Undergravel filter cleaning?

[omgtessa]

I'm still new to UGF, and I'm not quite sure the best way to clean them.

Currently, one a week I suck out uneaten food and other stuff stuck in the gravel and do a 25% water change at the same time.

Is this good enough to keep it clean? I think it's still in the cycling process, having gotten the tank last week, and the fish a couple oof days later. :help:

 

[Rbishop]

That is the way!

 

[WaywardSon]

You are right on track - stay with it - 25% and gravel vac.

 

[Rbishop]

It will be even better if you converted it to RUGF.

 

[Cory Keeper]

I'm with Bob, RUGF would be even better, but if you don't want to convert, just keep up the gravel vacs.

 

[omgtessa]

Okay, great.
I'll keep it up.

 

[jackiomy]

RUGF?

Okay, what is that? I am getting ready to buy an UGF and a couple of powerheads. Is there something better I can do? It is taking forever to set up my 40 gallon because I keep reading everyone's posts! LOL

 

[omgtessa]

Hmm... RUGF's are easier to make changes and clean. And doing a gravel vacuum (in my case sucking out food and stuff with a turkey baster lol) is really hard in a 2 gal hex, and if you have a couple of silk plants and a driftwood cave. :|
But I heard they do have kinda the same problem in getting crud stuck under them.

 

[Rbishop]

The RUGF uses power heads or canister discharge to push water down the lift tubes, under the plates and back up thru the substrate. This pushes food debri and wastes back into the water column for power filters to remove. This action redues the need for gravel vacs.

I have never seen a UGF or RUGF clog in 25 yrs of keeping tanks.