Tropheus substrate

[peterp63]

What is a good substrate to use with a reverse flow UGF system?  I am considering using normal UGF filter plates with reverse flowing powerheads that shoot water down under the gravel and up through it.  This will hopefully utilize the gravel as a good filtration bed as well as keep detritus out of the substrate.  What do you guys think?

Here's something that I found and am considering....

http://www.dtpetsupplies.com/catalog/product_info.php?language=en&currency=USD&products_id=3746

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Tropheus substrate

The problem with that is....

-The ugly powerheads hanging around.
-Detritus that is forced through the ugf and trapped under the substrate which then is harder to remove.
-substrate must be coarse enough to allow adequate flow.
-still have dead spots in areas furthest from the ugf pump.
-possible breeding problems since trophs usually find a nook to do the dirty in and that's probably gonna be in the back where the flow is strongest blowing the milt away.
-nitrates

[geoff_tropheus]

Re: Tropheus substrate

That gravel looks coarse enough to work in a UGJ, looks like a nice color.

The UGJ is rather unsightly, I mean I try to minimize anything in the tank visual as possible equipment related.

But, I dont think that it will cause you breeding problems, no more than what most Tropheus tanks at 10-20X filtration turnover would cause by blowing the milt away, her mouth is right there...

Any kind of UGJ/UGF are prone to higher nitrates, but not that much more than any tank with a gravel bed, as long as you deep, deep gravel vaccum all the mulm under the plates you can get to.

I would still suggest a canister or HOB filter for Mechanical and fine filtration.  THE UGJ is more a a mech-biological filter but it has to be kept clean for effectiveness and I personally would not rely on it as my sole filter, but that's just me.

[Zulaab]

Re: Tropheus substrate

Goto Homedepot / Lowes and get yourself some of the pea gravel at the cost of $3.49/ 50 lbs...  
Its perfect as tank gravel for UGF.. you will need to rise it before putting it in the tanks.  But at 5-7mm pea sized rocks same color as above, its a lot cheaper than $24.99 a 50lbs.

[peterp63]

Re: Tropheus substrate

Zulaab, I'd like to use something that will help buffer the water quality... that's why I went and found the eco-complete.  I thought about crushed coral, but I've read that it may tear the eggs as they are breeding.  Any thoughts?

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Tropheus substrate

The coarse eco-complete has the same problem as crushed coral....the sand substrate would not work for ugf.

[peterp63]

Re: Tropheus substrate

edit.