UGF + plants

i don't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to add plants to a tank with an ugf if you are using the right kind of plants.. a lot of plants don't care for gravel, and some don't create a tangled mass of roots...i also think it would take quite a lot of plants to clog up the filter but i agree that it's not good to have them directly in the gravel just for cleaning purposes.... try adding some plants that like to attatch to rocks or driftwood or some floating plants...these are good for beginner plants because they are easy to move around in order to keep up on tank maintenance...i've also seen some people keeping their plants contained in a pot filled with gravel, never tried it but it seems like a good option.....good luck with planting and don't feel too bad about having an ugf..they are not top of the line, but i still have one, it needs a lot of maintenance but it serves it's purpose well
 
actually they are the top of the line as a biological filter, kind of like hydroponics in a tank. I would like to see some unbiased proof, not opinion or sales pitches that show canisters as better biological filtration.
 
it really seems that there is no leaning either way in this topic eh? I have the UGF in now with 2 java ferns (roots wrapped around a rock) and another mystery plant in a 30 gal.
 
rbishop said:
actually they are the top of the line as a biological filter, kind of like hydroponics in a tank. I would like to see some unbiased proof, not opinion or sales pitches that show canisters as better biological filtration.
Click to expand...
Perhaps this should be answered in a new thread.
But, since I'm here, I'll post an article that sums it up real well.

First I need to quote from the article: "No one filter will be the best for every case, conversely none will maintain water quality if they are not serviced."

And now, on to the article that explains filters, and also why some prefer not to use UGF.


http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/marineland_which_filter.php


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That article didn't address RUGF nor the use of powerheads with them. It may be a source of information but it is by no means a complete and unbiased article on all types of filtration. I want to see more and if I find anything I'll post here.

Q
 
3 Cheers for the RUGF folks! I started with ugf and did all the maintenance...that was in my younger days when i had lots of time. Then I switched to RUGF filters and discovered that there was really little maintenance that you have to do on them, less (I think) than either the canister or hob filters. I have always made my own pipe RUGF's with a waterpump kept on the bottom of the tank (easier to disguise) and an air pump to add air to the water. I put all the holes in the pipe of the RUGF on the bottom half of the pipe and the air seemed to naturally mix as it filled up too much of the pipe (so I needed no airstone). When I tore my tanks down 3 years later to move I was surprised at how clean the gravel was. To be honest I did NO maintenance on my RUGF tank other than to check monthly that the pump was working. (I still did the water changes, etc) I did have a HOB filter. Water quality was very good, much better than the other tank that only had a hob filter. Well...that's my two cents worth for RUGF's in general. I have not grown plants yet - am really interested, which is why i was attracted to this article - but have seen some really beautifully planted tanks with RUGF's. In all fairness, they did have a bit more substrate than most people recommend and they were also pipe diy setups.
 
Que said:
That article didn't address RUGF nor the use of powerheads with them. It may be a source of information but it is by no means a complete and unbiased article on all types of filtration. I want to see more and if I find anything I'll post here.

Q
Click to expand...
Yes that's right, the article did not address RUGF. It might be good to have another topic to show the benefits of RUGF.
(Maybe there's already a topic on RUGF - I didn't look for it.)


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There are a lot pf opinions on which type of filter is best, but most are just that, opinions (which is expected). A lot of folks have just had 1 or two kinds of filters so they cant really offer an unbiased opinion yet many do. And as was mentioned above the best trype of filtration will vary based on the conditions, 1 type would work great in one situation but not in another.

Some of my opinions: some of the nicest and cleanest tanks I've seen had no filter. They had plants, lots of them. Plants will uptake nutrients and such out of the water as well as provide a huge amount of surface area for beneficial bacteria. Just one opinion. Also, the filter that I'd like the best... the one that required the least amount of work cleaning! I never have time and I'm lazy! :coffee: :)
 
I have no problems with folks preferring one type of filter over another, for their personal needs and style of maintaining a tank.

What trips my trigger is folks claiming that one is no good or causes issues, and they have never maintained a tank with that filter, just spreading rumor and misconception.
 
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