help (fresh water)

[dmentnich]

Does anybody know if undergravel filters are still popular for fresh water and if canister filters are a good thing. On a 33 gal tall which is having amonia and nitrate problems with a cloudy appearance with just a small aquaclear and 7 year old undergravel would anybody be able to recomend a "fix?" I realize that this is the wrong board, but I promised my Aunt I would look into it and did not know where else to go that somebody may know the answer. The tank has gravel on the bottom, and is cleaned very well each week (everything taken out and scrubbed) and fed moderately.

Thanks in advance

-Danny

 

[SPC]

Danny, IMO your problems are comming from the gravel and whats under the filter plate. If you can remove your lift tubes and place a syphon in there, you can pull out whats under the plate. Also you may want to look into reverse under gravel where the water is pushed up through the gravel rather than sucked down, this is supposed to help with the build up in the gravel and under the plate.
Steve

 

[Seawrath]

I would reccomend removing the U.G. if possible, i had a really bad cyanobacteria problem with my 55g freshwater planted tank that was only solved after removing the undergravel filter and going with a canister model. on a 33 gallon, however, i dont think you would really need a canister, and a powerful hang on the back or two would do well. I have a 30 gallon african cichlid tank filtered by an aquaclear 150 and a penguin bio-wheel 125. Depending on how heavily stocked it is, adding a bio-wheel filter and removing the *EVIL* undergravel filter would probably help, or at least thats what i would do

 

[dmentnich]

Thanks all, I will pass the info along!

 

[LiamD]

Go with SPCs advice
siphon the crud via the uplifts. Don't remove the UG plates (too much upheaval) just leave them in & stop airing/pumping them.

 

[StirCrazy]

I removed the UG filters from a friends tank that wwas always cloudy, and it was clear right away after. UG filters are good for a while then they start to plug up (kinda like bio balls in a wet/dry) in my fresh I use about 4" of gravel (for the plants) and canister filters.

Steve