under gravel filters

[lpiasente]

I am geting myself a 5x2x2 tank and I am wondering about filtration. I have a community tank but my main focus is on the discus. I currently have a 1600ph canister filter that I will use but the lps says I still need an under gravel filter. I personally I am not a fan of the under gravel but what he was sayng makes sense but you can sell me anything if it will make better living conditions for my fishies. Thanks

[Ghengis]

Only my personal opinion, but I think the LPS is pulling your chain. I dunno, I'm not sold on UGFs at all. I reckon that 1600lph canister

would be the way to go... But it's horses for courses, afterall.

What was said that made such sense?

[lyrical]

Ipia ...............l got an under gravel for my 2 1/2 foot simply because l wasnt expecting my husband to take me shopping and we spent nearly $300 on things l needed and l still dont have the fish and rocks l want yet but thats coming and the under gravel was the cheapest option for me right now the girl at a "TVS Aquatics ferntree gully " suggested a canister filter but l didnt want to push my husband too far and risk my luck on him wanting to spoil me whislt taking me shopping .l really want a cannister filter but l'm going to have to save the money to get it ..What the LFS said made sense to me but l was thinking money more than anything else.. lwould like a cannister and l'll still use the under gravel as well .......

[Bettarazzi]

If you're planning on planting the tank you will severely limit your plant choices if you go for the under gravel. You won't be able to grow anything that needs to root in the gravel, only those that just use the gravel as an anchor.

[Chuckie]

it's also really hard to control nitrate in a tank with a UGF, IME. Reverse UGF apparently is less of an issue than the traditional version that has the air-pump driven uplift tubes.

Also if you wanted to use CO2, there wouldn't be any point in a tank with a UGF as the airstones will release all the gas from the water before the plants can use it (even un-rooted ones).

[Rod]

The concept of undergravel filtration is to use the substrate as a large biological filter with gravel being the surface for bacteria to grow on

However the substrate does clog with waste.....ok if you have a tank with no plants where you can give the substrate a good vacuum on a regular basis.....like a mbuna tank

but not a good idea in a planted tank or for fish like discus that like low levels of organic waste in the water.

I'd suggest heavily planting the tank and use a couple of canister filters with low turnover....say 600l/hr(you get better biological filtration at lower water turn over)..... that way you always have filtration if one filter stops working

[lpiasente]

Thanks guys.No underground filter in my discus tank