Undegravel Filter

[Spader]

Im sorry if this topic is asked alot, but i cannot find any so sorry if it is. Today i bought a new tank and it came with an undergravel filter. I like it better than my other power filters because it wont disturb my 3 bettas. Its a 5 gallon tank and I am wondering how does the undergravel filter actually clean the tank. Im afraid of my bettas dying and ive had them the longest.

 

[srolfe]

An undergravel filter works by pulling water up thru the tubes, causing water to be sucked thru the gravel. This creates some mechanical filtration with the gravel being the filter medium. Bacteria will also colonise the gravel adding biological filtration. Do not use sand or large gravel or the underground filter will not work correctly. The uplift tubes are usually used with airstones or powerheads to create the suction.

 

[RandyK47]

Ages ago I used an UGF in a 5-gallon tank as my nursery. Raised a number of "babies" in that tank without the slightest problem. That tank ran for over 5 years without anything other than water changes. The only reason I took it down when I did was that I moved and had to give up my hobby for a number of years.

 

[Spader]

so they have no problems? and what kind of gravel should i get?

 

[andywg]

There are problems associated with UGF, the main one being that you tend to get a build up under the plates that needs taking care of occasionally, but for a fry tank they should be fine.

 

[Spader]

how would u take care of it, with the vacumm sucker?

 

[andywg]

The detritus will build up under the plates, you would need to rip up the gravel and the plates every so often to clean it all out to prevent the possible creation of a nitrate factory.

I personally would never go near a UGF but others still swear by it (but then yet other people swear the world is flat... ).

 

[fozzy_wozzy_woo]

Well if you have an external pump one thing you can do is to

Make connector to fit on the top of the tube so it will make an air tight fit.

In a bucket buy some good very fine filter media and layer it. Place the other end of the tube on the bottom of the bucket.

Place the pump on the top of the filter material then start the suction flow. This will suck water from the bottom of the UGF and all the waste. The waste will go up the pipe into the tube and into the bucket as the water level gets higher start the pump and put the water back in the tank.

Makesure you have around 40% of fresh water that has been sat for 4 days in another bucket. once you have doen this for around 20 cycles stop the pump and stup the sucktion at a point where you have 60% water in your tank.

Add the 40% fresh water and you should see that you have clean water, no crap under the UGF and the water is new and fresh.

Make sure you test this between three bukets before doing it as you dont want to have your tank empty fater than you can pump it back.

I used to do this for my 400 Ltr tank once a month.

If you can buy a second hand external filter and use it gust for doing this then you can keep your other tank not so cluttered as you would if you used a external filter all the time.

The detritus will build up under the plates, you would need to rip up the gravel and the plates every so often to clean it all out to prevent the possible creation of a nitrate factory.

I personally would never go near a UGF but others still swear by it (but then yet other people swear the world is flat... ).

The world is convex in shape... and i live where all the crap gathers at the bottom....

 

[Spader]

sounds good and i do have an extra external filter so i might use that instead....

 

[fozzy_wozzy_woo]

sounds good and i do have an extra external filter so i might use that instead....

Have you tried it yet ??