Deciding between UG Filter or Sponge Filter

[pancake]

Newbie. I dont even have any fish or tanks yet. None the less I wanted a pretty good game plan before buying anything. It will be a while before I do so I have plenty of time to think.

I did watch multiple filter YouTube videos including a couple from aquarium coop.

I have no interest in HOB, canisters, or a sump. My choices come to sponge or under gravel filters. I actually forgot about under gravel filters being a thing. I remember my grandma had one at one time.

Looking online, I noticed most people don't use them any more and some people really don't like them. Of the people who still like them, they mention how clear it keeps the water looking which I thought was nice. And while a sponge filter is easy, it does take up more space in the tank.

A common complaint I have seen with UG is that mulm collects underneath. I am not sure how deep the substrate was in their's or how often they gravel vac.

I did however find a UG that is made of small panels 5.5in x 2.8in. They stand about a half inch, I think. It looks like they slide vertically into each other. My thoughts are if I was to go with that filter, I could in theory move the gravel over and pull the panel up if a bunch mulm did get under, then vac it. I'll provide a pic of the product.

I plan on getting Kuhli loaches, and I did find a substrate that is 3mm - 5mm in size that is still loach safe and still works with a UG filter. (Caribsea gemstone creek)  I assume 2in deep substrate is good for the UG?

I plan on an acrylic tank. Probably 40-50 gallon range. Footprint I think is about 35inx15in. The UG panels would be about 6 panels long x 5 panels wide and i'd plan on two uplift tubes. Maybe some floss or something with a slit where the air tube would enter to keep baby fish out of the uplift tube and allow bubbles through.

I do plan on having a few real plants in my tank, but I don't want a crazy jungle. I would like some rooted ones, but unsure how that will do with a UG? I'm ok with non rooted ones too. And I plan on dumping fish water/waste in my garden outside so I don't want a father fish type tank that uses all the mulm or anything like that. 

🔴 Does anyone have any experience with this particular kind of under gravel filter? How easy are the panels to pull up or how easy can they come apart if I needed to get under for any reason?

🔴 Does anyone have any insight on water clarity between a UG filter and a sponge filter? Same, different? 

🔴 Any other additional thoughts about either filter choice? Or buyer beware things with brands or styles?

Thanks so much

[Tanked]

UGFs became unpopular because there is nothing else to sell to you.  I have a UGF in two of my three filtered tanks. I have been using them for decades.  The entire substrate can become part of the bio filtration.   Sponge filters aren't all that great for mechanical filtration.  In addition to taking up space you will need to remove the filter and rinse off the sponge.

In one of his videos, Cory refers to the UGF as the best of both worlds.

Yes there will be mulm underneath.  Unless you remove the substrate, you won't see the filter again.  There is almost zero maintenance. Some mulm can be removed by inserting the syphon into the lift tubes, or using a shop vac.  I am growing plants, and have seen photos posted here of plant roots under the filter plate, where the nutrients are. 

 I prefer using a power head with the UGF, because I have visual proof that it the UGF is working.  The last time I moved the large tanks, the powerhead UGF tank was clear in 2 hours, The non UGF tank required almost three days. One added benefit of the power head is that you can cut the lift tube to almost any height, hiding the powerhead behind a decoration.  You cannot do this with the air driven UGF or sponge.  Another benefit is that a powerhead can be aimed, providing a lot more water movement  across the tank.  Some powerheads have a venturi feature which allows you to incorporate air into the water stream.

I realize you did not ask about the power heads, but they are a consideration.  I also find them to be quieter than running one or more air pumps and hissing air stones.

 

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/27/2023 at 9:11 AM, pancake said:

I imagine this is just from the store page or manufacturer image.  So..... the irony that they don't show the airline tubing routed through the hole in the cap on the uplift tube is pretty funny.  It happens, but still a little funny.

