underwater filters?

Question

yeah yeah i know those hang on top filter or w/e are better then underwater filter.

i have a 55gal hang on top filter and i dont want another one because it would look weard

i just need to know if those underwater filters are any good

Answer 1

I'm pretty sure you mean an undergravel filter? They are old technology, but they are great for growing beneficial bacteria. They are not very good at chemical filtration, but your HOTB filter will be able to do it well enough. If you decide to get one, you should get power heads to really get it working well, instead of an air pump. The key to an undergravel is regular maintenance. You will not want to skip water changes, and you might want to tear the whole thing down once every 6-9 months for a thorough siphoning.

Answer 2

If by underwater filters you mean one of those powerheads that has several chambers like a canister filter though it's inside the tank then I say no. I have one and hate it. It's so bad I stopped useing it.

If you mean any underwater filter a sponge filter works great.

If you mean undergravel filters. In the short term they are the fastest and best way to get the biological filtration up to speed and go through the cycling process. If your aquarium is going to be set up for a long time then I hate them and have not used them in years. I actually had them in all of my tanks and threw them out. When I was moving at least once a year I loved them and would still recommend them if you're in college or that kind of short term situation though long term they have never worked for me. I know several people that disagree and still use undergravels.

Answer 3

They are good if you need biological filtration (removing ammonia and nitrites). They aren't so good for mechanical and do nothing for chemical. If you want to avoid the regular cleaning these need if used in the traditional manner (for buildup under the gravel plate), use a powerhead with a reversavle flow. When run in the reverse setting, water is pulled down through the tubes and blown up through the gravel so any debris is blown upward for your hang-on to collect.

There's debate over whether or not UGs should be used. They have some drawbacks, but some advantages as well. I do have them in a few of my tanks, especially ones that are deeper, or have fish that tend to produce a lot of wastes. You can read more about the good and bad of these in this link: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/ug5proscons.htm

Answer 4

Hi, I would suggest sponge filter. They seem to work the best for me. I think they even do a better job than the ones that hang on the top of your tank. I have both kinds of filters.

Answer 5

The undergravel filters are very good, but you must know how to use them properly. I have a 60 gallon with an undergravel filter with two 1140 penguin powerheads and its a great system. The thing that most people have the problem with undergravels is that the gunk all falls underneath the filter and they don't like disassembling the whole aquarium to clean out underneath. So, the trick is to buy very fine gravel. The grains are in between sand and regular aquarium gravel. They do make it and it's sold at better fish stores. This still allows water to flow through, but stops most, if not all, of the gunk from getting pulled underneath. It stays on the top so you can siphon it away. And with the powerheads, whatever gunk does fall underneath, it gets sucked back up and filtered. I know a little old japanese fish store owner who hasn't changed his UGs since he opened his store 40 years ago. His water quality and clarity is perfect.

Answer 6

get the fluval 4 plus!

i have it and its been great.

its quite and works well!