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I've used all types of filters in my home and classroom tanks - which I use in teaching chemistry and biology. I currently run ALL 7 tanks with JUST undergravel air driven filtration. There are several reasons why. 1. Because you DON'T ever clean them. The plants of the aquascapes (all tanks are aquascaped), sink their roots through the grates like a hydroponics system and absorb nutrients as the current flows past them. Some tanks are now ten years old, and have yet to clog. 2. During power outages, backflow valves stop the water from flowing out of tank. The MOMENT power in restored, the filtration resumes. This is unlike on the back filters or canister filters - which empty out or allow water to drain out - then burn out when power resumes and there is no water in them. 3. Also during long duration power outages, it's very easy to hook up battery powered air pumps set on top of the hood, and keep the filtration system going. This way the bacteria do not die and you do not have to recycle tank. 4. Speaking of cycling. I have discovered that I can almost instantly cycle a new tank by scooping out dirty substrate from established tanks and adding this as the lowest layer on top of the grate in the new tank. I have also just dumped an entire container of a commercial bacteria cycling mix. The 'cycle' seems to last a single week using this method. 5. fertilizing is another advantage in an undergravel filtered aquascape. Heavy root feeding plants end up having direct access to liquid fertilizers as the filtration pulls it down through the substrate. So no more root tabs needed! 6. If you install the carbon cartridges that come with most undergravel filters - you DO have chemical filtration. You don't show this with yours. 7. Mechanical filtration is actually much BETTER with undergravels than with on-the-back filters. I've had classes test them side by side when putting new UNRINSED plant substrate in, and the water clears twice as fast in the undergravel filtered tanks. 8. We've used undergravel in goldfish and Jack Dempsy tanks. It's easy to keep them from digging it up by placing a layer of larger stones over the top of the gravel. That's also a good way to keep them from rooting up plants as well. I learned this trick from an independantly owned fish store which runs ALL 50+ of their tanks with undergravel. They keep a dozen or so cichlid tanks that way - without them digging up the undergravel.

i have been using UGFs for over 50 years... i don't ever remember breaking down a tank to clean one... ran them for years in grow-out tanks, heavy feedings and overstocked tanks... some monthly gravel vacuuming is all that is needed for me....love your channel PTA

It's so strange. Aquarium stores tell you all kinds of horror stories about UG filters - but the comments of this video (and my own childhood experiences) show that UG filters really are the way to go. I think UG went the way of the dinosaur because they're 1) cheap and 2) they never break. Big Filter companies found they could make more money via canisters and HOBs. My new set-up will have an UG system connected to an Aquaclear 110. Thanks so much for the informative video! It was useful, even though I'll be using something different.

It’s cool reading so many people praise ug filters and that’s the good thing about this hobby…there are tons of ways to keep a healthy tank, and it’s nice to see what works for others. I believe for aesthetics and my personal preference I’ll stick with canister filters w/ glass lily pipes, or sumps depending on the build and scape, but cheers to everyone for sticking with what they enjoy and what works for them.

As a boy, I kept breeding pairs of, Blue Acara, Festivum and Green Severum, all in tanks with U/G filters from the early '70's through to the '80's. I ran powerful air pumps. When my Cichlids dug, I had a old fork attached to a long handle to rake the gravel back. When the U/G needed a flush, I connected a syphon to the Uplift tube and used gravity to suck the detritus out from under the filter. it took no more than two minutes to do, and so effective you could actually see waste on top of the gravel being sucked through to the filter base. I kept my Cichlid tanks heavily planted weighted down with rocks, with a lot of Stone Caves and Bogwood. I couldn't stop them from breeding.

For digging fish, put down your ugf and enough substrate for the filter. Then put down a layer of plastic mesh or light diffuser, fitted or tied together to fit the whole tank. Then another small layer of substrate and your hardscape. The fish will only be able to dig down through the top layer. I have three cichlid tanks with this. Some plants were able to root down through the mesh and don't get dug up too.

I have run quite a few fish tanks over the years. Part of having a tank is maintenance. I mostly keep fish that don't dig up the gravel. I use under gravel filters with a power head rather than air lift. You are right that at times they need a deep clean but the water is always so clear with no chemicals. I am going to continue using under gravel filters with a power head.

