Sitemaps

used undergravel filter trouble2007-11-24 23:40:26

When I bought my latest aquarium, it came with two filters. A regular hang over the top type and an undergravel one. Well, the undergravel was all taken apart and came with no instructions. I have never set up one and decided to just forget it.

What should I do with it? Toss it? Sell it? I don't even know if all the pieces are with it. Hate to accidently screw someone over.

Or, are there possible instructions online?

What would you do?

Answers:

I'd throw it away, there not that great all the fish wast gets trapped under it and can throw off you ph and acid levels. Stick with the over the tank filters there better

---

Do a search on the web for the NAME BRAND of the underground filter.you should find a manual on-line

---

undergravel filters are very passe and old fashioned. The power filter you have (the hand over the top type) will work well. You need a filter bag in it with some carbon added. You can buy them ready filled. You should make sure your power filter is big enough for the tank you are trying to filter. Now, lets talk about cycling the tank. At first, put few fish in and WAIT. The tank will get cloudy and then clear up over a few weeks. Test the water for ph, ammonia, chlorine. Do not change the water or worry. SOme of your fish will probably die. This is due to the normal fluctuation of ammonia in a new tank until the proper bacteria develops in the tank to eat up the ammonia. Do not buy new fish! Wait until your tank stabilizes. Only when the ammonia levels disappear should you get any new fish, and then only one/two at a time. (unless you have a very big tank) You should have about 1" of fish for each gallon of tank. i.e. 10 gallons/10 guppies (not huge one inch gold fish which are really 8 guppies in the shape of one goldfish.) After your tank clears, you need to do monthly water changes (about 30-50%) of the water. (people's opinions vary as to how much water, and when, but this is the easiest way.)You need a siphon to "vacumn" your gravel at the bottom of the tank (which should be no more than 1-2 inches deep). THe siphon removes ditritus (gunk) from the bottom of the tank as it removes the water. Put in new, decholorinated water. The filters on the tank do not remove gunk ,only the floating particles from the water.