Undergravel filters: shall we beat the dead horse again?

[rodm81]

I used a UGF when i was about 15 years old. I hated cleaning my tank as there was so much gunk underneath the filter you just cant get to unless you uproot everything. As previously posted, nitrate nightmare. Of course I didn't know that then but i now understand why I had the issues I had.

[Cliff]

I used a UGF for years, but also was many many years ago. The can certainly work, but are also a lot of extra work which you can aviod

Modern day HOB and canister filters do work better than UGF and are a lot less work to maintain

[Lady Hobbs]

I agree with the others here and threw mine out, too. With the cost and nose of air pumps, you can get a good canister filter. UGF are no good with a sand bottom or if planted, as well.

Reverse pumps for a tank full of rocks and African cichlids would be OK (with other filters) but other than that, time has moved on.

[Aeonflame]

Why strike rocks together when you have a lighter? There are far more effective and lower maintenance options out there.

[Mister Limpet]

I've always had good results with them. Had one tank, a 20L, running 10 years with one, never removed. This one had a small HOB AQ filter also, but many other tanks had nothing but UGF. I always liked the look of the uplift tube(s) in action.

Not sure how it's more maintenance... you're going to vacuum your gravel anyways, right? Change air stones every month or two, it's really not any more work. I agree, air pumps do get noisy though. I've sometimes used small powerheads on top of the uplift tubes instead, always adjusted for low flow.

[Cliff]

Not sure how it's more maintenance... you're going to vacuum your gravel anyways, right?

There also is the gunk that builds up under the UGF plates that normal gravel vac can not get to in a tradional UGF set-up. That gunk will break down and add extra nitrates to your water and in some cases will require extra waterchanges to managed. That is, assumning you do not lift the plates to clean under them evey once in a while

[KingOfTheFeeshes]

Personally, I was just wondering the benefits of using a UGF in conjunction with a HOB.
I have a Marineland Penguin 200 - I'm just worried I may have overstocked my tank a bit (I have to remind myself from time to time that they're small now, but will grow to be larger) - but I don't want to get rid of my fishies for now.
I was just hoping to help with the bio-load. I'm looking into a DIY sponge filter, now, though.

[KingOfTheFeeshes]

There's tons of alternatives for an UGF. Generally they're fine for a year or two but then you're basically looking at a rebuild because of the gunk building up. Also they don't mix well with plants.

If you want a gentle filtration boost, a mattenfilter in the corner or a top mounted wet/dry are other options

Wow, mattenfilter... I just looked it up; I've never heard of it. I really like the idea - I think I'll have to try it one day for a breeder setup. Thanks for the suggestion, talldutchie!

[talldutchie]

You're welcome! If you happen to find a really good step by step built in English I'd appreciate the link via private message. All I got in my archives is in Dutch and German.

[Sandz]

Looks like everyone got their say on the UGF. I find them only relatively effective if the gravel has at least 3in so you create that deep substrate bed that the denitrifying bacteria colonize. Thats more a saltwater talk though and way to in depth but just for comparison... my grandfather, someone whos been in the hobby longer than I alive, still uses the same UGF's he bought with his metaframe tanks. Never broken down or cleaned the gravel. Our main issues now a days is that we have a lot more to choose from than "Which color rock do I want in my tank?" like they did back then.

I by no means want this to be an encouragement for anyone to use one but they can be effective.