I've been keeping cichlids for over 30 years and I have never used anything but UG filters, I have tested so many ways to make these work very effectively, I can tell you an air pump will not provide enough flow for the UG filters. I have modified my HOB filters to provide the uplift for the filters, Another thing I have learned is when putting gravel in your tanks for an undergravel filter layer the substrate at the back of the tanks deeper, that way the water flow is more spread out across the bottom of the tank. Having the HOB filters providing the water flow let's the particles get sucked down into the gravel where they should be, this method also allows more suction under the gravel to take out the things under the filters, I only vacuum the gravel about once every two months and I haven't had to do a deep clean on any of my tanks in years I think the last time might of been 8 years ago, As for the fish digging this has not affected the filters one single bit, unless you just leave the UG filter exposed all the time. My parameters haven't changed in so long I threw the test kits away, My tanks are crystal clear all the time the fish are happy and they are breeding constantly. I understand this goes against what do many people have been told but years of trail and error have shown me what works, I have tested airstones and air pumps and the amount of water flow is so minimal they won't work efficiently. On a final note I only change the filters on the HOB about once every 3 months.

You asked to share opinions.. I agree with all your opinion about both filters!!! Excellent video. I love both filters ! For a large meaning over a 40 gallon I would not use an undergravel filter! However in smaller tanks.. undergravel filters ROCK if you put powerheads on them and when you change water or want to clean under the undergravel filter , you remove the UPLIFT and put same sized hose in that hole or a slightly smaller hose into that UPLIFT tube-shove it all the way down and sifhon ! LIKE CHOCOLATE MILK it clears under the undergravel! That's what I do and done years and years ago on a 55... but I have 12 small tanks now and it's much easier.. for me and I don't have cichlids anymore due to space. Airstones in a undergravel is okay.. but powerheads really rock it! I have sponge filters, HOB'S , undergravel and I love em all.. and usually use in combination. IF I had a tank 40+ it would be canister all the way with maybe a sponge filter and or a HOB to assist. AWESOME VIDEO!! NICE to even hear the word undergravel filter! 👊👏 I hit the thumbs up, and shared this video on my channels I watch playlist! 🙋

Love your videos. About a year ago, I got back into the hobby after 20 yrs away. I have a ten gallon in my bedroom and a 65 gallon in the living room. The 10 gallon only has a male beta and 3 rummy nose tetras. It has a ugf with 1 up tube in the left corner, in the right corner I run a sponge filter. The 65 gallon is a community with 2 angels, 12 tetras, 3 white clouds, a pr of Mollie's, 3 Cory cats and 1 female beta. It has a ugf with 4 lift tubes and a Marineland penguin 350 bio wheel hob filter. Both tanks are clean and doing well. I have only lost one fish, an angel 1 week after the 65 gallon was set up so I feel both systems work. Both tanks are planted, the 65 more heavily than the 10. Thanks and have a blessed day.

I ran an undergravel filter (that came with the tank) on a 40 gallon planted tank for years without issues. It was before KZfaq though and I didn't know any better. I never had fish that dig though.

I've always used ugf with a powerhead and they work great! Enjoy watching your videos. Great content!

I'm old school,always undergravel with powerheads and a over the side filter.

I love your approach and the wealth of information you provide.Clear and concise. I have a few outdoor ponds and tubs set up primarily for the local frog population.A couple of years ago I put some White Cloud Mountain minnows in one of them to see how they would go and to potentially keep the mosquito larvae under control. They have performed that job admirably and have also begun to multiply dramatically as well....leading to more tubs and a burgeoning interest in fish I never knew I had! (I guess you get sucked into this hobby in different ways.)

When I was young, I kept a small aquarium with UGF filter for years, it worked great and it really seems to me it did a better overall job than the sponge filters I have had for the last couple decades ..

Another awsome video sir thanks. Happy fishkeeping

I've run under gravel filters for 45 years, along with other types. One of the best reef systems I built was using an under gravel filter, covered in crushed coral/dolomite, under my live rock. I built a wet-dry system, and reverse flowed it through the under gravel filter. Turkey basting my rocks was hardly needed. It also kept good flow through my rock. I have done systems like this for calm water fish like seahorse. I am thinking of doing something similar for a planted tank.

major pro for UGF is that they provide a buffer between the glass and the rocks/slate i use to aquascape my tanks.

The best way to clean under the filter plate is to use a shop-vac on the lift tube and dig a small hole in the gravel at the other end of the tank. Super fast and easy with no need to break down the tank. you are done in a few seconds.

I am new to any filtration besides undergravel. My dad has been in the hobby for 30-35 years and has ran powerheads on lift tubes with undergravel the entire time. They do work very well in my opinion as long as you are keeping up on water changes and NOT overstocking your tanks. Great vids keep them coming!

I think I commented on another of your videos that no one talks about undergravel filters, then I stumbled across this video, haha! About to watch. 👍

Thank you for the very informative video!!!

To make an under gravel work properly you you should use adjustable flow power heads on the tubes instead of the air pump setups. The lowest flow setting on one small power head will pull more water through the substrate than two, or even four, air stones. At one point I was breeding angel fish in a 55 gallon with under gravel and two power heads, water was always pristine and I never had issues with algae.

