what are some of the pros and cons of using an undergravel filters? I've heard that they are great for biological filtration but often become clogged and can really screw up a tank.
what are pros/cons of undergravel filters?
- Thread starter gritscwgrl22
- Start date
Pros....like you said, great biological filtration, clear tanks, low cost....Cons... a lot of fish (cichlids, etc.) dig up the gravel too much to make them effective, all the crud is under the plates, lurking, and, in my opinion, when they go bad, its bad news! When something happens to the bacteria (meds, etc), its hard to get back on track. If you siphon the gunk through the lift tubes or lift tube holes from time to time, it will help.
So will a RFUG get gunk under it as well? It would seem that by reversing the flow it wouldn't be as bad....
RFUG is virtually spotless if set-up properly. No vaccuming no gunk, no problem.
Conventional UGf has a couple of downsides, #1 is the need for dilligent deep vaccuming. However they can be maintained and will not plug up. IMO and IME they require no more vaccuming than any other non-undegravel tank without plants. My UGF's were never as dirty as my hob only tanks.
The other down side is due to the need for Canstant deep vaccuming planting is almost out of the question.
Both of these issues are easily eliminated with RFUg set-ups.
To me the only downside to RFUg is the inability to use enriched substrates, and Sand and honestly from what I have seen so far, that isn't a real big deal.
As far as Cichlids there is a fairly easy inexpensive answer to that. It's called RTR's ultimate over engineered reverse flow undergravel filter. Or something to that effect.
http://www.aquasource.org/CMS/modul...ns&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=17&page=1
There really isn't a dis-advantage to RFUg that I can find except for the substrate issues, and that only applies if you are a die hard sand or enriched substrate person.
Dave
Conventional UGf has a couple of downsides, #1 is the need for dilligent deep vaccuming. However they can be maintained and will not plug up. IMO and IME they require no more vaccuming than any other non-undegravel tank without plants. My UGF's were never as dirty as my hob only tanks.
The other down side is due to the need for Canstant deep vaccuming planting is almost out of the question.
Both of these issues are easily eliminated with RFUg set-ups.
To me the only downside to RFUg is the inability to use enriched substrates, and Sand and honestly from what I have seen so far, that isn't a real big deal.
As far as Cichlids there is a fairly easy inexpensive answer to that. It's called RTR's ultimate over engineered reverse flow undergravel filter. Or something to that effect.
http://www.aquasource.org/CMS/modul...ns&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=17&page=1
There really isn't a dis-advantage to RFUg that I can find except for the substrate issues, and that only applies if you are a die hard sand or enriched substrate person.
Dave
Reverse flow. Instead of the water being pulled down through the substrate then up through an uplift tube, the water is instead pumped down the uplift tubes and comes up through the substrate.
Is using an ug filter as well as another filter such as a bio-wheel power filter any better than using just power filter or just a ug filter?
In my opinion absolutely. I run at least two and usually three filters on all of my tanks. Each type of filter has it's strong and weak points, and using more than one format allows them to compliment each other. Even if you use two of the same type, the redundancy adds stability and piece of mind. Any of my filters could die while I'm on vacation, and I will return to a tank full of healthy fish. I just recently had an Hob that didn't restart, and my 10g went a week with the filter essentially shut off. it din't hurt anything.
Dave
Ok, I must be pure idiot...I can not find a RFUG to purchase....am I looking for it by the wrong name perhaps??? I've never heard of one until recently .... can someone please give me a hint? 