UGF for salt water aquarium

[goliath]

OK I'm gonna start something here that is going to attract a lot of controversy.
YES YOU CAN USE A ugf FOR A SALT TANK
OK now that I have your attention here is why I know this
I am 43 year old I set up my first 150 gallon salt water tank when i was 20 It used ONLY a under gravel filter. I will be the first to admit this is OLD SCHOOL but it DOSE work. back then that was NORMAL.
Many say it is a nitrate factory and YES IT CAN BE but the thing is is is AMAZING for keeping ammonia and nitrites to zero.
Now YES there is a catch IF you intend to make a REEF tank out of your salt aquarium then you will have to reverse the flow. ( RUGF ) this means you push the water DOWN the pipes to push water UP threw the gravel. This prevents sludge and " nitrate factory " conditions.
OK so about modern times.... I set up a new salt tank last year I set it up the same way I did 23 years ago. Just a under gravel filter with very STRONG power heads. I out a clown in it to start the cycle. It is now about a year old and NEVER has any nitrites been detected in my tank . However yes the nitrates did start to climb over time. But not enough to harm FISH . OK so then I wanted to slowly turn it into a reef tank. Again people will FREAK when they hear a UGF is used for a reef tank but its not a UGF its a RUGF ( reverse) OK so to keep the nitrates down low enough for corals comfort I simply added bunch of small mangrove plants . Now keep in mind something i didn't mention yet I DON'T USE A SUMP For the reason that there simply isn't room in my spot for it. I am very glad I set it up with a RUGF because it is SOOOO good at zapping ammonia and nitrites INSTANTLY so it seems. But the down side is you do over time When it matures need a very aggressive nitrate control IF you going to go " reef" ....I personally like mangroves and how it adds to the whole tropical beach feel of the aquarium So its not a big deal to me and in fact more fun to take care of. Oh and yes modern times ... I am also running a good red sea protein skimmer and a hang on acuaclear filter to catch large paritcals Now about the hang on filter It is a AQUACLEAR they are the best in my opinion The main reason is because they PUSH the water up threw the media instead of just flowing threw it like others. This stop it from just flowing OVER the media when it gets clogged and bypassing the ACTUAL FILTRATION system. OK so Im not gonna recommend every buddy do this Cuz its best to stick to modern methods but im pointing out that OLD SCHOOL DID AND DOSE WORK.Especially when you combine it with modern Why did i do this? Well like I said it is AWESOME for controlling nitrites and ammonia and they are DEADLY nitrates are slower to do harm and usualy wont kill everything even at highish levels Unless its hard corals.
OK so now you have a story from someone who is making this work very well Dont do it yourself If you are not confidant with the method However if you want your first little damsel or whatever you pout in it to start the cycle to live threw it and not even get stressed then go for it. Or if you want to put ONE large lion fish in as a start. and make it LIVE id say this why is safe for it.
OK ill let you yell at me now if you like HAHAHA But if there is anyone else out there that is using this method Id be interested in reading your comments Thanks Hope all you new school fish guroos learned something from a old man from old school

 

[TRe]

FYI you dont have to worry about ammonia or nitrite in a salt water tank once the cycle is complete. Ammonia turns into nitrite and than into nitrate. If nitrates are present, than you dont have some magical UGF that "zaps" ammonia or nitrate.. Instead its just going through the normal cycle and converting to nitrates just like would happen with out the UGF... In salt water tanks most people rely on biological filtration. You want about 1lb per gal of live rock along with a few good powerhead and the best skimmer you can afford. BTW the words good and Redsea protein skimmer should NOT be used in the same sentance... Not trying to be rude or anything but it is in both you AND your fishes best interest to do a little research. You right, times have changed (and its for the better belive me)

 

[TRe]

BTW if your UGF was "zapping" ammonia and nitrites you would never have nitrates present so your whole explanation doesn't make sense

 

[goliath]

Resreach????????????