Very good topic. Both have their place, u.g if used properly are superb filters with a powerhead. I use sponges on fry tanks and for starting new tanks

I kinda get what you're saying about how the filter you're using depends on your situation. Sure, it makes sense to use a sponge filter if you're running a store, but if you're not, then you probably should go with an under-gravel filter. Some of the issues you brought up about under-gravel filters can be easily overcome. e.g. You mentioned fish digging around in the gravel, well, just use a much thicker layer of gravel. Problem solved. Now, addressing the issue of which one to choose if you could only have one; an under-gravel filter or sponge, then I would have to say under-gravel filter because it supports a much larger area for biological filtration. I also believe biological to be the most important of the three types. Now, here's a better idea: I have found that sponge filters on a fry tank do actually make very good pre-filters to a canister filter. So hook one up and try it out. As a side note, I always go with under-gravel filters accompanied with hang-on filters (and canisters if you can afford them). Works very well.

i have never taken down an undergravel filter in our 55 gallon tank since I was a little kid and there is not much under the plate its like 18 years old. If you want you stick siphon tube into the pipe. All the junk gets caught in the gravel and you siphon that (gravel) once in a blue moon. My tank is crystal clear always. Only disadvantage is big cichlids that dig a lot although it usually still runs fine even with the plate uncovered. I just cant get into using any other filter there too much work and I dont think they work as well.

My parents had a 50 gallon tank with red empress, we had a TON of them. They did dig, but I think we had enough gravel to where they never got to the gravel filter.

Old school! An under gravel combined with a large power filter (large tetra whisper) change the 2 dollar cartridge one a month and water is crystal clear even with a heavy stocked tank and maintenance takes about 2 minutes per month

Nice video Jason. I prefer sponge filters. As you’ve mentioned the waste the collects under the plate of the underground filter was a huge problem for me.

I've always used forever a hang-on in the UGF tube which adds mechanical and chemical filtration and eliminates waste under the filter and increase water flow.

I've been using UGF's for 36 years and I love them. I use them in conjunction with a HOB mostly for mechanical filtration.

I’ve employed UG filters in my filter strategy since the early 70’s. Once established, the tanks run as clear as a spring. They typically only require a 4-5 gallon gravel vac/water change every week or two. A cheap gravel vac will pull enough sediment through the grid and gravel to keep sediments in check. I find the less I do, including feeding, the better the ecosystem does.

Thanks for the information, I have been looking for a different way to filter and not have to worry about losing fry. I will be going with the sponge filter as it seems to be the best way to go, thanks

I used to run a canister filter with my UG filter. Pushing water down one (side) stack, which provided the same benifits only reversed the flow. This kept water flowing across the bottom and up thru the gravel clearing and cleaning both. Pump and standard use in the 2nd stack. Switching these when the water was changed. Never needed to vacuum the gravel, or have solids on the bottom and in the gravel with zero water flow to sour the tank, or clean inder the UG plates as all solids ended up back in the water column and taken up by the intake of the canister. Straight dirt, sand or gravel alone hold and build up the same thing as under a UG filter with no water flow and a sponge filter will never get it. Vacuuming dirt or sand it tough and alot of work especially if its a planted tank. You cannot beat a UG for low maintenence. All of the advantages of a sponge, takes up less visiable space. In the average household community "pretty" tank, they are probably the better option. Shops, breeders, and other specialty set ups, you are correct, sponge would be best.

love your detailed pros and cons for both.

I'm so happy I saw his video! I was tempted to buy an underground filter for the waste and I'll just use a gravel vacuum. Thank you for sharing, Prime Time Aquatics!

Au contraire my good man! Do you think the sediment seen under the UG filter plate is not also sitting in the gravel in your sponge filter tank? That amount of sediment is pegged to the output of the fish, not the filter type. And at least the UG filter is passing water over it to further process it, and from there get removed by water changes rather than go anaerobic. Bottom line, both filter types need to be supplemented with gravel vacuuming and water changes. ------------------------------------------ Here's the history. I remember the UG appearing in the aquarium trade around the early sixties. They were advertised as perpetual motion filters. That is, something that would be permanently in place and continue the nitrogen cycle without the aquarist having to bother. However a pattern began to develop for UG filter users. That is, they would work exceptionally well for, say, 4-6 months and then the tank would start experiencing assorted fish illnesses, poor water quality, poor plant growth. We called it "old tank syndrome." Modern aquarists would call it nitrate and phosphate overload. So UGs grew out of favor in spite of the late arriving solution to the problem: reverse flow power heads. Water gets shot down the UG output tubes and up through the gravel, thereby preventing any accumulation of detritis in gravel or under the plates, but still provide oxygenated water for the aerobic bacteria colony. Better still, if you had a little DIY skill, you could attach the output of your power filter to the output stems stems of the UG. Water would get drawn up by the HOB, passed through the filter box for mechanical and chemical filtration and then down and up through the UG gravel bed. Perfect. Water tests read all zeros. The whole operation powered by one filter motor. The old Aquamaster Supreme HOB with a very large media basket made the connections easy with a 3/4" return tube. Today you'd have to use a canister filter for hook-up. Nothing could be more insane than today's HOBs with little media capacity and a waterfall return that dumps the water back in the same area it got picked up from. Oh well.

