# undergravel filter



## soccergod2203 (Feb 4, 2011)

do you use an undergravel filter on your tank? if so is your tank planted? and does the filter really help?


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## M1ster Stanl3y (Dec 10, 2010)

with a planted tank i would think the roots would get into the filter and cause some problems. if your tank is planted heavy enough there isnt a huge need for a filter. Check into a beaslbob build here on the forum. Its a build a member came up with and you have no need for filters. just plants and specific substrate set ups.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

I've grown plants with and without an undergravel filter. Plants dislike moving water around their roots so they will not grow as fast. Undergravel filters, however, are the best biological filtration method out there, in my opinion. They turn your entire tank's gravel bed into a giant bacteria trap. They prevent the creation of anaerobic bacteria pockets that can generate toxic hydrogen sulfide as well. However, they do need to be overhauled once in awhile, which involves tearing the entire tank down. Live plants can make this overhaul necessity go away, but in return you will not get stellar plant growth.

The way an undergravel filter works, as many know, is that there is a perforated grate which resides under your layer of gravel substrate. A tube or tubes emerge from the corners and air stones are inserted down into the tubes. Air pumps push bubbles into the tube via the stone, whereby convection of the rising bubbles pulls water through the gravel, through the perforated grate, and up the tube. Carbon inserts can be fitted onto the end of the tubes to "polish" your water and remove particulates. In most cases, undergravel filters can completely replace the need for any other filter in your tank, especially with live plants in there.


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## soccergod2203 (Feb 4, 2011)

thank you very much


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## Dean715 (Feb 3, 2011)

I too use undergravel filters by choice. Over the years ive found them to work very well. UGF is perfect for my 10 gal. betta tank as the lack of current is great for a betta. On the other side of the coin, I've used powerheads when wanting some current or housing larger fish and they work quite well in larger aquariums. As for cleaning I have inserted airline down the airlift tubes and siphoned water and gunk out form under the plate that way.


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## soccergod2203 (Feb 4, 2011)

i have 2 scissortail rasboras and the stay on the opposite side of the hanging filter i have now, so i guessing they dont like current much but the also are top to middle swimmers so i am not sure


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## Dean715 (Feb 3, 2011)

While they may be considered ancient by todays standards another filter ive had good luck with in smaller aquariums is the corner filter but they are a bit hard to find now days although you can order them online. I looked for one when I set up my 10 gallon but could not find one locally.


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## soccergod2203 (Feb 4, 2011)

the tank was given to me and it looks very old.


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## glassbird (Feb 2, 2011)

I have long been a fan of UGFs, but I have never had a planted tank. I have read posts elsewhere that also do not reccomend them with plants. 

My biggest piece of advice is to go with a powerhead over an air pump, especially in a tank larger than maybe 20 gallons. And use a second type of filter as well. I always ran a HOB filter along with powerheads on my tanks, for years, and never had much (if any) crud built up under the plate. Another thing to keep in mind is not to use a fine substrate. I never went any smaller than 1/4 inch pieces, and usually kept the thickness to no more than 1 and 1/2 inches.

Some people love them, some hate them. But people who love them seem to be using power heads, not air pumps.


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## Alasse (Mar 12, 2009)

I still use UGF, my preference for smaller tanks, providing i wasnt using sand of course. No harder to maintain than an internal, and do a better job in some cases.. I used to clean under the plates every month, and with no need to pull the tank completely down. I just put a down the uptake tube & under the plate and syphoned out any mulm.

I've also used them on a fully planted tank with no adverse reaction to the plants


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## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

UGF's can be really helpful for biological filtration. If you can though, connect your HOB filter to it to help suck the bad stuff through your tank while still having a good biofilter. Some plants dont do well with them and others do fine, so be sure to ask about the plants you plan to purchase in this manner. If you do use a UGF, a small tank will be ok with that. A large tank will need more because the UGF will not provide enough water movement.


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## chris oe (Feb 27, 2009)

I have a fully planted tank with a UGF, a 55 with two separate plates, with a powerhead on each uplift tube. My plants are bolbitis and they love the ugf. I don't think they put their roots through the plate, when I pull them up (to prune, to thin, etc.) it doesn't feel like I'm pulling them out of the plate. I expect the motion under the plate keeps them above it, like air pruned roots in some kinds of seedling set ups. They really thrive - I get lots of good growth from my bolbitis with a UGF. My LFS says my bolbitis is the best he's ever seen (that's no idle complement, since he's saying that as he's buying it from me) I never clean under the plate, I have MTS snails, they do all the mulm grooming for me with their tunneling. They also keep the gravel open, so I never get the dead spots that plague some people. I really think the best way to operate a UGF is in tandem with the MTS snails. (Lots of petshops think of them as pests and will give them to you free if you can spot them on the glass).


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