UGF?

[SarahCdnNanny]

Hey all... Just got a 25 gallon tank ($40) from a friend, and found a dresser for it to go on today ($30) from a garage sale. I've cleaned everything and got the tank on the dresser, and I'm starting to figure out how I want it set up (power cords, substrate, filters, etc... before I start a fishless cycle.

Included in a huge box of chemical tests, accessories like airpumps, etc... is the UGF. Now I took everything she gave me, and took it apart and for 2 hours scrubbed (in vinegar water) rinsed, and airdried every piece so now I'm unsure of what goes where and how she had it all set up.

I have a 10 gallon up and running happily with an oranda, a pleco, two snails and a couple feeder fish (duh, too many I know, though the levels are all perfect and have been for 3 months, but the goldies will go into the 25 gallon untill they are big enough to go into the pond!) But anyways, the HOB filter from this established tank will go on the new tank, and the old tank will have its regular HOB filter back.

The question is, do I set up the new tank with the UGF and the HOB filter, or will it be okay with just the HOB filter (made for 20-40gallon tanks) and regular water changes/gravel syphoning?

thanks in advance!

Sarah

 

[Jadenblack]

I personally don't like the ugf, I have 2 hob filters on my tank. I would say that you are good to go with the hob.

The back of the undergravel filter plate should rest close to the back wall of the aquarium, and the plate should be centrally located. The plate should be as large as possible for the best results. The riser tubes on either end will have been fitted with airstones and airline tubing which will later be connected to air pumps or power heads as per your design. You can use aquarium sealant to permanantly fix the plate to the bottom of the tank if you wish. A biological filter is most effective when it is used in conjunction with another type of filter.


Here is what it sould look like

 

[Lotus]

If you have a HOB, and like it, then you can use that on the new tank. You don't need to use the UGF.

 

[SarahCdnNanny]

Cool! thanks!

That picture was great... Thank you Now I have an idea of how it worked in her tank and it does look like I have all the pieces.... But yeah, I think I'm not going to use it at all... looks like once you do start using one its a pain to switch back to just gravel. I may look at getting a better gravel cleaning tool... I just have a small syphon tube thing, so now with tank #2 in the works, I may want to get something that works a little better.

Thanks you two

Sarah

 

[revfred]

I would agree that the HOB will be more effective. However, if you are sold on the UGF and don't intend to have live plants, you can run both the UGF and the HOB. However, to make the UGF more effective and easy to clean without tearing down the tank, run it with a powerhead instead of an air pump. Get a powerhead with a reverse flow feature and you will be able to clean the UGF easier. Reversing the flow will backwash the crud into the tank where your HOB can remove it. If you do it regularly there will be little build up from cleaning to cleaning.

 

[ram man]

i would go with a hob filter. over time you will have to rmove the fish and clean out the ugf.