Undergravel filter

[CJs Aquatics]

What’s up everybody, Anyone ever put filter floss in the uptake tubes of an undergravel filter and would it serve any purpose such as enhancing mechanical filtration? 

[Pepere]

Well, it might work if you have a power head if you can keep it from getting sucked into the intake.

 

I imagine it would stop all flow with airstones.

 

Seems like it would be a bear to service.

I through in a box filter with crushed coral in bottom for weight and because I have very  soft water. You could use gravel for weight if you dont need crushed coral.  Filter floss on top of the substrate…  and I dont throw out the floss but simple wash it out like you would a sponge filter and reuse.

Plants in front of the box filter hides it nicely and the top of it is a nice place to set a ceramic rock cave.

Edited September 19, 2022 by Pepere

[CJs Aquatics]

This is good advice, I’ve been meaning to play around with box filters anyway. For this experiment I ended up attaching 2 coop sponge filters to the top of each uptake tube. Idk if it benefitted anything or hampered anything to be honest I just hated the way the water was coming out of the ugf and against a black background you can’t even see the filters which is cool. Plus I had 2 lying around 

[Wrencher_Scott]

On 9/18/2022 at 5:51 PM, CJs Aquatics said:

This is good advice, I’ve been meaning to play around with box filters anyway. For this experiment I ended up attaching 2 coop sponge filters to the top of each uptake tube. Idk if it benefitted anything or hampered anything to be honest I just hated the way the water was coming out of the ugf and against a black background you can’t even see the filters which is cool. Plus I had 2 lying around 

You can't get good flow though the UG and sponge at the same time. You know what I mean? You need good flow for either of them to work well. 

[venzi]

On 9/18/2022 at 5:51 PM, CJs Aquatics said:

I just hated the way the water was coming out of the ugf

What do you mean by this?  Are you using airstones or powerhead?

[CJs Aquatics]

Airstones

[venzi]

@CJs Aquatics I tried airstones with my UGF, but ended up going with a powerhead located at the bottom of the tank (hidden in the gravel).  I didn't like how the bubbles caused water spray and how noisy air pumps were.  I think the concern with adding sponges to the uplift tube would be the reduction in flow.  You want as much flow through the gravel as possible, but if your filter is already cycled then I guess it doesn't matter that much.

[gardenman]

Flow through an under-gravel filter is an interesting topic. (Flow rate through any bio-filtration is an interesting topic.) You want some flow, but how much is enough and how much is too much is highly debatable. Some say the bacteria can convert the ammonia and nitrites nearly instantly, so the fastest flow rate is best. My gut says more exposure time is better, so a slower flow rate is better. Matten filters are typically considered one of the best aquarium biofilters and the flow rate through most Matten filters is very slow. In many cases very, very slow. Some of the bigger koi houses in Japan use very slow filtration rates also. When you watch veteran fish breeders, they typically use sponge filters, and they often have them set up with very slow airflow. Now part of that is to protect the fry from buffeting, but it also seems to make their biofiltration more effective. As long as you've got some flow through your biofiltration, I think it'll function fine.

[CJs Aquatics]

@venzi when I set this ugf up there is a slight void under the plates which I was hoping would create an anoxic filtration system so I could experiment with that. I have used many forms of filtration in my hobby so this one was to try out this form. Unfortunately the pump I had available was very strong so I doubted the flow would be slow enough to allow the system to be come anoxic and thus decided it would be fine as a regular ugf as I have had success with those as well. Upon watching I’ve noticed it seriously lacks mechanical filtration there is debris in the water column everywhere so I posed this question about the floss. When looking through some things I saw 2 sponge filters I wasn’t using and decided since the tank has a black background and the flow causes splashes and significant surface agitation, that I would attempt to adjust using the sponges. I took the tops off the uptake tubes and replaced them with sponge filters. It was more of a use what I have available cosmetically experiment. So far you are correct the flow has been decreased, but also they blend in and the surface agitation is much better. Now I’m wondering if it will create the anoxic filtration I originally intended anyway. I guess time will tell…

@gardenmanthis is also insightful, and something I think I’m going to look more into as well thank you 

[venzi]

On 9/21/2022 at 10:48 AM, CJs Aquatics said:

took the tops off the uptake tubes and replaced them with sponge filters.

Oh interesting.  So the uplift tube goes into the sponge filter's center core and so bubbles still rise to the water surface, but the sponge basically traps the bubble spray?  That's something I never considered. 

Anoxic filters is a whole new world for me.  Yet another thing to learn about the hobby 🙂  Good luck.

[CJs Aquatics]

@venzi yes that’s correct the only current reasons for the sponge filters is to stop the bubbles spray and to blend things in…at least that’s my thoughts