# Options on removal of UG filters?



## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

Ok, here's the deal. I put a UG filter in my 55g and should have researched more beforehand and went with a canister...too late now.

I want to remove it. Only problem is if I leave my tank with the gravel I don't want to go through the trouble of pulling all the gravel out and all that junk just to get the plates out.

Can I just take out the uptake tubes and plug off the holes for the plate and leave it in there??

Or is my only option to take the plates out??


----------



## JOHNS FISHING (Mar 15, 2008)

HOW LONG HAS BEEN SET UP IF NOT LONG U SHOULD NOT HAVE A BUNCH OF GUNK UNDER PLATES JUST PULL IT ALL OUT LEAVES GRAVEL IN THERE JUST PULL PLATES OUT


----------



## zoyvig (Oct 27, 2006)

I aggree with JF. Remove it slowly while you are siphoning the bottom for a water change. Lift it from the back and roll it to the front slowly letting the gravel fall towards the front while you siphon the water from under the plate.


----------



## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

It's been in there a couple months. It has poo under it.

I was thinking about just taking the uptake pipe out and just capping it off until I did a full tank cleaning in a few months. Every couple months I like to take the whole tank down and do a good cleaning on it.

Should it hurt if I just cap off the UG plates for a couple months? I have a canister (XP2) and Emperor 400 running right now. I was gonna use the powerheads to keep the flow of water moving toward the XP2 intake.


----------



## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

If you're careful, you can pull it out one side at a time.... waiting will just make it worse.

-Ryan


----------



## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

Well, I guess I have a project for this weekend now.


----------



## MightyWarMonger (Mar 20, 2007)

Also I don't think its a good idea to take the tank down completly every couple months kills all the benifical bacteria in the tank. just do grvel vacume, scrape alge, regular water changes, and regular filter matinance IMHO.


----------



## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

I don't take the tank down and drain all the water...I leave about 20-30% of the water and just remove all the decorations so I can vacuum all the gravel out real good.


----------



## 1_cich_fish (Feb 1, 2009)

I also went through this project. Let me tell you, what a pain in the butt. I took out about 50% water and decorations. My UGF came in 4 panels, so I decided to start on the left side first and pushed all the gravel over toward the right. It was in there for awhile so it was a pain to get out. I used a stainless steel spoon to pry it up and lift it out. I then pushed all the gravel over to the left and did the rest like that.

After you get all the panels out, the water is yucky looking from everything floating around. I then sucked out about 10-20% more water, filed up the tank and voila! Withing an hour the tank settled and everything was clear again. No fish were hurt during the removal of the UGF :thumb:


----------



## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> After you get all the panels out, the water is yucky looking from everything floating around. I then sucked out about 10-20% more water


That's a good thing to keep in mind. Leave enough water so that you can vacuum out the debris once 
the plates are removed. Don't drain it down too low before you start.


----------



## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

I'm thinking now about starting to take the plates out with all the water in the tank and then doing about 50-75% water change once done...that way I can make sure to get all the poo out.


----------



## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

That's what I'd do. Turn off all filters, etc and let it settle for a while. Then vacuum it up. You won't get it 
all, but the filters will take care of the rest once you turn them back on. Just keep an eye on the fish in 
and watch for signs of severe stress or gasping at the surface. In which case, start the water change 
immediately.


----------



## CICHLUDED (Aug 4, 2006)

You could also start by putting a siphon hose down your lift tubes, and removing as much poop as possibleâ€¦

Iâ€™ve also found that you can remove a lot of debris with a large extra fine fish netâ€¦

Good luck.

.


----------



## iceblue (Apr 27, 2004)

I did my change over from ugf to canister and power filter over a one month period. By removing the gravel a little at a time it allowed the other filters to take over the bio-load with-out adversely effecting my water quality. Here's a thread on how I did it. http://www.mbunamadness.com/forum/viewt ... f=20&t=852


----------



## kelbri (Feb 6, 2009)

Boy oh boy. I remember about 15 years ago around here when UGF's took hold. Everyone NEEDED one. Funny how things change. Now, nobody really wants them. I'm glad I didn't jump in with both feet, but soon enough, I will NEED to get a canister.


----------



## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

I got it done and from the time I took the fish out of the tank (thank God I took the fish out) to the time I got them back in it took about 4 hours.