 

 

On 10/27/2023 at 9:11 AM, pancake said:

I did however find a UG that is made of small panels 5.5in x 2.8in. They stand about a half inch, I think. It looks like they slide vertically into each other. My thoughts are if I was to go with that filter, I could in theory move the gravel over and pull the panel up if a bunch mulm did get under, then vac it. I'll provide a pic of the product.

Pecktec has some videos making plenums using these.  If you're curious about how they work.

I would say that if you're interested in trying UGF, I would try out something like an UGF box style filter which is a bit of a blend of the two.  It accomplishes the strengths of both styles of filtration and is very flexible with setup.  It even gives you what amounts to a planter box.
 

 

[Ben P.]

I do really like ugf myself.  Staying to switch to matten as I like them better for my needs but 100% use a power head with Venturi to add air.  No matter what I always want air in my tanks for surface agitation and oxygenation.  Also you never have to clean the mulm under the plates, that's pretty much a myth as far as I'm concerned.  Plants growing into them doesn't matter either, water will still flow

[Kit Craft]

When I first got into the hobby years back, I used under gravel filters and seem to remember them being less hassle than anything else I've ever used. Gravel vac, the end. HOB for me are the next easiest. Now I have sponge filters but honestly, I always make a mess! 

[pancake]

I am not very familiar with power heads so I'll have to research about them and thier use with ug filters. I guess my immediate questions are their life span and if they would bother long finned fish. I think some of those fish go everywhere instead of just hanging out at the top of the tank.

The planter box is interesting and could give different layers to a tank for fish to rest on or whatever. And I should be able to get all the mulm rotated out in sections so the same mulm doesn't sit forever and eventually makes it to my garden. I'm not sure if that matters, but just a thought I guess. I don't have sheets of acrylic to work with, but maybe I can find something else with an open top.

I appreciate all your guys thoughts, suggestions, and input!

[Kit Craft]

I used PH with my UGF and they never failed. That is about the extent of the info that I can give you as it was years ago, and my father had bought everything for me at the time. This was the late 90's from a local fish store. Based off of looks the aquaclear looks the closest to what I had. I had that setup from somewhere around the 6th to the 12th grade until I went to university and gave everything to my little cousins. 

 

[Tanked]

On 10/28/2023 at 8:44 AM, pancake said:

I am not very familiar with power heads so I'll have to research about them and their use with ug filters. I guess my immediate questions are their life span and if they would bother long finned fish. I think some of those fish go everywhere instead of just hanging out at the top of the tank.

 

 

 

In my 29 gal. the original UGF and powerhead are about 30 yrs. old.  Unless I crack the lift tube, the filter plate will probably never be replaced.  When I reconfigured the tank, the powerhead proved to be too much for the small fish. Rather than buy a smaller powerhead, I switched to some air pumps that I had for backup.  Air pumps are noisy, and their output varies depending on water depth and their age.  This spring they were replaced by the ACO air pump .  I like the new pump, but similar to the sponge filters, there is still no easy way of determining how much water is being drawn through the substrate.

Powerheads come in various sizes and configurations, and the direction of the water flow is usually adjustable in all directions.  In the size tank that you are considering, there should be plenty of calmer places for long finned fish to go should they desire.

Like the HOB filters, the only moving parts are the impellers.  Over the years I have replaced 1 or 2 impellers.  I can't same the same for diaphragms or entire air pumps.    

 

 

[sumplkrum]

The benefit of sponge filters is mainly utility. Simple, quick, and easy.

Setting up a new tank? Grab an extra sponge filter from one of your other tanks, throw it in, and the new tank is instantly ready to go.
If you have lots of tanks or setup seasonal tubs outside, maybe that's a plus.

Otherwise, both work fine. Undergravel filters work great even with plants. No worries.

[Galabar]

I built a custom UGF for my 55 and it has been rock solid.  I would not worry about mulm building up under the plate as that is just additional area for beneficial bacteria to grow.  I use power heads for my UGF, as I won'd like cleaning off the algae that grows on my glass tops when I have bubbles.