thanks buddy you made up my mind sponge filter it is 👍

under gravel that has been done right leads to way less maintenance.you can go years without touching an under gravel filter even with cichlids. yes, they like digging use a layer of large rock or gravel covers with finer gravel. also, I like to plug 2 hang on backs into my riser tubes to supercharge any filtration I do. this way if I need carbon filtering I can. I would not use carbon in a planted tank. you could use gravel vac move gravel away from risers disconnect risers run a tube under the plates either gravel vac or get shop vac cover hose with garbage bag folded in 3 4 layers rubber band it on hose tight poke cleaning tube through bag turn on it will clean under plates lol.

Very good tutorial. Thank You.

i have been out of the hobby for a long time now. back in the day about 30-40 years ago i mainly used underground filters while i was breeding cichlids. i knw my knowledge is dated, but for the digging i put in egg crate about a inch above the under gravel plates and i had pretty good luck. it gave them a place to dig and make a nest without destroying the filter. the severums liked it, the discus did not realy dig, but they also did good with the under gravel filter. i know there is a LOT of new stuff that is probably better, but in my day i had great luck with them. ps: the tropical fish store i worked at through high school had about 80-90 tanks. all but a 240 and a 500 (which used Rainbow canister filters, and another maybe (10) 8 gallon tanks that used sponge or box filters all had undergravel filters in them. they also were great for the 5 years i was there. and of course we did water changes using a gravel filter siphoned outside with a long hose both at the shop and at home.

I have usually had an UGF in my tanks, sometimes with an over the back filter as well. (Tropical) I have in the past used a smaller diameter pickup tube on a diatom filter and pushed it down the uplift tube on the UGF. Brought out a LOT of waste.

I've never had any problems with my under gravel filtration ( my tanks dimensions are approximately 15" wide hexagon x 6' tall) . Even the fish waste when i finally took my tank apart ( this was several years later) so changing anything is pretty much not an option. Its there for the long haul. But as i said I've never had any problems with it. No issues with the water going bad in any direction, Everything works perfectly.

Three points: You are not "really limited" to the fish you keep with an undergravel filter. Unless you have those particular cichlids, you'll be perfectly fine. Most fish don't dig. I suspect that fish store owners are responsible for the decline of respect for UGFs. They are cheap and require absolutely no further investment or regular purchase of parts or media. So their profits are much much less. I might add here, that I've never seen clearer water than in my tank with UGF. There is a huge mess under the gravel because it's also a great mechanical filter for better or worse.

I agree, I hate under gravel filters, such a headache! It's a headache that is late onset lol, when you want a change as you stated. Regarding sponge filters or even hang on the back filters which are internal or inside the tank, I don't care much about them being seen. I mean these are aquariums and I just accept that it's not a natural lake or pond. The sight of a filter doesn't bother me. That being said I prefer hang on the back external filters for space reasons, they provide more space inside the tank. Right now I can't have hang on the back filters though because my tank rims are very thick because they are not standard tanks.

50 years experience and owner of a commercial tropical fish hatchery. Undergravel filters work amazingly well if used properly and in the correct set up.

UNDER GRAVEL ALL THE WAY

Grest video... really liking your channel currently. I've got sponge filters in many tanks currently but I've had success in the past with u/g filters. Thing i noticed with u/g filters most though was always seemed harder to keep more sensitive species. I've kept, bred, and reared literally thousands of German Blue Rams, but I always struggled to keep them alive in tanks with u/g no matter how much I kept on top of water changes. For me it's canisters with inline heaters for my show tanks and sponges in all my others.

switching all my tank to undergravel, well at least 10. Doesn't work well with sand lol. I never should of listen to the experts the second go around. Had community tanks way overstocked all the time, for 25 plus years, ran a lot of UG for 5 to 10 years without cleaning or doing water changes, always let the plants be my water changes, the invasive kind you need to throw away every few weeks, water-sprite, duckweed, horn-wort. I see your point if you change up stuff all the time, but you can't beat a UG for clean look and with a powerhead, no muck in the water.

Thank you!

