Removing Undergravel Filter

[CFCTOM]

I am looking at buying a tank that comes with an undergravel filter, but was looking to conver it so i could have sand. is it easy or is it too much hassle and would i just be better of buying a tank without the undergavel filter?

thanks

 

[kelly528]

I am looking at buying a tank that comes with an undergravel filter, but was looking to conver it so i could have sand. is it easy or is it too much hassle and would i just be better of buying a tank without the undergavel filter?

thanks

The UG comes separate in the box usually. It is just two plastic screen things that you put in the bottom of the tank. Ir'll be fine

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

I've just recently gotten one and it says that you never need to remove it to clean it...

 

[CFCTOM]

I am looking at buying a tank that comes with an undergravel filter, but was looking to conver it so i could have sand. is it easy or is it too much hassle and would i just be better of buying a tank without the undergavel filter?

thanks

The UG comes separate in the box usually. It is just two plastic screen things that you put in the bottom of the tank. Ir'll be fine

thanks, so could i get away with just not putting them in and using a different filter? there would be no holes for the sand to escape? apologies if its stupid, i just remember reading somewhere about the biorbs that the filter needed modifying, assumed another may be the same

 

[kelly528]

thanks, so could i get away with just not putting them in and using a different filter? there would be no holes for the sand to escape? apologies if its stupid, i just remember reading somewhere about the biorbs that the filter needed modifying, assumed another may be the same

I've never dealt with a biorb but you should be able to just not put it in. You should try posting a question about BiOrbs and maybe you'll get a better response.

 

[waterdrop]

Agree. UGs and Biorbs are separate topics. It can be pretty tricky to learn the skills of keeping an undergravel filter, although the principle works fine, but we usually don't recommend them for beginners.

Biorbs have a different set of problems in that usually they have zeolite that needs to be removed but is mixed with carbon, so both must be removed and the "disk" set up with different media. Usually the "tank" is shaped in such a way that it is difficult to use most normal types of filters.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[CFCTOM]

Agree. UGs and Biorbs are separate topics. It can be pretty tricky to learn the skills of keeping an undergravel filter, although the principle works fine, but we usually don't recommend them for beginners.

Biorbs have a different set of problems in that usually they have zeolite that needs to be removed but is mixed with carbon, so both must be removed and the "disk" set up with different media. Usually the "tank" is shaped in such a way that it is difficult to use most normal types of filters.

~~waterdrop~~

thanks for your replies. i already have a biorb and am getting a "normal" tank, so was just wondering if normal Ug filters are similar to biorb ones (as in the fitting), it seems they are so thanks

 

[waterdrop]

I'm sorry Tom I should have remembered that. And your question makes more sense now. You've probably figured it out but it would be rare for a UG included as part of a kit with a tank to have any holes drilled or anything. I agree that most likely its just going to be a plastic rectangular plate in a box with a couple of clear plastic upright tubes to be snapped on to the back corners in an upright position. One of the things UG filters were always about was thrift, they are probably the cheapest type filter around except maybe a simple sponge filter. So that makes it even more unlikely anyone would do any fancy hole drilling with them.

If anyone is curious they could probably do searches on TFF and find undergravel filter discussions. The majority of people in those discussions would usually point out that they felt is was an "old" technology, past its time (me included.) But it was sometimes also pointed out that it still works and if you understand the maintenance principles you can keep one going (just more trouble in my opinion in the long run.)

~~waterdrop~~

 

[OldMan47]

If I was new to the hobby, I would definitely avoid using a UGF. Although an experienced fish keeper can deal with the idiosyncrasies of a UGF, it is not a plce where a new person should be starting out. Although I have used a UGF and have the skills to deal with them, I don't like them for my tanks either. I feel much better about using a sponge or HOB or, my personal preference, a canister than using a UGF. Putting all of that aside, if you have no choice, in terms of the costs, you can be successful with a UGF if you are willing to take the time to learn how to work with them. In some ways they are far superior to a HOB or a sponge filter but just require more care to do things right. I like things to be set up so that if I ignore a week or two of filter cleaning , everything will be fine. I do not stress out about any of my regular maintenance but rather consider it guidance to what I should do. That means that I favor methods that are very forgiving if I must miss something in my maintenance routines for at least a little while.