undergravel 'filters'

[GrullaQuarters]

I saw on a different post that bettas normally don't like the water movement on the surface. I had thought it was JUST current in the water.

My new CT is in a 1.6 gal hex tank I bought last week. It came with an undergravel 'filter.' Now I'm not sure what these are supposed to be, my filters in the big tank hang off the back. But what this is is just a grate that sits on the bottom underneath the gravel, with an attached tube...(I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about but it's all new to me!). Then airline tube threaded into the tube with an airstone (I think it's called?) Is this set up even USEFUL for anything? Will having this system allow me to not make FULL water changes, where I mean not having to take the gravel/decorations/fish out?

He goes up to the surface just fine, but seems when I shut the air pump off, he moves around a bit more than when it's on. Should I just pull this whole thing out? Am I, or my CT, benefitting at ALL from this u/g filter?

Hoping for lots of opinions here...

 

[BettaMomma]

Since I have the same tank - I do know what you're talking about
The only useful purpose I see in having the little setup (which I use, by the way) is that the little plastic tube helps to keep the airbubbles in one nice steady stream as they travel up to the top so he doesn't have to swim though them. You'd be perfecly fine to take it out. Just ditch the black grate on the bottom, too then. I'd just keep the air pump on hand for if/when he ever gets sick and you have to put in meds.. then the extra air helps them out.

Otherwise, the UGF doesn't do anything in the case of a betta and you'll still have to do 100% water changes in a tank that size.

So, if it's buggin ya take it out!

 

[GrullaQuarters]

Thanks....yeah, my question was about taking it ALL out. It doesn't bug me at all....I just got to wondering if that stuff bothers the fish. I know you said you've got one who LOVES to play in those airbubbles. I just wanna give him a good home where he can feel comfortable.....and am not sure if this filter thingie and air pump is helping or hurting...

 

[BettaMomma]

The other thing you'll need to know before taking it out is that if you don't have any surface agitation at all, you will get a kind of nasty little film across the top of the tank. It doesn't really hurt anything, and to the best I've been able to figure out it's probably partially from the fish's slimecoat. Like i said, it doesn't really hurt anything, it just looks unclean to me. Ya know?

One other thing you could try, and this is what I do with Archie's tank - the little airpump is totally obnoxiously powerful for that little tank. Try bending the tubing and clipping it with hair clips or something else til you get the flow of bubbles that you want so it's not so vicious. That will help, too.

 

[GrullaQuarters]

Geez, thanks for reminding me about the nasty film on top....I remember you mentioning that, and I forgot!

I may just try to do what you mentioned to slow the flow...

Still would love opinions though!

 

[metfan581]

under gravel filters stinks you would see what i mean if you pm warr40 and ask him about his experience