filtration on my 90

[viboy]

I just got an Emporer 280 free from a friend and want to add it to my 90. I currently have an ugf with 2 powerheads that I want to remove. Is my safest bet completely removing the ugf or can I just remove the tubes and the powerheads and leave the grates. I am assuming that this will just become an area for bad bacteria to grow but I was hoping I would not have to go through the hassle of removing it.

[Cearbhaill]

I don't know that I'd want to leave them in there for any amount of time, but I probably wouldn't remove them at the same time I initially hooked up the Emperor. There's probably gunk down there and without air it can quickly go toxic. As far as the exact amount of time you have I'll defer to someone who really knows.

Maybe put the Emperor in and let it run with the existing filter for two weeks or so, then remove the powerhead from one side of the UGF. After another couple of weeks remove it from the other side, then I'd get the grates out. Probably a side at a time as well.

The whole process could be speeded up if you had a really light bioload, but you don't want to risk changing biofilters all at once.

[viboy]

I guess I should have given a little more info. I am also running an aquaclear 300 and a fluval 304. I realize that I was underfiltered but budget was a concern. My bioload is not very high with the biggest fish being 4 - 5" silver dollars. This is an established tank that has been running with stable conditions for over 1.5 years.

I think that I will remove the grates despite the mess it will make. I think that I will make two d.i.y. filters out of the powerheads for use while pulling out the grates to help clear the water quickly.

[Hebdizzle]

Yes, take out everything including the grates. (Take out the fish if possible too!) It is AMAZING and QUITE NASTY to see what those UGF's got under them. I took mine out after 2 months and it was horrendous. Get all the mechanical filtration on the tank as you can take out all decorations and just rip it out. Follow with a couple big waterchanges. As long as you keep your filters (obviously excluding the UGF) then you shouldn't have much of a problem with bacterial loss.

It's worth it.

Aaron

[somefinnfishy]

I'd leave it in and hook your fluval up to it.Nice pre filter for that canister.

[viboy]

Hooking up the fluval sound like a good idea but do I am not sure if I have enough hose to do it. I will give it a try. I am assuming that I only hook the intake into the ugf and leave the outflow circulating into the top of the tank. ... mind you would hooking both up give me better circulation through the ugf?

[somefinnfishy]

i like ugf's if you hydro vac it often its a great media bed.
You need only to hook the intake up but you should have twin UGF plates one will need to be removed.