Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!mcnc!uvaarpa!umd5!mimsy!oddjob!gargoyle!ddsw1!gryphon!richard From: richard@gryphon.UUCP Newsgroups: alt.aquaria,rec.pets Subject: Re: Tank Filtration Message-ID: <2470@gryphon.CTS.COM> Date: Thu, 3-Dec-87 01:56:10 EST Article-I.D.: gryphon.2470 Posted: Thu Dec 3 01:56:10 1987 Date-Received: Sun, 6-Dec-87 15:44:54 EST References: <1097@inuxd.UUCP> <353@nrc-ut.UUCP> Reply-To: richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) Organization: Trailing Edge Technology, Redondo Beach, CA Lines: 49 Xref: utgpu alt.aquaria:29 rec.pets:1667 Summary: another view In article <353@nrc-ut.UUCP> andre@nrc-ut.UUCP (Andre' Hut) writes: >In article <1097@inuxd.UUCP> padgett@inuxd.UUCP (Gary Padgett) writes: >>At the advice if a friend I arranged my tank (29 gal.) so that the >>power filter pulls water through the undergravel filter. I have > >This is almost the best set-up. I disagree. What you have with an outside filter is a device removing suspended junk from the water. It would get trapped in the filter material where it can be easily removed. In a sub-sand filter its a lot harder to remove, and worse, it's still IN THE TANK. > The undergravel filter is by far the >best type of filter for keeping the ammonia levels under control, and >the more flow you have through it, the better. The best set-up is to >have the water going *down* your 'uplift' tubes. This has the advantage >of keeping your gravel clean, while still maintaining the biological >filtration. The water should be pulled from the surface where there >is more oxygen, If there is any degree of water movement, there should be appx. equal amounts of dissolved oxygen throughout tha tank. then through your mechanical filter, then through >the chemical filter (carbon), then down under the gravel filter, and >back up. The oxygen is useful to the bacteria which break down the >ammonia into nitrates (which are then used by your green plants). > >You do have to clean up the bottom once and awhile though, cause nothing >is sucking water from the bottom. This is how those "Vortex reverse flo undergravel filters" work. They've been around quite a few years and havn't really seemed to catch on. There just doesnt seem to be an advantage to them. > >Andre' Hut -- Richard J. Sexton INTERNET: richard@gryphon.CTS.COM UUCP: {hplabs!hp-sdd, sdcsvax, ihnp4, nosc}!crash!gryphon!richard "It's too dark to put the keys in my ignition..."