Adding Undergravel filter.........

[Sky Devil]

Is it good to add undergravel filter in a planted tank?
I fear that the bottom get too dirty.......

[Simon]

nope, UGF suck in nutrients from yr base fert into yr filter and intro them into yr water from the outlet pipe.. thus, prob will arise, (eg. fish death, algae prob).. jus siphon yr gravel if u think its too dirty.. or else, jus pretend

[Sky Devil]

Hey thanks! But my tank which i'm turning into a planted tank is just two feet and my filter is the powerhead kind. But afraid that the force is to strong for neons to cope.
Any suggestions?

[Simon]

see if u can attach a rainbar or simply turn the flow toward the glass

[DEA]

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On 8/10/2002 6:36:11 PM

nope, UGF suck in nutrients from yr base fert into yr filter and intro them into yr water from the outlet pipe.. thus, prob will arise, (eg. fish death, algae prob).. jus siphon yr gravel if u think its too dirty.. or else, jus pretend
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ugfs remove a lot of co2 from the tank because of all the surface turbulence
thus not recommended

however, fish deaths and algae don't directly stem from the ugf
when my first planted tank was using a ugf, everything was still a-ok
if you're not using it for a planted tank, i'd say a ugf is excellent filtration

[spilopterus]

There was once I read this book, they actually did an experiment with coloured water to see how the water flows.

In the UGF, water movement is only concentrated to the place around the tube, so do keep that in mind about the effectiveness.

[Sky Devil]

Thanks a lot! I didn't know UGF sucks for a planted tank.....

[loupgarou]

if you want good biological filtration, get a FBF instead.

[CoryDorus]

"There was once I read this book, they actually did an experiment with coloured water to see how the water flows.

In the UGF, water movement is only concentrated to the place around the tube, so do keep that in mind about the effectiveness."

Does it means we can have planted, further from the tube ?

[kelstorm]

if you want good biological filtration, get a FBF instead.
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what's FBF????[:]

[loupgarou]

fluidized bed filter.

[DEA]

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On 8/11/2002 10:31:03 AM

"There was once I read this book, they actually did an experiment with coloured water to see how the water flows.

In the UGF, water movement is only concentrated to the place around the tube, so do keep that in mind about the effectiveness."

Does it means we can have planted, further from the tube ?

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ehhhh
actually har
i'm not sure i agree with the conclusions of the experiment
just that water flow is concentrated (ie highest) around the flow tube doesn't mean that the rest of the ugf has no water flow

in any event, my first planted tank was built on a ugf, with some taiwan base fert, no issues with it
choice of plants could have influenced it (h. difformis, t. siliquosa, ie strong water column feeders)

[Sky Devil]

how does the FBF works and roughly how much does it cost?