TRe I'm gonna point something out to you Just to clear things up. I work at the Vancouver aquarium Were we take care of more then 100 000 gallons worth of salt water tanks. I am not using state of the art equipment BUT I am getting advice from wrinkled up old men and women who have done there research for more then 60 years. There is one thing that is detrimental to any fish keeper and that is COMPLACENCY. If you dont think out side the box and don't try alternative things then you get so stuck into a rutein that sooner or later you make a fatal mistake Keeping OPEN mind is how you learn and discover thing that were previously thought imposable. Myself I have a OBSESSIVE nature and doing research is what I spend LITERALLY hours a day doing at the Vancouver aquarium. Beleiv it or not I DO know what Im doing I ask Q's even when I already am CERTAIN of the correct answer TO LEARN OTHER PROBABILITIES. Please TRe don't think I'm trying to be rude to you I to was once like you But then as i grew into my 40's I realized that being prejudiced against certain brand names Just like the little cartoon guy pissing on a ford sign stuck to a Chev truck Is not being open to . the berlin 250 protein skimmer is one of the best in the world FOR ITS TIME . However if you use a cpr I will not denounce it for any reason because well What would i have to gain other then stroking my own bling bling ego? Tre you seem very knowledgeable in your thinking BUT you would gain a lot by expanding your mind and listening to the " STUPID GUYS " if nothing more then to have reference to the stupid That way one day a huge light might go off in your head and go WOW thats cool I didn't know that. YES I do research I will respectfully suggest that For yourself maybe think alitle outside the box that way you might invent something new and get rich Who knows But the very statement condemning red sea is a very blatant advertisement that your mind is CLOSED
Most of what I'm telling you is what I learned from working at the V.A. They warn us all right from the beginning that if we don't have a open mind to learn different thing about marine biology we are not right for the job and so on. Another thing hopefully learned here is the old saying Don't assume Assume starts with ASS and ends with U and ME. assuming that i don't research is SO WAY FAR FROM CORRECT its ridiculous Especially since it is my JOB to learn every thing about the subject inside and out and sideways this I am doing every day and YES im learned many thing that DIRECTLY con contradict the HOBBY Aquarius BUT This I know beyond dought I am not WRONG and YOU are defiantly NOT wrong There are many different ways do one thing. This my RESEARCH has proven. Please try to accept this Cuz my way or the high way will not get any buddy far at all And not saying this is you but you get the point im sure The best of luck in your aquarium adventures
Take care

 

[goliath]

TRe zapping nitrites is a figure of speak. It means to convert them to NITRATES at a fantastic and very efficient speed kits .Forgive me I thought that was common Knowledge in the aquarium community. I will not assume again. or try not to LOL
I have not yet ever detected nitrites in my tank. YES they have to be there But they don't show up with API , nutrafin, or tetratest kit and never have

 

[TRe]

I think you should take your own advice... Doing something the same way you did 20 years ago, Maybe your the one who needs to think outside the box? I'm always learning new things about the hobby every day, Reading online as well as talking with local friends I have that have been in the hobby 20+ years... I can say Redsea is garbage based on first hand experiance! I didnt feel that way at the time I was using one, cause I had nothing better to compare it to... After trying a real skimmer its like night and day lol

 

[goliath]

TRe i have to ask Is your name by any chance Tony?

 

[goliath]

People I am not here to debate I have told you something that I hope is valuable to SOMEONE out there I use a revers flow under gravel filter With mangroves to control nitrates I use a GOOD red sea simmer and i acuaclear filter My nitrites are 0 my nitrates are currently % ( tested today ) I have many fish and corals My tank is GORGEOUS and I have no green algae no cyno nothing that anyone DOESN'T want This old school system works FANTASTIC The only thing is you have to use very POWERFUL nitrate control methods LIKE MANGROVES and you will find it incredibly low maintains Once you have it all cycled and settled into a natural biological heaven I'm not here to argue I'm only here to pint out that despite all the controversy IS DOSE WORK I have a 120 gallon tank running EXCELLENTLY to prove it I'm not 20 years old I do not have any reason to make up stories If you wish to use this to learn from AWESOME if not then thats your choice.
new information and learning is INSIDE the box Doing what a rare few do is OUTSIDE the box. Again I told you about this system for use as learning Awareness and FUN If you chose not to absorb some info then thats all OK to BUT THIS SYSTEM WORKS weather you wont to believe it or not. If it doesn't then maybe there's a godly spirit in my tank correcting all my wrongs But some how I doubt that and am more convinced that YES it works. as it did 23 years before and is doing right now.

 

[TRe]

No my name is not Tony.... All I try to do is give the best advice I can... If you dont want my advice thats no problem (doesn't hurt my feelings) But I CAN say this: There's a reason the way you have your tank setup isn't common practice anymore and heres a hint... Its NOT cause things were going so well with reef tanks in the 80's LMAO
FWIW im not 20 years old either, Im 30 and im not new to the hobby so if you just listen for once you may learn something

 

[mlipst]

Goliath,

Just curious - what kind of work do you do at the Vancouver Aquarium?

 

[ryanm19]

off topic: use more than one paragraph or separate your ideas differently. the giant wall of text is hard to read and hurts my eyes haha

 

[waterguy1]

I find this pretty cool. I had read a couple outdated books with methods about the same as yours and was planning to try out the method in a 20g just to see how it works, but now I know. Quite interesting.

 

[Monoxide]

Just wanted to post to the original OP. Like some has already mention. Things are changing in fish keeping and stuff that worked long ago, may/doesn't work now. Lets not forget that you came to this site and posted an opinion and what you did/do. Just like everybody else on here we can all stick our opinions out there. When I joined this forum I read each and every post done by TRe and all his imput on everything. I admire and like his tanks from back then to present date. I think we all can live and learn on fish keeping. But you sir need to be more "nicer" and not try to bash someone on the internet.

 

[archdunk]

found this thread while searching UGF used in salt water aquariums, read through it thinking i might read some interesting know how on fish keeping but all i see is bashing.