too much gravel

[niki090909]

i was at a web site that said not to use more than 1/4 inch layer of gravel in your tank.

I have atleast an inch in the front which slopes up to 3 - 4 inches in the back....

whas this website right? or are they crazy?

do i have to much gravel? i do have an undergravel filter and i am not sure if i have too much gravel for it, but i can't see how 1/4 inch would even cover a ugf well

 

[cholula]

1/2" of gravel would not be enuf if you are using an UGF. When i did have UGFs, I would use a couple inches at least on top the plates.... but I removed them all over time and run with much less gravel....

You should have seen all the muck collected under the plates... including roots of plants long since removed.

 

[Matt Nace]

With a UGF, you don't want it too thin, and you also don't want it too thick.
2 inches is a good amount for a UGF.

THey may be right, if the UGF they are referring to uses an airstone to draw the water through the gravel. Now adays, if a UGF is used, powerheads are usually used to pull the flow down through the gravel.

With your tank, most of your bacteria is where the 1 inch to 2 inch(or so) amounts of gravel are. The 4 inches in the back is probebly not doing too much for the bacterial part of the UGF. It doesn't have as much pull as the 2 inches will.

HTH

 

[fishbone]

The back of 3 – 4 inches is meant for the waste to accumulate (fall to the front) in front where it can be easily sucked out during cleaning. So, the thinner the more waste is going to accumulate under the UGF.

 

[SoulFish]

i think i know the site you are talking about, i would go with more, 2 should be ok with UGF, but id just ditch the UGF and get a better filter

 

[niki090909]

Ok i think i am kind of confused here, is it good for an UGF to have the gravel sloped or not good?

And as far as UGF's I've used them and not used them, I personally like my tanks with the UGF

I have a HOB filter which is great 330gph i believe, and i use 2 170pgh power heads for the UGF, Its a 55 gallon tank
I like the powerheads, they give a nice circulation. and i just don't like UGF;s with the airstone, seems like it doesn't work nearly as good as the PH.