# Under- Gravel Jets



## aaronjunited (Sep 29, 2009)

I was reading the article in the library about the underwater jets.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/ug_jets.php

Basically this is a gravel filter isnt it?? But it has water outflow to produce currents and so on.
In the UK i'm not sure what needs to be done to get this effect.
I have here the RIO 2100 available in the UK. http://www.charterhouse-aquatics.co.uk/ ... -2389.html
I cant find the Marineland prefilter kit though, is the one in the article a reverse flow.

In the pictures in the article 
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/photos/art_ug_jets_06b.jpg 
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/photos/art_ug_jets_00.jpg

Which is which. Is this two seperate contraptions? One the pump and the other the filter??
Is the idea that you put the pump under water with the filter attatched and powered from outside the tank??

Any help would be appreciated.


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## Icey101 (Nov 5, 2007)

I am not exactly sure what your question is.

On my UGJ setup I used three Maxi-jet 1200 (295gph rating). Instead of messing with the prefilter kit, I just used the included large particle guard (not sure of exact name, it would stop a fish but not particles) and attached a round pond filter with rubberbands. I know there are pictures around of other people also doing this.

I have looked at using a different pump, like the one you mention to increase the flow, I want a bit more than than it currently has.


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## aaronjunited (Sep 29, 2009)

How could i get an UGJ up and running and with what equipment really. I'm finding it hard to understand that article.


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## Icey101 (Nov 5, 2007)

I see what your questioning after looking at the Rio 2100, the pumps I have used have an intake tube and exahust tube. With the Rio the intake is part of the body and not setup for a hose attachment? Am I correct in this?


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## aaronjunited (Sep 29, 2009)

I think your right going by the picture in the article.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/photos/art_ug_jets_00.jpg

Still a little confusing on what way it works lol.


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

I think your getting under gravel filters,*UGF* mixed up with under gravel jets,*UGJ*
One is a form of filtration, UGF.
The other is a means of getting debris blown towards a filter intake, UGJ.


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## aaronjunited (Sep 29, 2009)

KaiserSousay said:


> I think your getting under gravel filters,*UGF* mixed up with under gravel jets,*UGJ*
> One is a form of filtration, UGF.
> The other is a means of getting debris blown towards a filter intake, UGJ.


No i understand what the both of them are.
I just want to know how i can make the jets work aswell as filter debris with a sponge like in the article. I'm finding it hard to understand just.

Anyone care to elaborate on UGJ??
Thanks.


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## Icey101 (Nov 5, 2007)

This is a picture of my pump minus the filter.








best pic of my filters floating, these slide over the longer end of my pump and are held on by rubberbands.








I have there of these manifolds(shaped different) inside my tank with three outlets each. The vertical fitting is where the pump is plugged into, with the filter facing outwards a couple inches off the sand.

I have my jets aimed around my fish tank, across various rocks, and into corners in theory to keep the fish poo from landing on them. It should blow the poo around into the main filters and into the inlets of your UGJ pumps. All this might work great and to a point mine does, but I think I needed to do much more work with where the jets were placed, angle, power of the pump etc. My set up works to a point, but I ran it for about 6 months with the UGJ and 6 months without. The sand stayed a bit cleaner, but not enough for my to justify building them for that reason. The fish really do seem to enjoy the current they add to my tank though.









Pic of a jet.








Another jet.








Pump on the far right of my tank next to the heater.


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## Matt1986 (May 15, 2009)

aaronjunited said:


> KaiserSousay said:
> 
> 
> > I think your getting under gravel filters,*UGF* mixed up with under gravel jets,*UGJ*
> ...


A standard submersible pump has both an intake and an output. In order to setup an UGJ as in the article, you construct a system of piping and jets that are connected to the output of the pump.

The sponge to filter debris is cut to fit over the pump's intake, and works to filter some of the muck that will be stirred up by the UGJ, although ideally most of this muck should find its way to the main filter intake - be it a HOB or a canister or a sump. This sponge pre-filter is just an extra bit of filtration, which never hurts :thumb:

Hope that makes some kind of sense


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## aaronjunited (Sep 29, 2009)

Thanks yous two, brilliant job explaining it matt and brilliant pics icey. Icey whats the grid type thing you have on the floor of the tank. And what pump is that may i ask? Ohh and why do you have the pump near the heater. I thought the heater should be on the back wall of a tank??

I understand how to get the jets working now and how to filter up some ****e thats cant be picked up by the main filter. To me with two main filters and with a well designed under gravel jet system, it should be easy to get the directions right to get that extra muck to your main filter/s and thus keeping your tank in pristine clear condition along with regular water changes.

Any other tips that would help??

Thanks again lads.


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## Icey101 (Nov 5, 2007)

The grid is light defuser, its there so the rocks are not resting on the glass. Maxi-Jet 1200 pump. That heater is on the back wall, that pump is in the back right corner.


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## aaronjunited (Sep 29, 2009)

ahh nice idea mate. is it not a pain when your cleaning or is wise to use it. Ahh rite i see silly me. does it matter where the heater is on back wall, i have mine in the middle.


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## Rhinox (Sep 10, 2009)

aaronjunited said:


> does it matter where the heater is on back wall, i have mine in the middle.


I have a 55g tank with 2 aquaclear 110's. The AC110's are spread out on the back of the tank as far as possible, which puts the intake for the one on the left all the way in the back left corner. I have a 100w aqueon heater in the back left corner as well right next to the intake for the filter. I have been monitering the water temp on both the left and right side of the tank for a week now, and the tank seems to stay at a uniform temp.

So I have concluded that as long as you place the heater right next to a filter intake and you have adequate flow throughout the tank, then it makes no difference where the heater is in the tank.


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## TangSteve (Sep 20, 2009)

Anyone tried building an UGJ system using loc-lines to direct the water.

This would allow for changing the diretion rate and flow to any one jet very easily so as rock work is re-arranged the system is stioll doing it's job.

Has any one has issues using one with with sand?


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## Icey101 (Nov 5, 2007)

I am using 3m colorquartz and the jets do push the sand around a bit. I have placed rocks in a couple of places to stop my jets from clearing the sand down from certain areas. I think my setup would have worked a bit better if the jets were aimed more up in the air, instead of around 45 degree angle out.


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## aaronjunited (Sep 29, 2009)

Rhinox said:


> aaronjunited said:
> 
> 
> > does it matter where the heater is on back wall, i have mine in the middle.
> ...


Good idea this, i suppose the water being heated is closer to the filter which then sends out heated water at a constant flow .


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## aaronjunited (Sep 29, 2009)

Maybe dont make the jets as long, would that make a difference.
Whats a 3m colorquartz?


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

I've been thinking about these and like the idea but have not done anything. Water flow is a thing I have worked with some. It seems there would need to be quite a lot of experimental work done to get the jets just right for each tank setup. I wonder if a bit different end on the jets might be worth something. I'm thinking rather than crimping the pipe end, a cap might be used. Drilling holes in the cap and leaving the cap unglued might give one a chance to rotate the cap and direct the stream in different ways until he got it just where he wanted. Perhaps a 45 degree Elbow with a cap would give even more options?? Just thinking out loud. opcorn:


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## aaronjunited (Sep 29, 2009)

sounds like a good idea actually mate. might do a bit of planning on that.


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