Under Gravel Jets

[KneeKickLou]

I was just reading up on under gravel jets and was wondering if anyone here has used them and how well they work. I would be setting this up on a new 55 gallon tank. Any suggestions on number of jets and what pump to use would be a great help. Thanks in advance.

[jeffs99dime]

if you are referring to powerheads for an undergravel filter i would recommend switching to hob's or canister filters, especially in a tank that size. ugf's are pretty obsolete compared to other methods of filtration out currently

[Drumachine09]

Would it be possible to jerry rig a powerhead into a sponge filter?

[jeffs99dime]

anything's possible!

[KneeKickLou]

if you are referring to powerheads for an undergravel filter i would recommend switching to hob's or canister filters, especially in a tank that size. ugf's are pretty obsolete compared to other methods of filtration out currently
It not for a UGF its a power head that goes into a network of PVC pipes under the gravel and the comes out of jets that you setup in different parts of the tank. What it is supposed to do is keep junk from settling on the substrate so that you will not have to vacumm when doing the water changes. I found the article here http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/ug_jets.php the people at that forum seem to swear by it. So I just wondered if anyone here has every tried this. I'm going to try it when I get my new tank in a few weeks I'll let everyone know how things work out.

[Lady Hobbs]

Would it be possible to jerry rig a powerhead into a sponge filter?

I did and it worked great. I used one of the plastic uplight filters that I no longer used after getting rid of the UGF. I was actually able to use a nail and a hammer and pound holes in the tube about 4 inches up from the bottom. (shocked me as I thought the tube would break but it didn't) Inserted a sponge and put a power head on top. The only thing that caused me some confusion was what I could use to plug up the bottom of the tube. I ended up finding some type of cap to plug the bottom up. Thought of using a cork until I found this cap that worked OK.

[Drumachine09]

^^^^cool!:thumb:

[jeffs99dime]

it's almost like a reverse flow ugf. same principal except it's above the substrate. pretty cool

[kimmers318]

Sounds like a great idea, but I am not good at DYI so I will leave that idea alone until they start selling it in ready to piece together kits!:18:

[Drumachine09]

it's almost like a reverse flow ugf. same principal except it's above the substrate. pretty cool


It is kinda cool

[jeffs99dime]

Sounds like a great idea, but I am not good at DYI so I will leave that idea alone until they start selling it in ready to piece together kits!:18:

kimmers you would have been sick if you saw how the lfs i went to tonight kept their dwarf puffers and how they fed them. pissed me off! i ripped into them about it too!

[kimmers318]

Good for you! Most places don't have a CLUE about the dwarf puffers, or most of their fish for that matter. Most of the people that come looking for help once they buy a dp complain of them not eating, being too skinny etc. Dp's aren't likely to eat flake, so unless the employee cracks open a box of frozen bloodworms they end up with starving ill dp's.....and then unsuspecting people buy them, after being told they are okay in a community tank to control snails and the saga begins!
Although my local petsuppliesplus isn't the greatest, they have had several employees that at least TRY to find out about the fish because they do leave certain people to take care of the fish all the time instead of bumping them all over.

[Ascendant]

Nice idea. To bad i dont have the balls to try it out.
I do want to put a sponge on my powerhead though!

[Fishguy2727]

How is this different from a reverse flow UGF?