UF & the Semi Reef Tank

[teetee]

I have been slowly converting my 135g FO set up to a semi reef set-up. I will have live rock and hardier inverts such as star fish, crabs, & snails. No corals oe anenomes.
I have an under gravel filtration system as part of my filtration ( along with 3 Aqualcear 500,s, hot Magnum, & Protein Smimming). My question. Am I doomed for having the UF. It seems that it is yesterday,s technology. Any advice helpful, thanks T.T.

 

[nacl-h2o]

If you don't want the UGF it would not be hard or expensive to convert it into a plenium. You will have to prop the filter up with 6 or 8 1" PVC pipe joints put your current substrate back on top use at least 1.5" and put a peice of fiberglass sreen on it and an 1" of live sand the top. Throw the lift tubs away and use the power haeds on the lifts by themselves for cirrculation. Nitrate control at half the cost because you already paid for half of it.
[ April 24, 2001: Message edited by: DAN THE MAN ]

 

[twoods71]

Get rid of the UF you wont need it. They are bad news if you ask me. I have heard so many people tell me about them failing after a few years.
From personal experience when I broke down my freshwater tank and removed the UF I found an inch high bed of scum under that sucker. YUCK

 

[teetee]

Geez, do I relly need to take everything apart? Seems like quite the task. Twoods71, you mentioned that people have had to change their set-up after a few years. Am I to asume that it isn't something that needs to be done straigt away. Does anyone out there use an UGF system (I guesss I'm desperately searching for testimonials, LOL). It's just that I got my basic information from "The Complete Idiot's Gude to Saltwater Aquariums". In in ,the author speaks very favourably about the UGF. No mention of Plenums etc. Thanks again T.T.

 

[burnnspy]

It isnt necessary to remove the UF, but you should cap it off then put 4" of gravel(I recommend Seaflor special reef sand) on top of it. It will act as a less effecient plenum system and help reduce nitrate buildup.
BurnNSpy

 

[bayouguy]

I have a very stable 10 gallon saltwater aquarium that has been running for two years. I have a very happy Mandarin Goby in the tank and a few live rocks with CC on top of the UGF. I originally set up my new large tank with an UGF but switched over to a plenum. I'm not convinced that a UGF is nearly as bad as everyone says (mainly because nobody really seems to be running them in large versions to report much) - based on my own personal experience, but then again, I still consider myself a beginner.