Also, I prefer the Lee's "Premium" line of UFGs:

https://www.leesaqpet.com/index.php/shop/aquatic/under-gravel-filters-ugf/under-gravel-filter,-premium,-20l29-gallon-detail

These remind we of the sturdy kind we had back in the day and it seems like they'd have less trouble with flow, as they are all one piece.  Also, I'm guessing these would be better if a portion of the plate was exposed by a digger.

Edited October 28, 2023 by Galabar

[lefty o]

hard to go wrong with either option. they both work just fine.

[Galabar]

On 10/28/2023 at 6:13 PM, Pepere said:

One advantage of air driven vs powerheads is less current carrying conductors going in to the water..

...

I wonder how hard it would be for manufacturers (and ACO) to design equipment that puts no more than 36V DC into a tank (with no AC cords going into the tank)?

[Littlefish]

Another advantage of dc (lots in sw products) is variable speeds.

[pancake]

On 10/28/2023 at 9:13 PM, Pepere said:

One advantage of air driven vs powerheads is less current carrying conductors going in to the water..

I am not at all a fan of powercords going into the water myself.  I have 1 heater cord going in to the water and that is energized and de energized by an Inkbird controler so it is not live continually.  The only other electrical source is in my canisterfilter head and presumably the coil is well bedded in epoxy…

I recall reading where powerheads increase biofiltration by roughly 20% due to the flow.  Not sure if that is by verifiable reproducible test method or somebody just made it up…

 

powerheads certainly do provide beneficial flow to a tank that air driven UGF can not match…. But I am flabbergasted by the flow from the new coop jet lift sponge filters.  Perhaps if those could be retrofitted to the ugf risers…

Arent the coop jet lift sponge filters also ran from air pumps like an air stone is? The uplift pipe on those are nice.

[pancake]

On 10/29/2023 at 12:27 PM, Pepere said:

Yes they are.  I was astonished when I saw the flow generated by the new uplift tubes… far in excess of anything I have seen with my air driven UGF uplift tubes.

 

perhaps @Cory could take this new design uplift tube and create some UGF plates to work with it..

I bet the air stone not dangling there also helps with flow. And I'd guess the air collar wouldn't need replaced like an air stone would? 

I did see in some reviews of UG filters, people wished the uplift tubes were higher. 

[Cory]

On 10/29/2023 at 10:57 AM, pancake said:

I bet the air stone not dangling there also helps with flow. And I'd guess the air collar wouldn't need replaced like an air stone would? 

I did see in some reviews of UG filters, people wished the uplift tubes were higher. 

By removing the airlien tubing from the tube you increase the flow by quite a bit. In two ways, one you can just move more water as it's not displaced by the hose. Secondly, the bubbles don't hit the tube and collect making larger bubbles. Smaller bubbles = more uniform flow which leads to overall faster flow. If that's what you're after.

I could use either sponge filters or undergravel filters for the rest of my life I think. The one thing that wins for me so far on sponge filters, they are movable. When it comes time to catch fish, undergravel really make that a bear in my opinion.

[tolstoy21]

Both options work. Is one better than the other?  As far as biological filtration goes, probably not to a degree that favors one in terms of fish health. 

To me, the decision comes down to aesthetics. I like UGFs because they a more hidden than a sponge filter. So I then to favor those (and sumps) for my display tanks because I like the absence of equipment in the tank.

However, I use sponge filters (and box filters) in my breeding tanks because I like the simplicity and utility of them.

Edited October 29, 2023 by tolstoy21

[Myersc1989]

I really enjoy my undergravel filters. I have them in my 75 and 60. Mine are attached to canister filters, but that is a recent upgrade. On their own I never had any problems with filtration. My cycle with fritzyme took only a week. My plants don't seem to have any negative effect. A lot of people will saying there is no problem growing plants except for sword types. I am here to tell you that I have a 2' sword in my 75 and it is have 0 problems. I only added the canisters because I like heavily stocked tanks.