Your UGF experiences

Well, rather HOT in here, eh?

Let me begin by saying this, I have 47 years in the hobby. No typo here, 47 years. I have run the gamut of "latest and greatest" methods of filtration. I started out with the old air driven corner box filters. Messy and inefficient.

Then the back mounted power filters. they clog so fast unless you turn them off at feeding time. Then you have to remember to turn them back on. A real PITA!!!!

Then ugf's. Air driven. Gravel/substrate maintenance sucked!!!

Then ugf's with power heads. Still gravel/substrate maintenance sucked!!!!!

Canister filters came next. Some are tough to clean and get re-primed. And they are pricey.

Then I went to RF-ugf's, not enough filtration, limited water flow.

So, what do I use now? Almost all of the above, sans the corner filter.

AND one CAN use sand as a substrate with a ugf!!! I use a fine cheesecloth glued to Perfecto plates, reverse flow Marineland powerheads(to prevent compaction), Emperor 400's, and Magnum 300's or 350's. LAYERED filtration. My tanks are healthy, clear, and jammed to the max(another topic for later). I doubt any one of you have experimented to the degree that I have on the subject of filtration and substrates. My theory of "layered filtration" has endured tweaks and modifications over 30+ years. Is it perfected? Only until something new comes out for me to tinker with. But, as of this moment it is absolutely the best method of filtration I know. I cannot remember the last time I lost a fish.

For any naysayers or Doubting Thomas's, I have a 25+ year old Royal Panaque and a 20+ year old Tire Track Eel that have lived all of their lives in tanks filtered by the "layered" method. All of my tanks, save one, are filtered thus, breeder and rearing tanks exluded.

Substrate? Depends. I use everything from peat(for annual killies and some tetras) to sand(some bottom dwellers) to gravel(most mid to upper water fish) to rocks(some African cichlids).

Some also say that ugf's are bad for growing plants. Well, I have no problem at all.

Remember, even GOOD filtration does not take the place of proper and timely maintenance.

Bob
 
That layered method sounds a lot like the OE-RFUG that I've used...here's an article:

http://www.badmanstropicalfish.com/...ecb2055d30d136b0874474b96&/topic,11523.0.html

It solves a lot of the common complaints with normal UG...The eggcrate keeps the substrate at a very consistent level, and since the bonded filter pad acts as media, you don't need too much gravel. I ran it in a BW takn for about 2 years, and when I broke it down, there was NO mulm buildup under the plate, and the filter pads were still white, not brown and gunked up (hence the importance of good prefilters on the powerheads).
 
jm1212 said:
I am sorry but that is 100% wrong. Bottom feeders do not "like" eating poo. thats just outrageous. you need to feed bottom dwellers just like you would any other fish.

the only way all of the "junk" will accumulate under the filter plate is if the filter is not taken care of. the same can be said of any filter out there: canister, wet/dry, and HOB for sure. take care of the UGF as you would any other filter, by cleaning the filter media (i.e the gravel), and it wont turn into the "nitrate factory" that people that do not have experience with them fantasize about. vacuum the gravel every week, just as you should be doing with any other tank, gravel or sand. its not any "extra" maintinence, its keeping the tank clean. in addition, if your UGF has a huge buildup of junk under the plates, then you are not cleaning the gravel aqequately enough. if anything, UGF's are easier to take care of than HOB filters or canisters. the media is fully exposed and easy to clean, rather than being surrounded by a bunch of valves and seals.
Click to expand...
Exactly plus with myUGF I can just pop off a cap and suck all the crap out it has two inlets per plate and I run two lift tubes so I got one opening each plate I can use to clean without any probs :dance:
 
I've used UGFs/RUGFs with ZERO problems. Anyone who says they are outdated are entitled to their own opinion but don't start preaching that anyone who thinks otherwise will have "problems" with their tanks. That's simply untrue...anyways...

I have found the RUGF+"other filtration of choice" method to work extremely well. The only reason I'm not using one now is because I did a rehaul of my tank last year and ditched my plates during that time rather than having to do it when taking down my tank this summer before college.

But regular UGFs work just fine too. They are the best bio filters IMHO especially for the price...
 
UGF's take advantage of the single largest area of filtration in your tank....the gravel bed.

As I stated before, with all of the "new and improved" devices, the ugf has withstood the tests of time and the challenges of "new fangled gadgets"...

'nuff said.

Bob
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom