UGF for small ponds?! Crazy... or not? Tell me! :)

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LiveMermaid07

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Jul 7, 2009
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Ok, I just had a whacky idea. :headshake2:

Has anyone ever tried using (would have to make too,) an undergravel filter in their smaller pond / container pond setup??

Could this even work? (Paricularily with someone unplugging the bubblers half the time??)
 
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What gallon size? Should work in general theory, though RUGF might be better. Planned stocking?
 
Rbishop said:
What gallon size? Should work in general theory, though RUGF might be better. Planned stocking?
Click to expand...

What's rugf?

I actually meant in general, but the one I have now is 35g, I'm hoping to upgrade to at least the 54g.
Stocking is 2 comets (not full grown as yet, if that makes any diff).

The 35 (off the top of my head) is around 30" long, the 54 is 46" or 48"long (I wish it were deeper though, it's about 16" tall x 18"? deep/wide.)
 
Hi
Don't understand the ?? lol. Those are just standard aquarium sizes to my knowledge they make UG filter up to at least 150 gallon size . They were using UG filters long before I was born hardly a new idea lol
I thought you were referring to an inground garden typoe pool lol gary
 
RUGF stands for reverse undergravel filter.

The thing is that in an outdoor environment, there is usually no shortage of beneficial bacteria and algae to maintain basic water quality. Water *clarity* is something else, but even smelly, yucky, anaerobic swamp mud is doing a big part to keep ammonia and nitrite at bay. So unless the pond is terribly overstocked (and 35-54 gallons will be in a short time considering comets grow very quickly outside, but for now it should be ok) it should never register ammonia or nitrite.

So in other words, you won't have any trouble keeping a pond cycled, and that's basically what a UGF does. The only reason to add a UGF is to give your pond circulation, and in that case you would probably be better off adding a few large sponge filters powered by powerheads, or if you can keep your air pump under cover and out of the rain and weather...you could use some powerful air pumps.

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/sponge_filtration.html
 
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garyfla said:
Hi
Don't understand the ?? lol. Those are just standard aquarium sizes to my knowledge they make UG filter up to at least 150 gallon size . They were using UG filters long before I was born hardly a new idea lol
I thought you were referring to an inground garden typoe pool lol gary
Click to expand...

There not shaped standard.
It's an above ground garden type 'pool.' lol :)

I was wondering if anyone had tried them outside.

I'm hoping to put the 54 (or better, if I can get ahold of one of those huge produce tubs from kroger ;) ) partially in ground.
 
platytudes said:
RUGF stands for reverse undergravel filter.
Reverse?

The thing is that in an outdoor environment, there is usually no shortage of beneficial bacteria and algae to maintain basic water quality. Water *clarity* is something else, but even smelly, yucky, anaerobic swamp mud is doing a big part to keep ammonia and nitrite at bay. So unless the pond is terribly overstocked (and 35-54 gallons will be in a short time considering comets grow very quickly outside, but for now it should be ok) it should never register ammonia or nitrite.

So in other words, you won't have any trouble keeping a pond cycled, and that's basically what a UGF does. The only reason to add a UGF is to give your pond circulation, and in that case you would probably be better off adding a few large sponge filters powered by powerheads, or if you can keep your air pump under cover and out of the rain and weather...you could use some powerful air pumps.

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/sponge_filtration.html -------- Neat link, thanks. :)
Click to expand...

I don't think powerheads would be a good idea here, but a pump is fine.
No problem keeping it dry. The one I have now is in a shoe box. The end of the cord it's plugged into is in the box too. I cut holes for all the ins and outs, put it all in the box, then taped up the holes around the cords/air line, and put the lid on. I only read recently that your suppose to cut a small hole in the sides under the lid for air flow. Whoops! Obviously the lid's not air tight lol.

I'd been hesitant to add sponge filters because of their size, their swimming space is so limited already, but the stackable one doesn't look to bad...
(Unlike the large pottery I was looking at the other day to potentially grow some elephant ears in there, that's a bit bigger than the sponges... haha. )


I was just thinking a ugf wouldn't take up a lot of space. And I was tired and silly when it struck me so I thought I"d post it here and see if anyone had tried. lol :)
 
You could try it, it certainly wouldn't hurt, but you'd need to fashion something DIY probably. They work best when they are edge to edge in an aquarium, an irregular shape like a circle (is this what you have? http://www.amazon.com/Beckett-Corporation-35-Gallon-Preformed-Pond/dp/B000IGCUMC) would be difficult. There would be a lot of bypass on the sides. I think a stackable sponge filter just makes more sense, but do use some kind of substrate in your pond as that will greatly increase the surface area of bacteria colonies...pool filter sand would probably be my choice.

If you are worried about swimming space, the best thing to do is probably grow something using a floating garden planter. The roots of the plant would provide cover and other benefits. To keep the fish growing slower, keep them on low protein food and let them graze naturally most of the time. The algae and bugs really bring out the gold color in goldfish, it's great for them to live outside weather permitting :)
 
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they do like them bugs :D good to know. when in doubt I don't feed them. I hope that's been ok.

mine's not round, but the edges undulate (I may have sp that wrong lol).

it has some gravel and last summer when I had to do a near complete redo I threw in the last of my pfs. I think they have an inch, maybe half gravel half playsand/pfs. I got most of the play sand out I think.
I did add a 5g tub with 4 or 5 packs of those dollar store scrubbie pads. (but 'someone' keeps unplugging it, grr.)
oops gotta run. see ya later! :)
 
Hi
One of the most effective forms of filtration for ponds is A "purge system" But only recommended for at least 300
gallons. I've used several types of UGF and found them very ineffective. both indoors and out lol.
I'm guessing the containers are outdoors?? how do you regulate temps?? Anyway Good luck with whatever you decide!!! gary
 
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