Time to strip it down and clean it out questions

What I was meaning about point D was:
A forward flow head on one end of the UGF and a reverse flow head on the
other end of the UGF. I was thinking this may not be a good idea because
the water would form a current from one end of the UGF and over to other
end. Thus the water current would be traveling under the plates, being
forced down from the output of one pump, and up into the input of the other
pump, with little or no pressure to force it thru the slits.

As for the story of your friend. I could connect my biowheel filter to the
UGF riser, and my other forward powerhead to the other end of the UGF. That
is a good hardware issue idea. So I would not need the Reverse flow
powerhead? But one of the reasons I got the reverse flow was to keep some
of them muck from getting trapped in the substrate. But if i use my reverse
flow head and not the forward flow I may be back to the current issue
mentioned above. So I am not sure what to do here.

Does anyone else have any ideas? I am considering any ideas at this point.

This message was written on 100% recycled spam.

SAM
"Justin Boucher" wrote in message
...
I have my powerheads pulling their intake through the UGF uprights which
in
turn will force the water through the substrate, so I don't know what you
mean in your point "d" about water bypassing the UGF.

I had a friend in college who used a biowheel and a powerhead in is 29.
Both of which had their intake connected to the uprights from the UGF (one
at each end). It worked amazingly well and cleared up his tanks real
fast!
You may want to consider that as an option. I know the biowheel after the
UGF is rather redundant, but one advantage would be a quick and easy way
to
cycle through other filter media types like activated charcoal. Just use
the biowheel compartment.

Justin

"Sam" wrote in message
...
I am a newbie but advancing.

After Nine months of 23 fish in a 50 gallon tank, and about 7 assorted
plants, it is time to give it a good strip down and clean out. I had a
small UGF in the tank but it did not cover the entire bottom, and I
always
do weekly water changes and gravel vacs. But I still have a large
amount
of muck that needs to be cleaned out.

1. I purchased a new UGF plate that covers my tank bottom completely,
and
it
has 3 locations for "pillar" tubing. I also purchased a reverse flow
powerhead to add to it. The only reverse flow powerhead that I could
find
at
my LFS was rated at 170GPH. My current forward flow powerhead is rated
at
300 GPH. As my primary filter I have a biowheel rated for a 60 gallon
tank.
a. Should I close off two of the pillar plugs? Cheap cost and plugs
will
be covered over by the substrate.
b. Or add a bubble column pillar? Cheap cost (I have one installed
now
on my old UGF.), some added noise, and less visual appeal.
c. OR add a second reverse flow powerhead at the far end? about
$40.00,
lots more hardware, wire routing, and even less visual appeal.
d. OR add my current forward flow powerhead at the far end? Cheap
cost,
and may cause water not to cycle thru substrate and bypass the UGF
plate,
also more hardware, wire routing, and even less visual appeal.
So in other words the I would like less hardware in the tank and also
lower
the muck rating as well. But I need to find a happy median for the two.
What would you do?

2. When I first setup the tank, I used Bio-Spira bacteria to cycle, and
my
ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates have been excellent at every weekly
check.
But I inquired about Bio-Spira again at my LFS and been told it's on
backorder until December. So I thought to keep some of a cycle perhaps
I
would retain about 15 gallons of tank water (3 brand new 5-gallon
buckets
from Home Depot), keep the same plants, do not scrub the decorative
rocks,
re-use the old filter media without rinsing it out for an extended
period,
filter the substrate through an old pillow case, and add a dose of
Stress-Zyme. Should all these measures be good enough not to throw me
out
of cycle too much?

I would welcome any suggestions.
--

This message was written on 100% recycled spam.

SAM

Thanks for clearing it up. I agree, a reverse on one end and a forward on
the other wouldn't produce much through the UGF filter.

I currently have a 100g on a UGF for over 7 years now and have never worried
about the "muck" under the plate. When I shut down my 40 (lack of space due
to a new baby) with a UGF running for several years, there was barely any
muck under that plate. I believe that the muck is a result of inadequate
flow. I target my systems flow rate to be a full tank turnover in 10
minutes or less. This would mean that I have enough powerheads to push 20
gals of water in 10 minutes for my 20 gal tank. Once I chose to do this vs
the airstone route, my tanks were clearer, healthier and cleaner.

