cleaning an ugf

[Star_Rider]

I second what rbishop states. I use ufg/rfug. the ugf i have is powered with powerheads the rfug is powered with a powerhead also(set up to push water thru the plates.

as long as you religiously vac and do std maint you shouldn't
ever have to worry about build up under the plates.

so basically do a heavy vac of the substrate over the plates and you should be fine.

 

[Phrag]

Yes, you can stick the intake tube of your whisper into the tubes of your UGF if it fits. Let me reitterate again it works extremely well. Doing it this way means you don't need a squeeky bio-wheel for your bio filtration.

 

[CaptnDan]

Loved the post Captain!

Another option I do, is to put my diatom filter suction hose on the lift tube for quarterly cleanings.

Woah... That's some serious suction. I have this mental image of fish pinned to the gravel yelling "Please, stop! We won't fight over territiory ever again!" :joke:

It could very well be that the vacuuming wasn't regular enough - part of that "Captain" thing is that you're away from home a lot... Nothing happens on a regular timetable. And I mean nothing. I think my kids grew up thinking "Christmas is the first Sunday after dad comes home in December, or the last Sunday before he leaves in December."