every once in a while my undergravel filter in my fish only tank burps up bubbles sometimes worse than other times can anyone tell me if this is good or bad tank has been set up for about three years but i moved about 6 months ago and this is about when it started? any help would be appp.
air coming out of my undergravel filter?
- Thread starter slim62471
- Start date
Pandora
Premium Member
The way UGF's work is that they pump air in under an undergravel plate, and out through side "lifts". As the air is moved below, it creates a void which causes water to be sucked through the gravel (in this case, sand). You aren't getting many replies because not a lot of people use them in marine tanks anymore (even fewer in reef), it's kind of considered old technology. I think it can be employed with some success in a FO tank as you have if you have some sand over it; but generally the few people who use them in other tanks tend to have reverse flow UGFs. Read more current opinions on this controversial topic (for SW) here:
http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/undergravelugffilters/
To answer your question, the "burps" are nothing that bad. It's just air escaping from where it is trapped in the plates through the slits. It won't be stagnant air, because it is constantly exchanged by the pump (it's the same as the air in your room, a mix of oxygen, nitrogen, CO2 and everything else in the atmosphere). Ideally, though, you should have enough sand over the plates to avoid letting it "burp" too often.
http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/undergravelugffilters/
To answer your question, the "burps" are nothing that bad. It's just air escaping from where it is trapped in the plates through the slits. It won't be stagnant air, because it is constantly exchanged by the pump (it's the same as the air in your room, a mix of oxygen, nitrogen, CO2 and everything else in the atmosphere). Ideally, though, you should have enough sand over the plates to avoid letting it "burp" too often.
yachtboy14
New member
But you do have bubbles in your tank they are prob just being pulled down with the water and forced into the undergravel filter. I could be wrong though because the only ugf I ever had used an air pump and that was about 3 or 4 years ago.
BurntOutReefer
New member
regardless.....its not bad.
your UGF is most likely not 100% level, and you are getting a build up of very small bubbles that all gather at the high spot and eventually they escape....IMO, I wouldnt worry about it.....
your UGF is most likely not 100% level, and you are getting a build up of very small bubbles that all gather at the high spot and eventually they escape....IMO, I wouldnt worry about it.....
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