Small tank with undergravel filter inside a bigger tank. Anyone has done it?

[bela]

Last friday I went to a fish store that had some bare bottom tanks but with the bottom glass divided in two parts via another piece of glass. One occupying the front two thirds of the bottom and another part being the third back part. The divider glass was about 10 cm in height. 

I do not know if I am making myself clear.

The back portion of the bottom was used as an UG filter. It had plates, gravel and an uplift, leaving the remaining part bare. In some other tanks they had sand or some other substrate not suitable for using with an UG.

I think this is a clever idea. You can leave the part without the filter empty, which would make cleaning easier or use sand or another substrate you cannot use with the UG.

As I do not want to empty my tank, take all the gravel out, dry it and silicone the glass to the bottom to make the filter compartment, I have thought  that maybe I could buy a smaller tank and just put the plates, gravel and uplift in there and then put the whole thing inside the main tank.

Am I nuts?

Any other method to get the same thing?

Aquascaping tanks tend to be quite short in height so maybe I could use one of those.

If you think the idea is feasible, would you put the small tank directly upon the existing gravel? Would you put something between the gravel and the small tank? Maybe I shoud use a tank with a bottom plastic rim?

Some of you may think I am stupid, but this would enable me to, for instance, run an UG filter (which I love) and have fish that love sand (bolivian rams, cory, geophagus) at the same time.

Thanks for your feedback

 

Edited June 12, 2023 by bela

[DaveO]

I love your clown trigger profile pic

[bela]

On 6/12/2023 at 8:17 PM, DaveO said:

I love your clown trigger profile pic

My favorite fish ever. I have had it several times when I was into marine tanks. But now I can only have small tanks, so I stick to freshwater. 

[DaveO]

Likewise. Back in the olden days I had a couple (at separate times) clown triggers. I had several different triggers, in fact. What a beautiful fish.

[bela]

On 6/12/2023 at 9:37 PM, Pepere said:

I have a tank with UGF and sand over about a third of it.

 

I put a half inch layer of gravel, then a piece of weedblock landscape cloth then a few inches of sand.

Some have offered an opinion that sooner or later the landscape cloth will get clogged and I will need to pull it up.  If so, I will pull it up and have learned something.. my gut feeling is that it will be just fine though.. most stuff stays on the surface of the sand.  Sand is a pretty good filter in its own right.  I am not terribly worried about it.  
 

Worst cSe, I have a rescape opportunity…

 

As to the ugf inside the tank.. sure…heck, get a corner box filter and fill it up with gravel.. you have a ugf in the box filter…. I usually keep about 3/4 inch of gravel in box filters to weigh them down…

I have thought about the corner filter, but most of them are two small. I would have to buy 3 or 4 and I am not sure I would like that. I would need a big pump to run all of them, or 4 small pumps or 4 small power heads. Unless I find a really big corner filter (if that thing exists), I think I am going to pass.

[Galabar]

I noticed those.  Here's some examples:

 

[bela]

On 6/13/2023 at 8:08 PM, Galabar said:

I noticed those.  Here's some examples:

 

yes. That is exaclty it. Thanks!!

I am going to watch the videos now but the key factor, in my case, is if those filters are built in or added on.

...and where to buy the containers

Edited June 13, 2023 by bela

[Galabar]

Does anyone think the second picture/video above looks like tiramisu? 🙂

[nabokovfan87]

 

Option 2: