porkypuffer
Member
WHEN I FIRST SET UP MY TANK 1 YEAR AGO I USED AN UG FILTER, 3 MONTHS LATER I DISCONNECTED IT BUT LEFT IT IN PLACE AND INSTALLED A CANISTER FILTER. MY QUESTION IS SHOULD I LEAVE UG FILTER IN OR PULL IT UP?
UNDER GRAVEL FILTER
- Thread starter porkypuffer
- Start date
mr . salty
Active Member
Is it causing problems being in there? It will make a mess of the water,But should clear up in a day of two.STEVE
porkypuffer
Member
TO MY KNOWLADGE IT'S NOT CAUSING A PROBLEM, BUT I HAVE ALWAYS HAD HIGH NITRATES. I JUST WONDERED IF THERE WAS A CHANCE OF UNWANTED STUFF TRAPPED UNDER THE UG FILTER THAT WOULD BE RELEASED AND HARM THE FISH?
mr . salty
Active Member
What do you consider HIGH? My 125 fowlr is usually around 30-40 with no problems.
mr . salty
Active Member
Your right BETH. It is acting as a plenum. But probablt without the screens that a plenum has. (working without a net). Is it possible to syphon out the stale water through one of the riser tubes and clean it out??
porkypuffer
Member
MY NITRATES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN 50 PLUS. SYPHONING OUT THROUGH ONE OF THE RISERS IS AN OPTION I DIDN'T CONSIDER. SOUNDS LIKE THAT COULD BE A GOOD WAY TO REMOVE THE CRUD BEFORE REMOVING THE UG FILTER. WHEN I DO A WATER CHANGE I ALWAYS USE A GRAVEL SYPHON AND PUSH IT DOWN INTO THE GRAVEL TO REMOVE AS MUSH WASTE AS I CAN. COULD THE CRUD UNDER THE UG FILTER CAUSE THE HIGH NITRATES?
mr . salty
Active Member
Porkeypuffer, This could very well be the source of the nitrates. People have been saying all along that they are a nitrate factory. I would say to try sucking out as much as you can,then get that sucker out of there. Is there anuplace where you can put your fish for a couple days,Just in case???
porkypuffer
Member
I PRESENTLY HAVE MY LIVE ROCK AND TURBO SNAILS IN A LARGE PLASTIC CONTAINER BECAUSE I HAVE LOWERED THE SALINITY TO FIGHT ICK. I GUESS I COULD GET A SECOND CONTAINER FOR THE FISH AND USE ONE OF THE POWER HEADS FOR AIREATION. ANY SUGESTIONS ON HOW I CAN TELL IF THE WATER IS SAFE TO RETURN THE FISH? THE TEST KIT I HAVE TESTS FOR AMMONIA, NITRITES, NITRATES AND PH.
W
wrassefan
Guest
Porkypuffer,
I use to run an ugf as most did in the old days. I always had problems with my nitrates. I did switch to reverse flow and that did help somewhat but eventually came to the conclusion that it was the problem. If you are leaving the undergravel plate in, let the substrate fall through and just fill it in. That way you don't have the stagnet water and the poisonous gas buildup. I just pulled mine out. If you currently have ick, I would use Malachite green. It is safe for inverts and lr.
I use to run an ugf as most did in the old days. I always had problems with my nitrates. I did switch to reverse flow and that did help somewhat but eventually came to the conclusion that it was the problem. If you are leaving the undergravel plate in, let the substrate fall through and just fill it in. That way you don't have the stagnet water and the poisonous gas buildup. I just pulled mine out. If you currently have ick, I would use Malachite green. It is safe for inverts and lr.