Hospital Tank with Undergravel filter

I want to set up a hospital tank and read that they should not have gravel, the tank I have to use only has a undergravel filter, what kind of filter can I use inexpensively or should I just use the gravel ?

Thanks

fshfanatic said:

sponge filter and air pump

Click to expand...

Thanks for the answer fshfanatic, I just got home from PetSmart and didn't see anything that looked like a sponge filter, Do I just hook up a kitchen sponge to my air pump ?

Thanks

Didn't see that at petsmart. Went to petco and they had a fluvial nano filter for $30. I can use the same pump as I used for the undergravel filter right ?

jpappy789 said:

Hook up an air pump (using air line tubing) to one of these...

http://www.google.com/search?q=spon..._pw.r_qf.&fp=a9fda277b9737b97&biw=845&bih=758

I'm not sure if Petsmart sells them anymore, but you should be able to at least get the pump there. The "sponge" part may need to be from a different LFS or online.

Click to expand...

Elite799

fshfanatic said:

My hospital tank is "filtered" by a small old school box filter packed full of carbon and powered by a small airpump. I know a lot of people that dont filter it at all and simply toss in an airstone. They do daily water changes.

Click to expand...

Forgive my ignorance, but will an airstone by itself work with my Elite799 pump ? What kind of filter box do you use ?

Ran out and bought the fluvial nano this morning, but I didn't make it back in time

So for planning for the future, should I set up the hospital tank anyway so it can get cycled ? I was planning on using some of my gravel to seed the tank. Or should I just hook up the fluvial to my main tank (if it will even fit on that tank) and transfer it when I need it ?

Or, since it is not urgent right now, should I return the fluvial and look for a sponge filter and airstone instead ?

Thanks all