I use a canister filter, but I keep a sponge filter going in my display tank in the event that I need a hospital tank or a quarantine tank. I just pop in the sponge filter, and I have a cycled tank.

I run HOBs and Sponges both, in all tanks. Thanks for the vid!

I’ve had under gravel filters for 35 years in a 55 & 75. I have 4 lift tubes with power heads. Working thru a mixed base of crushed coral and natural pebble stone. To do a basic periodic cleaning I use a water powered tube to vacuum the surface of the gravel. A FULL Cleaning I go down to the filter I can pull out from underneath the filter. I can inspect from underneath. But you Never have pull the gravel out unless you have to move the aquarium. BTW I also have pre filter sponges on my twin “on the back” outside filters. And BTW behind the bio wheels there are slots for two of those cartridges (on each side) so 4 filters. I just rinse off and reuse in rotation 8 in all.

by personal experience i kept big chichlids with an under gravel system with deep gravel bed, lots of rocks for them to hide and not once did i have any issues. in-fact even the mechanical filtration was spot on! it worked out perfectly!

I had an under gravel filter when I had my cichlids and it worked excellent! But I ran 2 big power heads that ran off 2-300 GPH pumps in a 60 gallon tank with the charcoal on the power heads and it was crystal clear all the time. Once the bacteria took over below the gravel. I sucked out some the crap below the gravel every time I did a water change and that’s it.

As a proponent of under 'ok boomer' gravel filtration, I 've still found them to have practical applications. They're excellent for 10g + hex tanks (allowing for smaller gph hobs for sponge/mechanical). 5g single Betta square tanks (1 lift tube = low water turbulence = happy Betta). It's mainly the real estate in relation to tank dimensions and bio-load + type of fish, substrate, etc. The one exception where I nix the ugf's are tanks over 30g or saltwater tanks.

As a kid in the early seventies I remember all our fish tanks having little clear boxes that I would have to unpack and re-stuff with floss and carbon. In the mid-70s we switch to undergravel filters and I've had zero issues with them since no water spikes and no issues with Mulm or detritus below the plates. I believe once the debris drops out it is already inert. If you have mbuna cichlids with an undergravel filter, you can always run a layer of gravel then cover that with fiberglass window screen, then above that another layer of gravel and that way they can only dig so deep and the filter still works properly because there is another layer of gravel under the top layer. I think sponge filters are unsightly and do not seem to give the water any sort of great quality or clarity unless you basically have nothing in the tank. the undergravel filters can be tied to the intake of a hang on the back filter(or canister) and to me that's the ultimate filter system. If for some reason you ever needed to clean the gravel, then you just Stir It Up and change the filter in the secondary filter. The only time I use sponge filters now is in a dirted tank

needed this video

The sediment in the filter and gravel, and under the gravel filter when you use them, in a healthy tank is typically not "fish waste", it's mostly the "good/filter" bacteria. It becomes a problem when the filter is to small, or isn't cleaned as often as it should. If it's mostly a "size"/capacity or maintenance issue is partly a matter of opinion. That sediment doesn't produce nitrogen compounds out of thin air, it collects nitrogen that get in the tank mostly via food. Just laying there under the UG it actually "extends" the filter, as long as the layer doesn't get to thick to get oxygen all the way through it biological breakdown will occur there also. Now, you don't want to clean out the beneficial bacteria completely, and just reducing the amount if it's increasing to much doesn't have to be difficult at all, either with a gravel vac, or, if the design allows it suck it up with a thin hose through the uplift tube. Remember, the goal is reducing the amount, not to clean it out completely. With digging fish you can put a mesh in the gravel to prevent fish from digging all the way down to the UG. It's not a fantastic solution, but it stops the UG from getting close to completely useless. Of course, that would make it much harder to vac under the mesh and more so under the UG through the gravel. There's other things to consider with UGs, one example is that the choice of gravel dictates if the UG can be a really efficient biological filter, or, just about useless. With a gravel with mostly or only large smooth pebbles a UG can't perform much biological filtration. Under the right circumstances UG can be very efficient, cheap, low cost, low maintenance, space efficient biofilter. When used wrong they can be, or become useless. The question of which type of filter is the best has a very short answer: It depends. A combination of different types of filters is typically better then just one type. What category of filtration does UV belong to; bio, chem or mechanical? Great video by the way.

I used to think that the UGF was just a nitrate factory. However, with routine gravel vacuuming, it is an effective bio filter. As for any 'sludge' down under, once organic matter has decomposed it's relatively inert and no longer polluting the water. That being the case, the UGF becomes a more viable solution. I generally wouldn't consider a reverse flow UGF unless it was on the backside of a canister - then the reverse flow makes great sense as the gravel bed becomes a huge bio-filter and less gravel vacuuming is required. In any case, the UGF now looks as good as the sponge filter.

