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hi most of my tanks have underground filters but i was wondering due i really need them.?

probably every reply you get here will be Yes.. but I say no.

UGF's are good, because they do help keeping anerobic packets out of gravel (Yes, they can occur in gravel.)

Mine has been working for 15 years, and it isn't clogged.

" UGF's are good, because they do help keeping anerobic packets out of gravel (Yes, they can occur in gravel.)
Mine has been working for 15 years, and it isn't clogged."

Is it a good idead to put some type of filter on top of the UGF before adding substrate. Can you use some type of cotton batting or floss type material like can be found in a craft shop. 15 years, wow. What type of of air pump/hoses do you use, jus the standard that come with the kits?? Most comments I have read bascially say after a year they are useless. 20 years ago there weren't to many other types of filters around, so I am not sure why they are disliked. Hers one comment" Usually, after a few months of operation, the gravel begins to pack with so much silt and dirt that circulation stops and the bacteria suffocate. Since the filter still appears to be working, water quality deteriorates, usually unnoticed until it is too late. If the tank is medicated or overfed, an even more rapid die-off of the culture may occur."

You have to have a filter of some sort. If you only have UGFs, then so be it; it's better than no filter at all. However, compared to other filters they are definitely not as good.

BTW, it takes an irrational amount of gravel to be anaerobic.

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The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

I am relatively new to the hobby (slightly over 2 years total fishkeeping, of which only a few months has been true 'scientific' aquarism), but I have always found a UGF a useful secondary filter to supplement my HOB filter, especially non-biowheel power filters (since UGFs are such good biological filters.) I have kept a UGF on nearly every tank I have had, and have found them to be relatively painless with weekly water changes in combo with gravel vacuuming. Caveats: I have not used one by itself on any tank larger than a 2 gallon hex, I have not used them on any planted tanks, nor have I used them on tanks larger than 29 gallons. I think in all, if you have good primary filtration, namely a good canister or biowheel HOB filter, then a UGF is largely redundant.

[span class="edited"][Edited by sillyquiet 2004-07-13 22:30][/span]

I have a fully UG filter (See My Profile)as well as my large Eheim Canister no problem here.

Keith

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we are just using a whisper 2 4 outlet air pump.