Someone asked me how a Reverse Undergravel Filter works and what is the advantage.

[slopigyo]

Has anyone tried with higher flow but on an intermittent pattern? so it would like turn over and fluidize the sand bed just 2 or 3 times a day for a few minutes at a time. Seems like it might be a neat experiment.

 

[Paul B]

A slow flow is needed for long term success of a RUGF. I have experimented quite a lot with this concept and a high flow forces to much detritus under the gravel and it is not processed fast enough with a higher flow so it rots.

I run 150 gallons through each of my 3 tubes.

A store bought UG plate is best because if designed properly the slots will be more the farther they are from the water inlet. If you make it yourself with holes instead of slots, they will clog.

A pre filter would be a good idea to have on the inlet. But you need to clean it often

 

[C4ctus99]

Thanks for the input. Gonna Try a sump setup with RUGF and a water intake with some coarse filter foam on the intake that I can change out and rinse as needed. So if I just plumb the return to a T and go to either end of the mat and then T it off and let it flow out there it should have good coverage? Basically come in the center but plumb out to where the factory pips stub out at

 

[Paul B]

Yes that should work as long as you keep the flow to a minimum. The organics need to have time to be processed before more organics enter the bed or they will build up and crash the tank.

 

[Greg D]

I need an undergravel filter to fit a 23" x 47" (or close enough) aquarium. I just can't find anything that works. Penn Plax has the perfect size (11.25" plates) if the tank was half as wide. I even considered cutting out sections to connect them, but it is tapered, and I don't think the flow would work. Any ideas?

 

[Paul B]

I would get a larger one and cut it. Then glue square plastic pieces on the cut edge to keep the water from running around the cut edge. I would also use "GOOP" glue for that.

Or you can glue a plastic angle around the cut edge.

 

[JayM]

I need an undergravel filter to fit a 23" x 47" (or close enough) aquarium. I just can't find anything that works. Penn Plax has the perfect size (11.25" plates) if the tank was half as wide. I even considered cutting out sections to connect them, but it is tapered, and I don't think the flow would work. Any ideas?

I know I'm late to the party, but I'd imagine 3D printing a custom plate could work.

 

[Hot2na]

I would get a larger one and cut it. Then glue square plastic pieces on the cut edge to keep the water from running around the cut edge. I would also use "GOOP" glue for that.

Or you can glue a plastic angle around the cut edge.

Why not make your own out of pvc pipe,eggcrate and window screen just like the jaubert plenum method ? you could use a 3 way elbow on both rear corners , then plumb in the line for the powerhead/in line...drill 3/16 or 1/4 inch holes on the inside of the pvc pipe structure all the way around...

 

[Subsea]

Why not make your own out of pvc pipe,eggcrate and window screen just like the jaubert plenum method ? you could use a 3 way elbow on both rear corners , then plumb in the line for the powerhead/in line...drill 3/16 or 1/4 inch holes on the inside of the pvc pipe structure all the way around...

All my systems emulate RFUG. I started with Jaubert plenum.

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

I'm a sucker for bio filtration... especially anaerobic, and I'd hate to stir up the bottom of my sand bed constantly. What is the primary function of an RUGS system? Assuming it gets water from elsewhere in the tank, it pumps filtered water through the sand bed, providing aeration andalso dislodging detritus. However, wouldn't that also remove the anaerobic bacteria in sand? I can see its use in a coral - dominated tank, where you might actually want to reduce nitrification, but in a low - coral tank, keeping anaerobic up will be helpful.

 

[Paul B]

It's obviously not an anerobic system. It is oxygenated all the way through so multitudes of oxygen loving creatures can live all the way through the gravel providing biological filtration. It also doesn't crash being it has been running for over 50 years.

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

It's obviously not an anerobic system. It is oxygenated all the way through so multitudes of oxygen loving creatures can live all the way through the gravel providing biological filtration. It also doesn't crash being it has been running for over 50 years.

typo, meant to say "in". I don't see why it should be prioritized over anaerobic filtration for eating ammonia and dealing with nitrogen.

 

[jason2459]

Thanks to PaulB I've been running a RUGF since 2009 when I started my 55g back up

Then when I moved that to a 180 I designed my sump around having a RUGF in it.


Sump designed

Sump built

Then covered in dolomite and other stuff.

 

[CoralB]

Has anyone tried with higher flow but on an intermittent pattern? so it would like turn over and fluidize the sand bed just 2 or 3 times a day for a few minutes at a time. Seems like it might be a neat experiment.

I would say no ! . Higher flow would blow sand into the water column and If you stop the circulation it will have the strong chance of caking up so that when you restart the pumps again the the sand might not churn and move as it’s supposed to . Same thing happened with the fluidized sand filters we use back in the day .

 

[Hot2na]

Hope everybody reading this doesn't think RUGF is the magic bullet - It ain't ...you will still get nitrates .

 

[jason2459]

Hope everybody reading this doesn't think RUGF is the magic bullet - It ain't ...you will still get nitrates .

I hope so, my ATS needs nitrates too.

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

so the consensus as far as I can read is that aerating the undersand improves microcrustacean and small sand animal populations? Is that what's happening here?

 

[jason2459]

For me the RUGF is all about a perfect home for growing little critters. Nothing to do with any water parameters. It may have some effect on them but that would just be icing on the cake.

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

For me the RUGF is all about a perfect home for growing little critters. Nothing to do with any water parameters. It may have some effect on them but that would just be icing on the cake.

Would other methods of aerating the sandbed work? I'd love to boost my copepod and amphipod population... but it have been unreasonably difficult for me to install an undersand filter for a year now due to warping in some tank components.

 

[jason2459]

Would other methods of aerating the sandbed work? I'd love to boost my copepod and amphipod population... but it have been unreasonably difficult for me to install an undersand filter for a year now due to warping in some tank components.

Feeding a lot I believe also helps my tanks bio diversity. I think to many people starve their tanks. But I have no idea what it will do to yours. I sometimes even purposely over feed my already over feedings to drive some dino outbreaks. Yeah, don't listen to me.