Under Gravel filter

[Paul B]

You can get bigger plates and cut them. Remember I run 150GPH down each of my 3 plates on my 6' 125 gallon tank. Just size it up using that as a measurement. But don't push to much water through it. Less is better.
I use dolomite but I doubt you can get that today unless you go to a museum or a mausoleum.

Crushed coral should work.

A UG filter is very difficult to make because you can't just drill holes in a plate. A proper UG filter should have slots not holes and the slots should be longer or wider the further it gets from the tube to even out the water flow. I built a few of them and as much as I almost never buy anything ready made, I make an exception for this.

Holes would also clog quickly but slots don't clog as easily.

 

[Jekyl]

I use crushed coral and the pre fab plates. I think I have some I didn't use around here. I'll take a looks and see how it would work out.

 

[Unregistered1]

You can get bigger plates and cut them. Remember I run 150GPH down each of my 3 plates on my 6' 125 gallon tank. Just size it up using that as a measurement. But don't push to much water through it. Less is better.
I use dolomite but I doubt you can get that today unless you go to a museum or a mausoleum.

Crushed coral should work.

A UG filter is very difficult to make because you can't just drill holes in a plate. A proper UG filter should have slots not holes and the slots should be longer or wider the further it gets from the tube to even out the water flow. I built a few of them and as much as I almost never buy anything ready made, I make an exception for this.

Holes would also clog quickly but slots don't clog as easily.

Do you buy a certain brand ??

 

[Unregistered1]

Why did dolomite disappear was crushed coral just better?

 

[Jekyl]

Do you buy a certain brand ??

I use Penn-Plax

 

[Unregistered1]

I use Penn-Plax

Yep, i remeber that brand.....and i think Lee's maybe it was

 

[Mark Gray]

I don't anymore but Paul B is currently running one

 

[Jekyl]

I think it would be fun to do the next tank in this fashion also. May actually turn some heads when they see a large unconventional tank thriving. I've seen more and more people lately asking about our systems.

 

[Unregistered1]

More people to need to hear and see about your system. It doesnt have to be expensive or complicated does it?

 

[Jekyl]

More people to need to hear and see about your system. It doesnt have to be expensive or complicated does it?

The tank will be set up like everyone else is for the most part. Just using crushed coral and a RUGF. What's really gonna upset people is when they find out I don't plan on quarantine either. Planning to use mostly rock from KP or gulfliverock.

 

[Unregistered1]

The tank will be set up like everyone else is for the most part. Just using crushed coral and a RUGF. What's really gonna upset people is when they find out I don't plan on quarantine either. Planning to use mostly rock from KP or gulfliverock.

Kp aquatics? Hey what pump are you running the rugf with

 

[Jekyl]

Ummmm..... I have no idea to be honest. It was a cheap 650gph pump I found at the lfs. I have it plumbed with a "T" to send flow to both plates. So roughly 325 gph to each.
Edit: yes KP aquatics

 

[Jekyl]

I have a spare somewhere. The one in the tank is covered in coraline. I'll see if I can find it tomorrow.

 

[Unregistered1]

Ummmm..... I have no idea to be honest. It was a cheap 650gph pump I found at the lfs. I have it plumbed with a "T" to send flow to both plates. So roughly 325 gph to each.
Edit: yes KP aquatics

They seem like good people i order from them several times...Ok i was just trying figure how much flow and you answered that

 

[Jekyl]

They seem like good people i order from them several times...Ok i was just trying figure how much flow and you answered that

If I were to do it again I would go lower than that. Paul runs at 2-250 or so per plate I think. Think he suggested going even lower than that. Everything I have going for me I learned from him.

 

[Hot2na]

I was trying to be clever with your username and the song True Religion by Hot Tuna.

Most people on here ...aren't old enough to know Jorma Or Jack.....lol

 

[Paul B]

Do you buy a certain brand ??

Remember I only bought two of them in my life. One in the 70s and one 3 years ago when I got a slightly larger tank and moved here.

Why did dolomite disappear was crushed coral just better?

I think Dolomite comes from Italy and must have been used for something else. But when salt tanks came out, there was no crushed coral so dolomite it was.

250 GPH is enough water to pump under each plate, No more or you will have problems. I tried many flow
rates.

Actually I think I use 150GPH. Now with all these numbers being thrown around, I forgot. It's in my book someplace.

 

[Screwgunner]

Last time I did a reef I tried the bullet proof reef you put pvc pipe on the bottom of your tank then square light diffuser on top nylon screen crushed coral another screen sand . You leave a hole in one corner cut a 45 degree angle at the bottom put it all the way to the bottom of your tang put a power head on it . After you tank is going good you pull the pipe now you have a plenum system.

 

[hhaase]

Ahhhh, the memories. It's been a while since I ran my penn-plax undergravel filter in a metaframe tank with a slate bottom. Good times, good times. Though I only used them for smaller freshwater tanks. Dad had Dynaflow's on the 55, because he got the GOOD stuff.

My Uncle had a small tank with a pair of clowns and an anemone running a bubble-driven undergravel when I was a kid. He had that tank set up for YEARS, and it always looked pristine with the shiny white dead coral on top of shiny white crushed coral substrate.

 

[SPS2020]

My first couple of tanks were undergravel with about an inch and a half of crushed coral. A 20 gallon Long was the first tank, with a huge carpet anemone on one end...circa 1985. I went to reverse flow not too long afterwards.