Under-Gravel Filter
- Thread starter tsalter
- Start date
sepulatian
Moderator
Originally Posted by Tsalter
I am starting a 55 gallon salt water reef tank. Right now it has a under gravel filter and blower, i was wondering if its a good idea to run it, or if its not necessary.
no, don't use an undergravel filter. They were highly recomended years ago before a little thing called biological filtration was discovered. Use a regular over the top/ wet/dry or canister. The best is a refuge. Welcome to the boards!!!! :jumping: Anything else you have questions about please feel free to ask!!
I am starting a 55 gallon salt water reef tank. Right now it has a under gravel filter and blower, i was wondering if its a good idea to run it, or if its not necessary.
no, don't use an undergravel filter. They were highly recomended years ago before a little thing called biological filtration was discovered. Use a regular over the top/ wet/dry or canister. The best is a refuge. Welcome to the boards!!!! :jumping: Anything else you have questions about please feel free to ask!!
sepulatian
Moderator
Originally Posted by sign guy
food for thought
if you had fuge,w/d,skimmer and uv do you think an under gravel filter could free up the traits in cc. Or woulds that stress the fish to much? ***)
Actually, what an under gravel filter does in remove detris, thats it, it does no biological filtration whatso ever. it just sucks out detris once it reaches the bottom of whatever substrate you are using. It would make no difference to the formentioned equipment.
food for thought
if you had fuge,w/d,skimmer and uv do you think an under gravel filter could free up the traits in cc. Or woulds that stress the fish to much? ***)
Actually, what an under gravel filter does in remove detris, thats it, it does no biological filtration whatso ever. it just sucks out detris once it reaches the bottom of whatever substrate you are using. It would make no difference to the formentioned equipment.
my way
Active Member
Originally Posted by sign guy
food for thought
if you had fuge,w/d,skimmer and uv do you think an under gravel filter could free up the traits in cc. Or woulds that stress the fish to much? ***)
What are you talking about?
Originally Posted by sepulatian
Actually, what an under gravel filter does in remove detris, thats it, it does no biological filtration whatso ever. it just sucks out detris once it reaches the bottom of whatever substrate you are using. It would make no difference to the formentioned equipment.
Wrong. It creates water flow through the substrate giving bacteria a plce to grow. The problem with U.G.'s, they draw the detritus deeper into the substrate and under the filter plates where you can't get to it to remove it.
food for thought
if you had fuge,w/d,skimmer and uv do you think an under gravel filter could free up the traits in cc. Or woulds that stress the fish to much? ***)
What are you talking about?
Originally Posted by sepulatian
Actually, what an under gravel filter does in remove detris, thats it, it does no biological filtration whatso ever. it just sucks out detris once it reaches the bottom of whatever substrate you are using. It would make no difference to the formentioned equipment.
Wrong. It creates water flow through the substrate giving bacteria a plce to grow. The problem with U.G.'s, they draw the detritus deeper into the substrate and under the filter plates where you can't get to it to remove it.
sepulatian
Moderator
Originally Posted by My Way
What are you talking about?
Wrong. It creates water flow through the substrate giving bacteria a plce to grow. The problem with U.G.'s, they draw the detritus deeper into the substrate and under the filter plates where you can't get to it to remove it.
Actually I disagree, undergravel filters do NOTHING for biological filtration. Look in ANY updated SW book. the undergravel filtration unit was made obsolete for salt a long time ago because of the lack of biological filtration. Yes it creates a water flow through the substrate, which catches what?...............DETRIS. It does not however create a place for bacteria to grow.
What are you talking about?
Wrong. It creates water flow through the substrate giving bacteria a plce to grow. The problem with U.G.'s, they draw the detritus deeper into the substrate and under the filter plates where you can't get to it to remove it.
Actually I disagree, undergravel filters do NOTHING for biological filtration. Look in ANY updated SW book. the undergravel filtration unit was made obsolete for salt a long time ago because of the lack of biological filtration. Yes it creates a water flow through the substrate, which catches what?...............DETRIS. It does not however create a place for bacteria to grow.
sepulatian
Moderator
Originally Posted by sign guy
I have never heard that a ugf creates bio. It has nothing to grasp so how could it grow
Exactly
I have never heard that a ugf creates bio. It has nothing to grasp so how could it grow
Exactly
sepulatian
Moderator
Originally Posted by sign guy
dose my theroy make any since or am I just up to late?
no, you are right on target. Are we the only ones up? lol :jumping:
dose my theroy make any since or am I just up to late?
no, you are right on target. Are we the only ones up? lol :jumping:
my way
Active Member
Sorry but U.G, 's ARE biological filters, the reason they are obsolete is there is much better ways to filter waste products these days. If they did'nt work as filters, what did the filtering in the early days of keeping marine fish when U.G.'s where all that was used. Bacteria grows on almost anything that has water flowing through it. There is way to much misinformation on these boards.
tsalter
New Member
MY WAy- i have two whisper filters rated for 30 gallons each, i also have a bio wheele filter which iwas going to replace one of the whispers with. I think that i fine i just didnt know if more was better. I was wondering if i should just keep the blower motors in to keep circulation.