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Hi everyone

Is undergravel filtration better than in tank filtration (ie fluvels etc)

I have read that undergravels are no good for growing aquarium plants?

Is there a site that explains their pros and cons?

Is two uplifters better than one?

How do you clean the muck out?

Do I need a power head at the top of the tube(s) to help circulation?

Are they cleaner and/or less effective?

How much gravel do you put on top? Just gravel or do you need another type of substrate?

What do you use and what do you advise?

Many thanks

Very best regards

Dave

Hi dave!

Is undergravel filtration better than in tank filtration (ie fluvels etc)?
In my experience, I had a UGF and then switched to a bio wheel filter (Penguin 125) and the difference was amazing! My tank was so much cleaner and I think my fish were happier. IMHO, just about anything is better than a UGF. Seriously, it's worth it to spend the extra money on somethine else - I don't know too much about fluvels, but do some research.

I have read that undergravels are no good for growing aquarium plants?
Not to sure on this one as I always went plastic... maybe someone else can answer this one.

Is there a site that explains their pros and cons?
Here's a good one]http://www.fishprofiles.net/faq/filters.asp#ugf[/link] right at FP and another [link=one]http://www.bestfish.com/ug.html[/link]) that disputes UGFs but has lots of good info, and another [link=one that defends them

Is two uplifters better than one?
I'm not sure on this one either, possibly in a bigger tank?

How do you clean the muck out?
I used a gravel vaccum - you just have to be dilligent and clean often.

Do I need a power head at the top of the tube(s) to help circulation?
You don't need one - it's just whatever you prefer.

Are they cleaner and/or less effective?
Again, this is just my opinion and experience - I think you can find something more effective than a UGF, but you still can make a UGF work

How much gravel do you put on top? Just gravel or do you need another type of substrate?
I just used gravel, about an inch thick or so.

What do you use and what do you advise?
I use a Penguin 125 that works great. What is the size of your tank? It depends on what you're working with.

I hope this helped a little. Whatever you choose to do, I wish you the best!

Many thanks

I my option undergavel filters are nothing but germ breeders. I did have one on my very first tank all my fish were always getting some kind of disease mostly whitespot. I decided to do away with it when I upgraded my tank to a bigger one and use the fluvel 4+. When I took the undergravel out I could not believe the amount of muck there was underneath it, "no wonder my fish were always so un healthy". You see by placing the gravel straight on top of the glass bottom at least when you gravel vac you can get right down there and hover most of the muck up and you don't have to worry to much about really getting it clean because the internal or external filter holds all those important bacteria's that the tank needs to keep the water quality good. With the undergravel filter you just cant get all the muck out because it all gets sucked underneath it where you cant get to it. I have now upgrade my tank again to a 400 litre tank and on that I have a fluvel 404 external filter and the jumbo internal filter that comes with the jewel Rio 400 tanks I also have a UV sterilizer attached. I would recommend the fluvels they are very good filters in my option even the internal ones that they do. My fish are now very healthy and I have not had a case of white spot or any decease for almost a year now. So I would say no to the undergravel filter.

http://www.greenspersonalprinting.com/

I am one that actually enjoys and uses a UGF on most of my tanks. The exception being my 125, and 2.5, different reasons for both not being UGF

I have had no problems with a UGF and plant growth, and am still wondering why it is said that they don't get along *shrug*.

I generally use abt 2 inches of gravel above my UGF, and no you don't need any other substrate to go along with it.

I clean my UGF about once a month or so, and I do this by taking 1 or the other uplift tube off the connector piece, and place my Gravel Vaccume over the hole, you will be able to see the "gunk" come up. Also be sure to do deep gravel vacs on the rest of the tank as you would normally do...

As to how many uplift tubes to use? It really depends on the size of the tank...on my 10's I have 2, as well as on my 20 and 29. On my 55, I have 4 uplift tubes. I am still in debate of adding a UGF on my 125, though the trouble of adding it at this point makes me think no. If I do there will probably be 6 uplift tubes *shrug*, still thinking and debating it.

Now as too if you want have powerheads or just pumps, it is up to you, and what is in the tank. I found that with smaller fish, I prefer just having a really good pump works for me. I tried a powerhead with my guppies and it just did not work, and my poor fishies were getting a good beating, even with a lower level powerhead, set on a low setting. So I tend to use the larger of the 2 pumps that walmart offers, it has two connections available for your airline connections, and this works quite well, and is even gentle enough for fry and bettas. I do have 2 powerheads on my 55, one on each end of the tank, and a pump for the middle two uplifts...but I had African Cichlids in the tank, and they were fine with it.

Again it is up to you and what you choose to use. I personally like them, as well as some others on the forum. But, at times I feel as though I'm part of a secret cult, you could call us The Friends of the UGF. There are many other ways to filter your tank, and for each type of filtration, there are those that will swear by it or against it. And of course there are those that will swear for or against a certain brand of each filtration...So do the research, choose which you like best...and go for it...

Best of luck,
heidi michelle



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Thanks both

davetherave

I think all your questions have been answered.
I have a 5ft fully UG two risers each has its own air pump as well as a large Eheim Canister. It works for me and I am very happy, and so are all my fish which is the main concern.

Keith

Last edited by keithgh at 15-May-2005 21:27

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I have known fish keepers to use a layer of cotton batting that you can buy in a craft shop directly on top of the UGF & then cover it with substrate. I haven't tried this myself.

Hey dave, keep us updated on what you choose and how it's working out. Good luck!

Hi everyone

Thanks for all of your advice

At the end I decided on purchasing an "Interpet" all in one outfit which has three foam filtration with those little "biowheels" in it. Even a place for the thermometer and has a decent pump.

It is very simular to the box in my other tank (Juwel)

Its a little bit bulky - but tidier then what I was using - overall giving more fishy room - which was what I was really looking for and why I considered UGF.

Will keep u posted as this unit was very reasonably priced in comparrison to UGF

Best regards

Dave