undergravel filter or better alternative?

[rak3nn]

i have a small freshwater setup with gravel

do i need to install an undergravel filter or current filter is enough? or any other recommendations or tips??

appreciate the replies.

is eheim aquaball ok? any cheaper alternative? i think external filter will be overkill for my 20 gal setup.

[Urban Aquaria]

What is the filter you are currently using?

[rak3nn]

^using overhead filter as of current

[bryan]

What kind of setup? Soil? Gravel? Plants? What kind of fish? Stocking level?

[rak3nn]

freshwater. gravel. no plants. blood parrot fishies.. stocking level is? sorry

[rak3nn]

oops sorry i may have placed this in the wrong forum section...

i have the forum here in: http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...er-alternative

[bryan]

Stocking level is how many fish.

Since you have parrots then, get the biggest filter you can find. I think stick with OHFs. There are stackable ones so you can increase filter media. You're going to need it.

[rak3nn]

i have eight parrot fishies. but my tank has a built in cover so media i use only is seachem matrix., charcoal and white foam. if i add more, i cannot close top cover

[Urban Aquaria]

Okay, since your tank has no plants and only using gravel, along with high bio-load fishes (those blood parrots have large body mass and will grow larger in time)... in your case, it could be good to add-on an undergravel filter system, can link it to your overhead filter via an attached pump.

The undergravel filter plates will draw in most of the waste and poop that drop into the gravel so it helps to prevent waste material accumulating and rotting inside the gravel, hence it could reduce the need to do as much gravel vacuuming during regular maintenance.

The main disadvantage of undergravel systems is you'll need to remove all the gravel to access the filter plates to clean them when they eventually clog up (depending on the plate design and how much waste the fishes produce), so its almost like doing a whole tank overhaul whenever that needs to be done.

[rak3nn]

for the poop i can clean using vacuum... 1-2 times a week...

[shadoweave]

any reason why you went with undergravel? usually people who keep fishes use either sump or over head filters.

[rak3nn]

i havent installed undergravel filter yet.. still on OHF...

i dont have sump also...

i just have 20 gal freshwater setup (noplants)