# UGJ, the perfect design



## acrosstic (Mar 24, 2008)

Well I don't have it, but I installed a simple UGJ in my 20 gallon to see how best I might design my UGJ in my eventual 125.

You guys probably have observed the same and different things.

Here is what I noticed.

1. just two UGJ in a 20 gallon did a good job of suspending the waste...ok
2. Forward blowing jets just made sure the waste was suspended and didn't aide in getting the waste to the filter intake.
3. it takes a while for suspended matter to finally make it to the filter.
4. Forward blowing jets prevent the waste in some cases from going into the filter intake (I'd imagine if they blew forward and most of that water momentum bounced off the front glass and backwards it would be better, but the one blowing forward in the back right only really helped suspend waste).
5. The perfect design in my mind might be one in which jets blow backwards or blows forward and uses the glass to direct the flow backwards towards the intakes. As long as there is still enough current to make sure waste doesn't settle in hte back corners, all the media should find its way backwards where the filter intake can do its job.

I had a design idea only to a few people say it wasn't a good one. I now am thinking about installing one similar, but with a few tweaks.










I'll try to add a backwards blowing jets in the middle of the tank somewhere, and I think my 125 will have 9 jets instead of just 6. Also, I'll have each pump on its own system.


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## fishwolfe (Mar 27, 2005)

thats similar to the one i made for my 55.worked great.i also put a jet in the middle of the cross tube.


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## acrosstic (Mar 24, 2008)

fishwolfe said:


> thats similar to the one i made for my 55.worked great.i also put a jet in the middle of the cross tube.


I am going to as well. One will blow debris away from my rock pile and the other will be keeping waste off the substrate in my open water area.

I'll have three structures with 3-4 jets each.

My Aquaclear 201s had PLENTY of power for 2 jets. I'm going to try for 50-75 gph per jet.

Anyone have a per jet gph guidline that they have found works.


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## BrianNFlint (Apr 1, 2007)

Thats exactly how I made my USJ using 2 Penguin 1140s. It works great.. Good luck with the new tank!


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## cichlid_junkie (Dec 19, 2005)

I've had mine running for a couple of years now and it works great. I can't imagine actually having to vacuum my tank whenever I clean it - although I have vacuumed it a couple of times when I did some major re-arranging of the decor.

I think you'll want between 125 - 150 gph per jet. I have 900 gph going through 7 jets and its just about right for me. The bottom stays spotless and the water is crystal clear - as long as it doesn't get stirred up. I put it on a timer too so it only runs during the day.

I would also look into CPVC for your piping instead of PVC. It's thinner walls gives better flow for the same space. It works great for me anyway. One other thing is I have all of my jets pointing at the filter intake.

Hope this helps


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## acrosstic (Mar 24, 2008)

cichlid_junkie said:


> I've had mine running for a couple of years now and it works great. I can't imagine actually having to vacuum my tank whenever I clean it - although I have vacuumed it a couple of times when I did some major re-arranging of the decor.
> 
> I think you'll want between 125 - 150 gph per jet. I have 900 gph going through 7 jets and its just about right for me. The bottom stays spotless and the water is crystal clear - as long as it doesn't get stirred up. I put it on a timer too so it only runs during the day.
> 
> ...


125-150 gph per jet? That is a ton. I guess I could pipe my sump return to the UGJ if I wanted, but I have a ton of powerheads I was going to use (1140, 550 marinelands and AC 401).

maybe 75-100 gph per jet will be better, but NO waste has landed in my 20 gallon, with two jets at about 60 gph per jet and they aren't even positioned well.

I'll either do my sump return (900 gph) over 9 jets, or aim for about 100 gphs per jet with the powerheads.


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## BrianNFlint (Apr 1, 2007)

I'm getting about 100 per jet and its more than enough current for a 18" tank.


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## cichlid_junkie (Dec 19, 2005)

I guess it really depends on your jets. If their big then the water doesn't come out as fast as when the openings are small. I did my own thing with my jet design, which isn't like what I've seen everyone else do. The best thing would be to test it out good before you bury it in the substrate.

I will say that my tank stays spotless, even a hour after it gets stirred up pretty good.

Just make sure you have a good siphon break if your using it as a return from your sump :thumb:


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## stslimited84 (Oct 5, 2007)

So are the green blocks the powerheads? The blue blocks the filter intakes, and the red blocks the UGJ openings?

Are all the UGJ openings facing the back of the tank? It looks like a good design, I just need some clarification so I can understand it better to implement it in my tanks.

Nice job :thumb:


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## acrosstic (Mar 24, 2008)

Here is what I think I have settled on. I also think flow rate is more important with a less precise design. Every jet is going to be aimed at the back PVC overflows. I am probably going to have about 85 gph for each jet. 10 jets and a magdrive 9.5 pumping up about 4 feet.










Here is a thread for the kind of PVC Overflow I made.

http://cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=170239


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