me!

I relate the function of a UGF to that of a septic tank for the waste coming from the house. When working properly, waste is digested constantly by bacteria breaking down the waste solids and nitrogen that are drawn into the gravel by air stones, or power heads. This simple system primarily performs biological filtration .....but the mechanics of it fit right into the gravel base most of us use in aquariums. Now if you have a 500 gallon septic tank and you and your significant other have 12 children using toilets, showers, laundry, etc., yu're probably gonna have Roto Router on your call phone speed dial. But as is the case here with just two of us, and I never bathe :^)....our system goes for 10-15 years without a pumping out. Such is a similar situation in aquariums, I believe.

When the population of fish exceeds the cycle of bio-filtration, sure you may or you will have a problem. I've never had a problem with my UGF's. One of our tanks has a city population, so I augment filtration with a HOB to supplement the UGF. If I overfed, I'd probably have a problem...but I couldn't blame it on filtration.

Hey..I like them, enjoy the quiet when they're run with power heads, and I have success caring for healthy fish and plants, with average light and no added extras.

I'm done.

CH

 

[MarkP]

Do you clean your UGF?

If you clean it already, and don't mind cleaning it, by all means keep it- They were very popular for a reason. They are effective and cheap, and with the UGF handling bio-filtration, you can use your filstar for other stuff.

If you don't clean it or don't like to clean it, replace it with bio filtration in your filter. Why maintain two filters when one will do?

If you want to keep it, but don't know how to clean it withour removing it, there are several ways. I plug up one lift tube, and put a home made plunger in the other- A peice of tubing that fits almost tight against the inside of the other lift tube. Plug that back and forth several times, then stick the intake house of my magnum down there. This loosens the gunk and sucks it up. This keeps that gunk from blocking waterflow, which is generally what causes UGF's to fail.

I do this right before I'm ready to clean the magnum (The same time time I vacuum with it) so that the waste is immediately thrown out.

The decision is up to you- UGF's used to be a "must have" for a long time for a good reason. They have also fallen out of favor with many for a good reason.

 

[DarylF2]

My tank has been set up now for about 7 months, and the UGF is still quite clean. I have a Whisper Power Filter 60 HOB filter. The UGF is "driven" by two Aquatic Gardens Power Head 601 power heads (125 GPH each, so they're pretty beefy for a 38-gallon tank...).

 

[Devilishturtles]

I agree. UGF's can be useful if maintained properly. But they also seem to be more work that they are worth, to me anyways. If you have your tank already set up and it's running healthy, I'd not worry about it. Just remember to suck out the waste often using a tube down the intake tube on the filter.

As for the original poster, if you have the option of adding it or not, I agree with the others in that I wouldn't.

 

[Apocalypse_Gold]

I love my UGF. It really does keep the aquarium cleaner. My Bro (hashbaz) removed his ugf and almost immediately noticed more stuff sitting on top of his gravel. If you vac properly, ugf's are great. That said, they are not sufficient as a stand alone, and aren't friendly to root-feeding plants. My heavy root feeders are in pots.

I have found that noise from airstones in a ugf is largely a factor of water level. If you choose to keep it, experiment with that. You may also want to run an dry stone to crank back the bubbling rate. If run with moderate aeration, your ugf will help keep your tank clean and healthy.

I had a friend who hooked his ugf up to his cannister filter, creating a constant gravel vac. He said his water was always crystal clear but he had to change his prefilter a lot.