Undergravel Filter w/ sand

Don · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 3

I've got a good question, is it possible to use an undergravel filter with
sand substrate? Does sand damage the power filter and powerheads? I'm
looking to setup a sand/pebble combination tank in my 29 gallon tank, is
this possible?

Thanks,
Don

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Archived from group: alt>aquaria

Frankrkay · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 198

>"Don" ddoan@igs.net wrote;

>I've got a good question, is it possible to use an undergravel filter with
>sand substrate?

Undergravel filters work best with 1/2" to 3/4" gravel over the plates. As the
gravel size gets smaller, it tends to clog and matt faster. And sand - it
doesn't work. There was a time that I would have put an UGF on the top of the
list, as for as bio-filtering. I used them in most of my breeding and grow-out
tanks for over 25 years. If I were to set-up another bunch of tanks for
breeding, or opening another fish store, I would use the UGFs again today - but
as for as a few (show) tanks, why would you want an UGF? Although they were the
best bio-filter for years, they were a lot of work. Todays bio-wheel power
filters just can't be beat!
A lot less work, do a far better job as a bio-filter, and remove the solid
waste from the tank - I would get a bio-wheel filter....... Frank

Don · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 3

Do you mean a bio-wheel filter?

"Frankrkay" wrote in message@mb-m05.aol.com...
> >"Don" ddoan@igs.net wrote;
>
> >I've got a good question, is it possible to use an undergravel filter
with
> >sand substrate?
>
> Undergravel filters work best with 1/2" to 3/4" gravel over the plates. As
the
> gravel size gets smaller, it tends to clog and matt faster. And sand - it
> doesn't work. There was a time that I would have put an UGF on the top of
the
> list, as for as bio-filtering. I used them in most of my breeding and
grow-out
> tanks for over 25 years. If I were to set-up another bunch of tanks for
> breeding, or opening another fish store, I would use the UGFs again
today - but
> as for as a few (show) tanks, why would you want an UGF? Although they
were the
> best bio-filter for years, they were a lot of work. Todays bio-wheel
power
> filters just can't be beat!
> A lot less work, do a far better job as a bio-filter, and remove the solid
> waste from the tank - I would get a bio-wheel filter....... Frank

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Racf · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 138

Yes...bio-wheel is the way to go these days. I have 6 Emperors. 5 of
them are the 400s with 2 wheels on each, and I have one of the 280s.
The 280 was the first I bought. I will forever more buy the
400s.........

The Penguin series are the lower end. They work ok...but I like the
better design of the Emperors.

Since I have many tanks.......Its nice to cycle a fresh setup by just
moving a wheel over from an established tank.

"Don" wrote in message$1_8@corp.newsgroups.com...
> Do you mean a bio-wheel filter?
>
> "Frankrkay" wrote in message
> @mb-m05.aol.com...
> > >"Don" ddoan@igs.net wrote;
> >
> > >I've got a good question, is it possible to use an undergravel
filter
> with
> > >sand substrate?
> >
> > Undergravel filters work best with 1/2" to 3/4" gravel over the
plates. As
> the
> > gravel size gets smaller, it tends to clog and matt faster. And
sand - it
> > doesn't work. There was a time that I would have put an UGF on the
top of
> the
> > list, as for as bio-filtering. I used them in most of my breeding
and
> grow-out
> > tanks for over 25 years. If I were to set-up another bunch of tanks
for
> > breeding, or opening another fish store, I would use the UGFs again
> today - but
> > as for as a few (show) tanks, why would you want an UGF? Although
they
> were the
> > best bio-filter for years, they were a lot of work. Todays
bio-wheel
> power
> > filters just can't be beat!
> > A lot less work, do a far better job as a bio-filter, and remove the
solid
> > waste from the tank - I would get a bio-wheel filter....... Frank
>
>
>
>
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NetMax · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 614

"Don" wrote in message$1_6@corp.newsgroups.com...
> I've got a good question, is it possible to use an undergravel filter
with
> sand substrate?

For all practical purposes - no. Being aquaria, where there is an
exception to everything, I did see a web site of a fellow who ran UGFs
with sand substrate. The sand was not deep, and he used a very fine
netting (panty hose?) to keep it from clogging the UGF slots. I suspect
he did it more to prove it could be done, than because it was
particularly effective or practical to do.

Does sand damage the power filter and powerheads?

Yes. An abrasive damage is caused by the grains getting around the
impeller magnet. A secondary damage (in theory) is to the blade itself,
(but I've only seen this in well pumps, not aquarium impellers ;~). It
really isn't very hard to position your pipes so no sand gets into the
filter. Keep you inlet high and don't point your return where it will
stir up the gravel on the side of the inlet. Having said that (remember
the exceptions), I had a Firemouth who figured out that if he blew the
sand at the filter inlet, it would not slide back into the depression he
was excavating. This particular filter had the impeller on the other
side of the filter media (old fashioned not self-priming type), so other
than filling with sand, there was no lasting damage done.

I'm
> looking to setup a sand/pebble combination tank in my 29 gallon tank,
is
> this possible?

Sure, and easy to seperate later when you reset the tank. I often mix
substrates when testing for effects. The worst to seperate is different
colours of the same size *whew*. The easiest to seperate is different
sized substrates (ie: sand and gravel). You might find the sand settles
out of sight if you use too much gravel. I suggest you keep to a variety
of neutral colours. Solid colours tend to look unrealistic when mixing
substrates. Using a gravel of varying sizes also helps blend it with
sand. hth

NetMax

> Thanks,
> Don
>
>
>
>
>
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Moontanman · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 37

You might be able to use sand with a reverse flow undergravel filter. It makes
for a very cool effect if the sand is very fine but other wise it would be a
mistake.

Moon
remove nospam from e-mail to send to me, I grow trees in aquariums like bonsai.
I breed dwarf crayfish, great for planted community tanks. If you can get me a
shovelnose sturgeon fingerling (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus) no wild caught
please, contact me

Frankrkay · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 198

"Don" ddoan@igs.net wrote;

>Do you mean a bio-wheel filter?

Yes........Frank