I have also used live plants in a system without a UGF (the 20 was set up
this way) and notice a huge improvement in fish health and activity. I
fully intend to converty my 100 to the non-UGF small canister filter planted
system when financing makes it available.

Just a few thoughts to ponder.

Justin

"Sam" wrote in message
...
What I was meaning about point D was:
A forward flow head on one end of the UGF and a reverse flow head on the
other end of the UGF. I was thinking this may not be a good idea because
the water would form a current from one end of the UGF and over to other
end. Thus the water current would be traveling under the plates, being
forced down from the output of one pump, and up into the input of the
other
pump, with little or no pressure to force it thru the slits.

As for the story of your friend. I could connect my biowheel filter to
the
UGF riser, and my other forward powerhead to the other end of the UGF.
That
is a good hardware issue idea. So I would not need the Reverse flow
powerhead? But one of the reasons I got the reverse flow was to keep some
of them muck from getting trapped in the substrate. But if i use my
reverse
flow head and not the forward flow I may be back to the current issue
mentioned above. So I am not sure what to do here.

Does anyone else have any ideas? I am considering any ideas at this
point.

This message was written on 100% recycled spam.

SAM
"Justin Boucher" wrote in message
...
I have my powerheads pulling their intake through the UGF uprights which
in
turn will force the water through the substrate, so I don't know what
you
mean in your point "d" about water bypassing the UGF.

I had a friend in college who used a biowheel and a powerhead in is 29.
Both of which had their intake connected to the uprights from the UGF
(one
at each end). It worked amazingly well and cleared up his tanks real
fast!
You may want to consider that as an option. I know the biowheel after
the
UGF is rather redundant, but one advantage would be a quick and easy way
to
cycle through other filter media types like activated charcoal. Just
use
the biowheel compartment.

Justin

"Sam" wrote in message
...
I am a newbie but advancing.

After Nine months of 23 fish in a 50 gallon tank, and about 7 assorted
plants, it is time to give it a good strip down and clean out. I had
a
small UGF in the tank but it did not cover the entire bottom, and I
always
do weekly water changes and gravel vacs. But I still have a large
amount
of muck that needs to be cleaned out.

1. I purchased a new UGF plate that covers my tank bottom completely,
and
it
has 3 locations for "pillar" tubing. I also purchased a reverse flow
powerhead to add to it. The only reverse flow powerhead that I could
find
at
my LFS was rated at 170GPH. My current forward flow powerhead is
rated
at
300 GPH. As my primary filter I have a biowheel rated for a 60 gallon
tank.
a. Should I close off two of the pillar plugs? Cheap cost and
plugs
will
be covered over by the substrate.
b. Or add a bubble column pillar? Cheap cost (I have one installed
now
on my old UGF.), some added noise, and less visual appeal.
c. OR add a second reverse flow powerhead at the far end? about
$40.00,
lots more hardware, wire routing, and even less visual appeal.
d. OR add my current forward flow powerhead at the far end? Cheap
cost,
and may cause water not to cycle thru substrate and bypass the UGF
plate,
also more hardware, wire routing, and even less visual appeal.
So in other words the I would like less hardware in the tank and also
lower
the muck rating as well. But I need to find a happy median for the
two.
What would you do?

2. When I first setup the tank, I used Bio-Spira bacteria to cycle,
and
my
ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates have been excellent at every weekly
check.
But I inquired about Bio-Spira again at my LFS and been told it's on
backorder until December. So I thought to keep some of a cycle
perhaps
I
would retain about 15 gallons of tank water (3 brand new 5-gallon
buckets
from Home Depot), keep the same plants, do not scrub the decorative
rocks,
re-use the old filter media without rinsing it out for an extended
period,
filter the substrate through an old pillow case, and add a dose of
Stress-Zyme. Should all these measures be good enough not to throw me
out
of cycle too much?

I would welcome any suggestions.
--

This message was written on 100% recycled spam.