I used to have an under gravel filter in a 24x15x12 tank (12yrs ago)with a powerhead on the uptake tube, but it only seemed to work half of the filter area, if id put a more powerful powerhead on it would of spun my fish around the tank, so nxt time i set up i will be tring the over hanging filter system

Under gravel for all except major diggers. Fantastic for planted tanks. If your worried about build up under the grate, then drill a hole and put a fitting on the bottom. Now you have possibly one of the easiest to maintain aquariums in existence. All the bacteria surface of a sump with room to spare. You still have the options for a sump, hang on, or sponge if you want more.

Very informative .... Good work !

So I love both sponge and undergravel, and the only other filters I ever use are HOBs for the rare times I might need chemical filtration. As far at the whole waste trapped by a UG filter thing, I'll just say I have a 55 that has been set up in my family room since 1991 and I have never cleaned under the filter plate in that time, I've just done regular gravel vacs. The ammonia and nitrites are always zero, even after 12 hour power outages. Think of the massive amount of surface area on all the gravel on a tank bottom. That provides a fantastic place for a huge bacterial colony, especially with a constant flow of oxygen rich water. Another great video, I am kind of binge watching your channel right now. :) Thanks!

I've been using both UGF + Canister filter for years. The only time, I've broken down - completely, was when I wanted to change/replace, the gravel. Other than a good vacuuming, once a month/6 weeks, I'm happy with both.

I have been running an under-gravel filter on my 55Gall for a number of years now, admittedly I don't have fish that dig holes, but it is a large mixed community including a pair of Koi angels, Gouramis, a L33 plec, 3 peppered corydoras, cherry barbs and cardinals and a severum. However I am running a Fluval 406 canister, and my lift tube connects to that directly. My water changes and gravel cleaning now are around 30% every 3-4 weeks, whilst my canister is easily 3 months yet my water quality is continually excellent. In my opinion combining the two levels of filtration have eased my work load and the tank runs seamlessly as a result.

I have 2 betta tanks and I will put in undergravel filter....it looks so nice...

Some people say if you just pull the air stone out of the UGF uplift tube during a water change, and then siphon directly from the uplift tube, you can pull a lot of the waste out from under the UGF that way. I haven’t tried it myself yet, but I’d probably still prefer a sponge for most breeding type setups. Another thing is the UGF doesn’t need to take up the whole bottom of the tank, especially if it’s being used in conjunction with some other filtration. They’d probably be much easier to remove if they’re only covering like half the tank. So right now I’m thinking of a show tank set up with an undersized UGF combined with an undersized HOB. Maybe the digging fish can be impeded by a layer of larger gravel / small rocks / marbles underneath the top layer of substrate? Or maybe some type of netting? I saw one guy putting substrate into some sort of mesh bags which ended up looking like flat square pillows covering the bottom of his tank, which he then put a layer of loose sand or gravel on top of. Maybe that could stop the diggers from dismantling the UGF system?

You forgot to mention 2 facts about undergravel filters 1 you dont need to do partial water changes Nor vacuum the bottom. (I used those filters back in 93 I guess. They were kinda "set and forget" things. As long as you were toping your tank every now and then those filters could run without any maintenance at all for months. 2 partial water changes, or bottom siphoning was just an alternative to delay the real cleaning of the tank. Because the real cleaning, consisted in tearing apart the tank, and clean the gravel, that of course after months of gathering fish waste and uneaten food was so dirty! In my opinión is matter of time management, sponge filter, easy maintenance every 2 weeks maybe what? 20 mins? Undergravel filter one big maintenance every 4 or 5 months of maybe 1 hour 30 minutes. On the other hand undergravel filters are great for planted tanks, no need for fertilizers 🙂

I haven't seen an UGF used in years. My first tank had a UGF and I had lots of algae issues and had to do water changes almost weekly when the tank had some age on it. I now have HOB and I'm much happier.

Great video, very informative. I have a question though, do you guys have convict cichlids, if not, why?

I just took apart a 30 gallon that had an undergraduate filter. I was really really surprised to see all the muck underneath the UGF!! It makes sense to me now why I could never get my nitrates down. The tank is still sitting empty and I'll probably put the UGF back in but only to run some tests on it ... We'll see. Thanks for the video!! It's perfect timing for me!! =)

My UGF has been working for 10 years now. I custm built mine in a 220 short. I use hang on back filters drawing from the lift tubes. Giving me options for polishing or chemical filtation. 3 150 gpa bf on 3 lift tubes has never let me down. LOL. Even when my periotic unatention there should have been trouble in the tank.

