Under gravel filters

[ineke]

Hi another question . Are under gravel filters alright with shrimp? If so what is the deepest the substrate can be? I wanted to use quite deep river sand in some places. I will be using a sponge filter as well for the babies.

cheers

ineke

[Squiggle]

In my experience with gravel filters, they aren't as effective with sand as you can't get the flow through the sand as well as gravel, they also work a lot better if you put a powerhead/pump on top of the uplift tube. Also, from my understanding, under gravel filters are good for shrimp cause the bacteria they feed on grows in the gravel so the whole base of the tank is a big dinner plate :encouragement:

I have a UG with a powerhead in my LumiQ & the shrimp are doing great, I'm using Fluval Stratum, which is porous so it buffes the tank & has a greater surface area for more effective filtration & larger bacterial culture(more food)

[northboy]

Sand is to small to allow water flow past it efficiently, us a 3mm gravel and it works OK up about 2cm deep, but you have to use a gravel cleaner to keep the gravel from compacting and when it compacts there is no flow there for no filtering, this also leads to anaerobic bacteria build up, that is bad.

In all I like UG filters if they are maintained, how ever some plants don't like the UGs much, 6 of one half a dozen of another. Your gravel is your filter media.

Bob

[ineke]

In my experience with gravel filters' date=' they aren't as effective with sand as you can't get the flow through the sand as well as gravel, they also work a lot better if you put a powerhead/pump on top of the uplift tube. Also, from my understanding, under gravel filters are good for shrimp cause the bacteria they feed on grows in the gravel so the whole base of the tank is a big dinner plate :encouragement:

I have a UG with a powerhead in my LumiQ & the shrimp are doing great, I'm using Fluval Stratum, which is porous so it buffes the tank & has a greater surface area for more effective filtration & larger bacterial culture(more food)[/quote']

Thanks Squiggle I've always used them with my fish and been very happy with them so if its good for the shrimp I'll use that in the new setup

cheers

Ineke

[ineke]

Sand is to small to allow water flow past it efficiently' date=' us a 3mm gravel and it works OK up about 2cm deep, but you have to use a gravel cleaner to keep the gravel from compacting and when it compacts there is no flow there for no filtering, this also leads to anaerobic bacteria build up, that is bad.

In all I like UG filters if they are maintained, how ever some plants don't like the UGs much, 6 of one half a dozen of another. Your gravel is your filter media.

Bob[/quote']

Thanks Bob,

I like the UG filters with fish and as the tank I am setting up has one thought I would try it with the shrimp. I want to have a couple of deep sand areas for contouring and wonder what the deepest I can go . 2 cm over most of the tank will be good but I'll try acouple of hills and just make sure I clean them thoroughly The filter base covers the whole of the tank so if I angle the higher areas so there are not huge areas of deep gravel would that work?

Cheers

Ineke

[ineke]

meant to put river gravel not sand

I just read back through my original question and I have the coarser river gravel not sand. Sorry for the wrong wording. So looks like it will be all good just worried about the depth.

Cheers

Ineke