SAM

I personally would get rid of the UGF all together. The subject has been
discussed frequently here and it's the general consenus that UGF are nowhere
near as effective as other methods of filtration. The only filters I use
with my tanks are penguin power filters with biowheels.. I have never had a
problem with the water quality..

-Mar
--------------------------------------------------
If the poodle got loose, I figured I could take it. I was armed.
- Laurell K. Hamilton from the Anita Blake series


"Sam" wrote in message
...
What I was meaning about point D was:
A forward flow head on one end of the UGF and a reverse flow head on the
other end of the UGF. I was thinking this may not be a good idea because
the water would form a current from one end of the UGF and over to other
end. Thus the water current would be traveling under the plates, being
forced down from the output of one pump, and up into the input of the
other
pump, with little or no pressure to force it thru the slits.

As for the story of your friend. I could connect my biowheel filter to
the
UGF riser, and my other forward powerhead to the other end of the UGF.
That
is a good hardware issue idea. So I would not need the Reverse flow
powerhead? But one of the reasons I got the reverse flow was to keep some
of them muck from getting trapped in the substrate. But if i use my
reverse
flow head and not the forward flow I may be back to the current issue
mentioned above. So I am not sure what to do here.

Does anyone else have any ideas? I am considering any ideas at this
point.

This message was written on 100% recycled spam.

SAM
"Justin Boucher" wrote in message
...
I have my powerheads pulling their intake through the UGF uprights which
in
turn will force the water through the substrate, so I don't know what
you
mean in your point "d" about water bypassing the UGF.

I had a friend in college who used a biowheel and a powerhead in is 29.
Both of which had their intake connected to the uprights from the UGF
(one
at each end). It worked amazingly well and cleared up his tanks real
fast!
You may want to consider that as an option. I know the biowheel after
the
UGF is rather redundant, but one advantage would be a quick and easy way
to
cycle through other filter media types like activated charcoal. Just
use
the biowheel compartment.

Justin

"Sam" wrote in message
...
I am a newbie but advancing.

After Nine months of 23 fish in a 50 gallon tank, and about 7 assorted
plants, it is time to give it a good strip down and clean out. I had
a
small UGF in the tank but it did not cover the entire bottom, and I
always
do weekly water changes and gravel vacs. But I still have a large
amount
of muck that needs to be cleaned out.

1. I purchased a new UGF plate that covers my tank bottom completely,
and
it
has 3 locations for "pillar" tubing. I also purchased a reverse flow
powerhead to add to it. The only reverse flow powerhead that I could
find
at
my LFS was rated at 170GPH. My current forward flow powerhead is
rated
at
300 GPH. As my primary filter I have a biowheel rated for a 60 gallon
tank.
a. Should I close off two of the pillar plugs? Cheap cost and
plugs
will
be covered over by the substrate.
b. Or add a bubble column pillar? Cheap cost (I have one installed
now
on my old UGF.), some added noise, and less visual appeal.
c. OR add a second reverse flow powerhead at the far end? about
$40.00,
lots more hardware, wire routing, and even less visual appeal.
d. OR add my current forward flow powerhead at the far end? Cheap
cost,
and may cause water not to cycle thru substrate and bypass the UGF
plate,
also more hardware, wire routing, and even less visual appeal.
So in other words the I would like less hardware in the tank and also
lower
the muck rating as well. But I need to find a happy median for the
two.
What would you do?

2. When I first setup the tank, I used Bio-Spira bacteria to cycle,
and
my
ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates have been excellent at every weekly
check.
But I inquired about Bio-Spira again at my LFS and been told it's on
backorder until December. So I thought to keep some of a cycle
perhaps
I
would retain about 15 gallons of tank water (3 brand new 5-gallon
buckets
from Home Depot), keep the same plants, do not scrub the decorative
rocks,
re-use the old filter media without rinsing it out for an extended
period,
filter the substrate through an old pillow case, and add a dose of
Stress-Zyme. Should all these measures be good enough not to throw me
out
of cycle too much?

I would welcome any suggestions.
--

This message was written on 100% recycled spam.

SAM