I'm glad I took them out cuz soon as I started lifting the plates the entire tank turned black. There was a lot of poop floating around.

I took out the filters, scooped out the gravel, took ALL the water out, cleaned the sand, put it in the tank, filled it back up, got it up to heat, checked parameters, then put the fish back in.

Got done about 1AM last night and the fish are doing great. The seem to like their new surroundings and digging in the sand.


----------



## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

Oh, and I used the two powerheads to get some water movement. Put them both on one side of the tank blowing toward the canister intake. It seems to be working out fine.


----------



## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

Glad it went well. I'd suggest keeping an eye on ammonia and nitrite levels for a few days after doing a 
major change like this. I'd leave the other filter(s) alone for a while too. Let things settle and make sure 
the biofiltration can get fully re-established as some of it would have been removed.



> I'm glad I took them out cuz soon as I started lifting the plates the entire tank turned black. There was a lot of poop floating around.


Gives you a real good visual as to why it was good to remove them doesn't it?


----------



## July (Feb 23, 2009)

I don't know if it's good. But with my oscar I use both filters. Help me keep up with that dirty fish. But I have one (UGF) in my tropial mix tank and I don't even use it. Thinking of taking it out soon. Thank you for the info: gravel or sand for tanks. I'm slowly thinking of getting a new tank. Not sure what type of fishs yet. :roll:


----------



## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

I did this change on Friday. I did an ammonia and nitrate test a little while ago (Sunday 5PM) and I was 0 on both nitrate and ammonia. PH is 8.0. Everything looks perfect so far.


----------



## BillD (May 17, 2005)

You can leave the plates in. Stick a siphon hose don the lift tubes and suck as much of the debris as will come out. Most of it will come out, then cap the holes. You will now have a plenum under the gravel which will possibly help remove nitrate. Most of the nitrifying bacteria will die off in the gravel but a few ater changes will take care of that. Run the cannister for a few weeks beofre capping the UGF to allow it to get well started.
Nobody "NEEDS" to get a cannister. UGFs have been around since the 60s, and lots of stores still use them. They are cheap and do the job, and while they don't work especially well with diggers, in a reverse flow set up they require no maintenance, and in conjunction with a HOB or cannister, they will pretty much eliminate the need for gravel vacuuming.


----------



## July (Feb 23, 2009)

Thank you BillD. That's what I' m doing with my oscar tank. One of the tube of my UGF is connected to my cannister. It helps, but a good gravel vacuuming is need each week any away. Between him and the pleco,that's a lot of poooo  
But for my tropical tank. The UGF is one that I made  from pipes. So there are no plats and it should be easy to remove.


----------



## July (Feb 23, 2009)

Thank you BillD. That's what I' m doing with my oscar tank. One of the tube of my UGF is connected to my cannister. It helps, but a good gravel vacuuming is need each week any away. Between him and the pleco,that's a lot of poooo  
But for my tropical tank. The UGF is one that I made  from pipes. So there are no plats and it should be easy to remove.


----------



## Bachachi (Sep 8, 2004)

I removed my ugf by first using a shop vac to suck up some of the muck under the plate. 
I had two uplift tubes, to one I attached the vac with the necessary down size fittings to fit 
the up lift tube ( you can find these in home depot ). Then I blocked off the other tube with 
some plumbers putty to sort of close the system to create better suction. Then I repeated
the same procedure by switching the vac to the opposite side. After this was completed
you will still have some muck under the filter. Next take all your rocks etc. out of the 
tank so just the gravel is remaining. Now push as much gravel to the front of the tank 
as you can especially pay attention to the gravel in the recesses between the plate and
the aquarium glass making sure you get all of it out so that it doesn't interfere with lifting 
up the plate. Now you can take out the two up lift tubes, and using your fingers in the holes
on both sides begin to slowly lift up the plate. Lift the plate up as far as you can with out
pulling the plate out but just to the point where the gravel on the front of the plate holds the 
plate in position so you can siphon some more of the gunk that was under the plate. Note you
may have to use something to brace the plate from falling back as your siphoning. Once 
completed remove the plate completely, and reposition your gravel . Now finish by doing 
a water change that amounts to about fifty to sixty percent total. Turn on your filter and it
should clear up the rest in a few hours.


----------

