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Depends on what tank size and stocking level whether or not I would think people would want to use them.
They can be successful if done properly
380G For Sale $3000 Acrylic tank & stand 300G Petrochromis Trewavasae and Tropheus mpimbwe Red Cheek & Duboisi 180G For Sale $1,100 Oceanic Cherry with Stand, T5HO Lights, (2) Eheim 2262 150G Tropheus Annectens Kekese & Ikola
In the 70s I used UG filters and they worked fine but about every 12 months I would have to tear down the entire tank and start over again. More than likely it was a nitrate build up that caused my problems - I didn't do water changes.
During the last 30 years, I have been using HOB filters on my comunity tanks and sponge filters on my breeding tanks but this past spring I picked up a 105g tank and soon there after I picked up a used UG filter at the GHAC auction for next to nothing so I decided to try again.
I am currently using the UG filter with 2 power heads and 2 Emperior 400 HOB filters. The power heads draw a fantastic amount of water through the 2" of gravel and prevent my tetras from entering the UG filter no mater how hard they try to swim up stream. The water has been sparkling clean since day one and the plants are doing really well with the corallife fixture and a little excell now and then. The only time I have ever had a tank look so good was after I finished using a Diatom filter. Of Course, the two 400s with their bio-wheels also contribute a lot to water quality and I do 50% water changes every month or so.
'Dear Lord,' the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. 'Without you, we are but dust ...'
He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four-year old girl voice, 'Mom, what is butt dust?'
Maintained properly, an undergravel filter is, IMO, one of the best filters there is; the qualifier being that they're maintained properly. They filter down to an amazingly small particulate level and, as Phishphreek pointed out, polish the water almost as well as a diatom. I've used UGF since the early 70s and still use it today in three of my tanks. The fish don't get beneath and the detritus buildup is managed through regular cleaning beneath the filter plates with syphon tubing and pulse flushing. Ther gravel beds in these tanks get regular vaccuuming.
Reverse-flow ugf is even better in that the mechanical part of the filter is usually accomplished with sponge pre-filters on the powerheads.
Mark
What are the facts? Again and again and again--what are the facts? Shun wishful thinking, ignore devine revelation, forget what "the stars foretell", avoid opinion, care not what the neighbors think, never mind the unguessable "verdict of history"--what are the facts, and to how many decimal places? You pilot always into an unknown future; facts are your only clue.
I agree with the above two posters, they're a great filter, but comparing UGFs with all the stuff that's come out in the past decade or two, well, they sure are ugly! But very functional on smaller tanks.
I work with UGFs on larger tanks (200+ gallons) and I am not a fan. On what size tank are you thinking of putting a UGF?
I also use an undergravel filter on the center 1/3 of my 215g tank along with two Eheim 2260 canister filters. I think there is a little more siphoning involved when cleaning the tank, but I think it helps out quite a bit....
215g Malawi Peacocks and Mbuna
180g Tropheus Ikola and Bemba and Clown Loaches
58g Bristlenose breeding and grow out
UGF's are kind of old school. I do think as Geoff said if set up and properly maintained/used they have their good qualities. Lift tubes as I remember pose quite a maintenance challenge collecting algae and yellowing plastic as they break down.
One of the big problems I think is after it becomes well established is keeping the nitrate balance in check. Ammonia is also a big concern.
I'm starting to plan a new tank and I want to maintain the most particulate free water possible. A new e-heim is the main filter. After that is it a UGF, HOB, sponge filter etc etc.
How I aquascape it will play into the filtration as well. If it's driftwood heavy the secondary filter is going to have to be up to the challenge.
I like these polls.
Will probably do more as I advance through this project.
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