undergravel filtration question

[jones57742]

Folks: Four Items
One Observation, One Question and Two "putting my two cents in".


Item One

I believe the preponderance of opinion is the "sucking from" instead of "discharging into" a UGF is appropriate and that mechanical filtration should be placed at the intake orifice(s) of the UGF.


Item Two

This is just a question the answers to which I will "once again log into my experience bank".

... All filters should be maintained and cleaned regularly, under gravels are no differnt and no more or less work to keep clean.

The literature suggests that the tank "must be broken down" and a UGF cleaned semiannually.

Is the above incorrect?


Three

Not true...debri builds up at the same rate in all filters.

Bob: I just flat do not understand this one.

If I place a pad of coarse media (the typical blue and white) into my filtration process a week's period is necessary for the media to become "clogged" and for the surface to become greenish brown or brown.

If I place a pad of 50Mu media into my filtration process a day's period (or less) is necessary for the media to become "clogged" and for the surface to become greenish brown or brown.


Four

Dialog has occurred in this thread concerning the concentration of oxygen in tank water with respect to temperature.

Please note this concentration is also affected by the atmospheric pressure at the water's surface in the tank.

TR

 

[jpappy789]

This problem that is being debated is easily avoided. By using a reverse-flow undergravel setup with sponges on the powerhead intakes, the debris is trapped before it makes it under the filter plates or into the gravel. Rinsing a sponge prefilter once a week is no different than rising Aquaclear media once a week.

I completely agree with you splokey, RUGF work great and are reasonably cheap, I got mine "kit" for like 10 bucks and UGF's the,selves cost very little, the powerhead is the most expensive item...anyways lets forget about the whole debate and get back on topic, helping the OP.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

When it comes to O concentrations, while lower in water than in air, there is another side to the equation. Fish don't suffocate in water becuase it has less O than air simply because they require less O than air breathing creatures. Fish are cold blooded and the majority of us land creatures are warm blooded.

I have not read anything concerning the O needs of the nitrifying bacteria. However, I would hazard a guess that they require less O than is avilable on a bio wheel. I would point out that for many years prior to the invention of the bio wheel that tanks we able to support sufficient colonies of bacteria to maintain a good environment for the fish.

What I do know is when it comes to fishkeeping, there are very very few universals and many ways to achieve the same desired result. Any filter whether it is undergravel, canister, HOB, sponge or sump has its own specific advantages and disadvantages. Which one the fish keeper may select is as much a function of the specific application and the fish keepers budget as much as anything else.

I have used ugf and rugf, and currently use HOBs, canisters, sponges and powerheads. Al of them do the job for which they were selected.