Running a HOB or canister filter hooked up to the uplift tube of the under gravel filter is one of my favorite filtration methods. The filters will run for many months on end without clogging as the substrate provides a fantastic pre filter for large and medium sized particles. The other way i've done it is by hooking up the canister filter outlet to the uplift tube to run the under gravel in reverse. I will use a spray bar made of PVC to put the majority of the water into the tank while the flow to the uplift tube is regulated by a ball valve. This way the flow is very slow through the substrate (maybe a few gallons/hour at most) and because the flow is reversed the substrate and filter plates never clog with debris. Because the substrate is my biological filtration I will fill the canister filter entirely with mechanical and chemical filtration and I don't need to worry about killing off the bacteria while cleaning the filters.

Thanks bud 🤜🏻🤛🏻

I have a 120 with an ugf that has a power head on either corner and bubble tubes in the middle. Along with a penguin 350 my water is super clean all the time. Been thinking about getting a small sponge that will hide easily just as backup if power goes out plus just added bio filter. Good vid.

i cover my under gravel filters with a couple layers of unrolled hair scrunchy (think of a thin layer of open cell foam) This keeps the filter breathing water readily and evenly and it also helps protect the filter from diggers, wandering roots and the weight of large decorations/rocks

I use an UGF (Under Gravel Filter) and a HOBF (Hang On Back Filter) its actually submersible but I think that it still counts on my 20 gallon and from my experience it is great combination of both. I don't need to clean the aquarium as often as I did before when I had only a hang in the back filter. I used to do water changes almost twice a week & I had to change the carbon bag on the HOBF every month. I have heard of the UGF before and did some research and found out that it was worth it. I put both and now my aquarium is easier to manage than before my aquarium plants are doing much better and my aquarium is much cleaner I still keep up with maintenance but it is at least in my opinion much better and easier than only having one type of filter.

Love my sponges filters. I also toss on Aquaclear HOB’s on all my pleco tanks. Which brand sponge filters do you find to be the most efficient and effective?

I use a sponge filter on my 75 gallon goldfish tank with three powerheads on the uptake tubes. One third of the bottom is covered with a big hunk of filter sponge that is level with the gravel depth on the rest of the tank. The gravel/sponge bottom is easy to vacuum clean. I periodically check for any holes dug in the gravel by the goldfish, which has seldom happened. Goldfish are big, rough, dirty fish, but this set-up handles it all with ease. Lori-Dawn

Sponge filter is more versatile. I use multiple sponge filters in each tank, but if I need an emergency or another tank quickly, I can just move one sponge filter over, no need to wait for it to cycle. Also, sometimes a tank may be overstocked for a period, I just add more sponge filters. Under gravel filter requires substrate, sponge does not. Which mean it can work with any kind of tanks and most types of fish. But the best part is the ease of cleaning. It only takes me about 5 minutes to clean 3 sponge filter in a 55 gallon community tank. A few squeezes every month and you are done!

Great video, when i started keeping fish, ug filter was almost always the only available option, plus some corner filter. may I also add, ug depends on the substrate, gravel has very little surface area. Useless in sand, Cant be use in a bare bottom tank.

As mentioned already, running UGs in reverse flow is time proven, 100% flow for fish only tanks or 5% trickle flow for planted tanks like mine. Combine that with a dedicated water filter, and you have a low maintenance, high performance tank.

Hi. Nice vid

I had a undergravel filter with power heads, 135 gal tank with cichlids I used half crushed Coral half gravel also used a Fluval canister filter and had excellent water quality for many years.

I’ve been keeping fish since 1976. most of my tanks had under gravel filters in them and l very rarely had a problem. The biggest problem was the belt breaking on my piston pump. I ended up replacing them with vacuum belts. An old guy that used to sell fish out of his garage. Told me to keep live plants in the tank. That would take care of the waste under the plate.. and different types of gravel first layer lava rock second layer pea gravel . and on the top small aquarium gravel.

Righto, I'm going to trial the UGF I've got in storage for my goldfish Tank. Sounds like it's something I should at least have a go with. I highly doubt they'll dig my gravel (it's roughly 3-4inch) . The time will just be getting the gravel out to start. Project Coldwater is all part of experimenting. They have a sponge but not exactly happy with the filtration system, Under-Gravel Filter will hopefully provide another filtration system that can be used off the same air pump.

You can use an under-gravel filter and instead of the air pump you can connect your canister filter "Inlet". Also you can add blue sponge inside the under-gravel for bacteria. You protect the fry and shrimps,you have a hidden extra filter,your gravel is clean.

I ❤️ my sponge filters.

I will be getting a new tank soon. I am going to hook up the intake of a canister filter to an under gravel filter to make a mega filter system.

Great video. Sponge is the way to go for me, I work a lot and leave in an area with a lot of electric storms...power go off often for short periods...sponge filter help me to keep my fish healthy and it always restart after the energy goes away.

