Oh no! Its an Undergravel!
- Thread starter thefatboy
- Start date
McTeague
In Memoriam
I run mine forwards because I do not want all the water movement of the powerheads diffused underneath.
A friend of mine uses them but caps them off completely so they act as a plenum beneath the substrate.
I think if you are going to use them long term you must regularly vacuum the substrate and be willing to completely break it down annually for a real good cleaning or complete replacement of the substrate.
A friend of mine uses them but caps them off completely so they act as a plenum beneath the substrate.
I think if you are going to use them long term you must regularly vacuum the substrate and be willing to completely break it down annually for a real good cleaning or complete replacement of the substrate.
Yikes, don't use an UGF. I've been in the hobby since the mid 70's when it was thought this was a great way to filter a saltwater tank. You WILL NOT get all the detritus out of your tank with this type of filter no matter how many snails or whatever you have. Eventually the sand/aragonite substrate will fill with garbage and your nitrates and phosphates will be so high that it will affect even hardy fish. It was believed that high nitrates didn't affect fish but now that theory is changing. Personally my belief is if it doesn't occur naturally in the ocean where these animals come from it can't be good for them. I'm curious as to why you may be considering using a UGF?
Scott
Scott
nobody should [profanity] on for their choice of equipment.
Still there will be people who think they know better and will blast you saying what THEY think is right for YOUR tank.
Be prepared to defen your decission but as for me I suport anybody's choices so long as they can make them work.
Since there are more then just one member on this sight who used them I don't understand why some people still can't understand why they are used.
Bottom line is they work, if you used them propperly.
Cheers!
Still there will be people who think they know better and will blast you saying what THEY think is right for YOUR tank.
Be prepared to defen your decission but as for me I suport anybody's choices so long as they can make them work.
Since there are more then just one member on this sight who used them I don't understand why some people still can't understand why they are used.
Bottom line is they work, if you used them propperly.
Cheers!
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I have more than 30 years of experience in this hobby since the mid 70's. I used UGF until about 10 years ago. I always had nitrate/phosphate problems. Maybe there is a better way to use them. If there is I really would like to know becuase the filters in their various forms are increadably expensive especially for large tanks. I was just giving my experience and not knocking any one who uses them. If any feels that they are viable for a reef aquarium I would very much like to know how they are being used. I'm setting up a new 300gl tank and this type of filter would save me a ton of money over what I'm now considering. Again my personal experience has not been positive using a UGF in a reef or FO tank becuase of the build up of detritus.
That being said UG of obviously not the choice for the average beginer. If your trying to avoid any problems mabby continure your search for a diffrent filter.
All this doesn't mean they will or won't work for what you need. Just if your going to be very careful if you do chose the reverse UG filter in the end.
All this doesn't mean they will or won't work for what you need. Just if your going to be very careful if you do chose the reverse UG filter in the end.
thefatboy
New member
I like to do things differently. Why go with the flow? The reef I am in the middle of constructing in my den is going to be very "cookie cutter" because I want my fiancee involved.
My somewhat-FOWLR at my office is going to be a bit spartan, hence the UG. I have some legitimate concerns about the aquarium there, such as temperature fluctuations, so I want to keep it inexpensive, take it very slowly, and pay very close attention to the water parameters as I SLOWLY add inexpensive creatures to see how they fare.
I like to tinker. I also like to revisit discarded methods, especially in a hobby like this one, where nobody can seem to agree on methodology.
If a fluidized sand bed is a legitimate method for a large scale aquarium, I feel it can be for a small one. Isnt a reverse run UG basically a variation on a fluidized bed?
I'm interested to find out how increasing the flow in a UG will increase its effectiveness. Obviously running 500gph in reverse makes a snow globe.
Would running it at that speed forward constantly disrupt anaerobic and potentially hypoxic areas? I dont know. Would having 3 nassarius snails per gallon add to the effectiveness? I dont know. Does anyone?
I want to know these things. I want to see if a "Frugal Reef" is a reality. The more I can learn about these things gets me closer to my goals in this hobby.
I sincerely enjoy the feedback by the way... lets keep the discussion alive!
My somewhat-FOWLR at my office is going to be a bit spartan, hence the UG. I have some legitimate concerns about the aquarium there, such as temperature fluctuations, so I want to keep it inexpensive, take it very slowly, and pay very close attention to the water parameters as I SLOWLY add inexpensive creatures to see how they fare.
I like to tinker. I also like to revisit discarded methods, especially in a hobby like this one, where nobody can seem to agree on methodology.
If a fluidized sand bed is a legitimate method for a large scale aquarium, I feel it can be for a small one. Isnt a reverse run UG basically a variation on a fluidized bed?
I'm interested to find out how increasing the flow in a UG will increase its effectiveness. Obviously running 500gph in reverse makes a snow globe.
Would running it at that speed forward constantly disrupt anaerobic and potentially hypoxic areas? I dont know. Would having 3 nassarius snails per gallon add to the effectiveness? I dont know. Does anyone?
I want to know these things. I want to see if a "Frugal Reef" is a reality. The more I can learn about these things gets me closer to my goals in this hobby.
I sincerely enjoy the feedback by the way... lets keep the discussion alive!
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