I've used them before yeah they are sort of a pain to clean you have to break down the whole tank as you said. If I ever use one again I think I'm going to go ahead and drill a hole to put a bulkhead and a cut off valve so I could drain underneath.

i love your video's, you give so much information.. sometimes i wish you could go a little slower as i am really learning a lot here :)

I've had tanks for years but haven't used an under gravel in years. I remember the issues but was considering using one in a 10 I'm setting up. Wanted to have another look at using them so watched your video. Decided against using it lol. The tank is only gonna house a couple small Black Moors but goldfish being goldfish they are dirty and like to dig. Need a strong filter with them. May just go with my Aquaclear 20 with them.

My local fishstore stil has around 12 under gravel filters for tanks with shrimp, oto's and cory's. Both my tanks at home (18.5 and 48 gallon) have a Aquael under gravel filter with 1x "Aquael Circulator 500" in the small tank and 2x "Circulator 500" in the larger tank. Ammonia, nitrites and nitrates are always 0. I have a lot of fast growing plants / floating plants so that's not really surprising but it doesn't seem to affect the under gravel filter. My substrate is very thick, 2,5 inch in the front and 3,5 to 4 inch in the back. All my shrimp and fish are happy and healthy, it's easy maintenance and it's cheap.

About 20 years ago when i had a under-gravel on my tank and bought baby Plecos they used to go down the uplift tube and under the gravel.

Placing decent power heads on the up lift tubes makes a huge difference But your right about diggers I had breeding convicts and the babies ended up underneath the yhe filter plate I got them all out but it was very difficult

Ok well firstly we need to talk about stocking density in comparison to the size of your tank. If this is balanced, there is no need to mess about vacuuming your tank, Mother Nature will take care of that. There is biological medium on every surface of your tank. There will be billions of them on ever surface of every grain of sand on your substrate, your plants and any ornaments and a thin coating even on the glass.The more porous the surface the more medium can attach itself. Thats why the glass will only have a thin coating. Overstock your tank and instantly you throw this balance out of whack and human intervention is required, or your tank will look a mess. In an undergravel filter you will create three surfaces of biological medium, namely the substrate as it stands, plus now the underside of this substrate (because of the undergravel filter)as the sand in the tank is lifted to allow vital circulation of water with its oxygen content required by the biological medium to function properly. Normally the deeper you go in your sand the less oxygen and hence less medium.The third surface will be the sand that is sitting on the glass bottom of the tank.( Make sure you lay a generous layer down). It has now gone from a smooth pane of glass to a layer of sand that is now porous and again more surface area. Use an undergravel filter in conjunction with a sponge filter or even better an external canister filter for best results because everybody wants to have a well stocked tank!. With power jets strategically place to control flow and direct any waste to your outlet will allow for a self regulating easy maintenance tank, with little or no algae and detritus about. The water will be crystal clear, the fish will seem to float on air. Unfortunately you still need to do a 25% water change a week, to remove any accumulating toxins as the tank is an artificial environment to start with. This takes a few minutes with only skimming water off the top of the tank. No more frigging about with vacuum pumps and having to spend time rearranging everything, never mind the trauma to the fish. Lastly an undergravel filter will work a treat on its own in a proportionately stocked tank, be totally out of sight, will not cost anything and will not break. Whats not to like about it?Sadly I cannot find a single one here in Ireland, always directed to an expensive canister filter!.

The biggest problem with undergravel filtration: Lack of knowledge and the continued use of air pumps. If you're using the entire substrate as a filter, you're gonna have to move a lot of water to avoid dead spots. I have two 158gph powerheads on either side of a 20 gal tank connected to a diy undergravel system composed of many small tubes rather than a plate so fish waste doesn't build up under it. Two points: 1. Cover filter with fine filter floss before covering with gravel so that little bits of gravel don't get sucked up. 2. Cover outflows on pumps with a mesh that won't impede water flow. Because both pumps are part of the same system, if one pump goes out, the outflow on the downed pump becomes an inflow because the other pump is still working and pulling in water from the whole system. That happened to me, and because I didn't have the outflows covered with anything, a couple shrimp and ottos got sucked up and diced. *EDIT* Addendum: My UG system was originally connected to intakes rather than outflows of powerheads. I have since found this to be problematic, as clogging of the system became an issue. I have reversed the flow so that water is being pushed up into rather than sucked down through the substrate. This makes the system less likely to clog, though you have to put separate filters over your intakes, or connect the UG plate/assembly to the outflow tube from a sump or canister so that the water is polished before pumping it under the substrate. Such a system may not require the extra filtration of a UG system, but I'd still be in favor of the UG add-on for the advantage of aerating the substrate.