Question

[ChrisMack]

Heres a little something I'm wondering about, and was wondering what some of you "More Experienced" fishkeepers think.

I'm currently re-setting up my Pufferfish (oh! the little cuties) Tank...recently I aquired a Fizzerbar (???) Is that what people call them? and wondered if that could be used as an "undergravel filter"

Am I correct in assuming that the gravel actually does most of the filtereing, and essentially the upriser tube on a traditional undergravel filter is more for airation puroses.

If this is correct, surely a fizzerbar placed under some gravel would have the same effect, as the bubbles produced would still create an updraft.....

Has anyone got a reason why this technique couldnt be used?

And hey feel free to call me stupid......if this is a bizarre enquiry

Thanks for any ideas help......

[Pegasus]

Hi Chris,

You ask:

Am I correct in assuming that the gravel actually does most of the filtereing,

Correct

and essentially the upriser tube on a traditional undergravel filter is more for airation puroses.

Incorrect...

The riser tube is the means for drawing water from beneath the gravel and lifting it (by means of air or powerhead) to the surface.

In doing this it creates a slight suction, by drawing the water through the substrate (gravel) and over time each particle of gravel becomes a storage for bacteria that will consume the waste products, so eventually, relatively clean water will be pumped from the riser pipes, as all the wastes are (again eventually) turned into minerals.

Just basic... but may help

[ChrisMack]

Thanks Pegasus, I guess in the end all I really wanted to know is if a fizzerbar (again ???) would do a sufficient job of creatiing enough of a current to act as an underground filter by itself, or would a "true" underground filter be needed also?

Thanks,

ChrisMack

[Ira]

A fizzer bar I'm assuming is just a long airstone you'd have laying on top of the gravel? No, it won't do anything similar to what an undergravel filter would do. You'd get heaps of current and airation which would be good, but it wouldn't move any water through the gravel.

[ChrisMack]

Knew there was another name for the Fizzerbar :lol: (just couldnt think of it at the time of posting)

Ira..thanks for the info, however i was thinking if placing the "AIRSTONE" at the bottom of the tank and covering it with gravel, so the bubbles would rise up through the gravel.....another thought I have had is to use the Plates from the undergravel filter (placing the airstone under these first! This should cuase some vacuum like a riser would.

The reason for this you might ask.......Simply pure looks! I like the idea of having a row of bubbles wobbling their way to the top of the tank, and instead of having a rather bulky looking riser tube, all you would have is a lenght of airtube running up one side of the tank!

ChrisMack

[Ira]

I've tried covering the airstone with gravel. For me all it ever managed to do is the airstone either blew all the gravel off and unburied itself or I ended up with it making really big bubbles and going "Bloop bloop bloop bloop"

[ChrisMack]

Yep, just been playing around with the airstone setup, and I too had the BLOOOPING problem...which wont be a good thing as this tank is going to be set up in my bedroom! ( ohhh! many nights looking like this )

BUT...after playing around with the gravel for a few minutes...then reattaching the airline because it had split at the airstone joining point (and i hadnt noticed :-? I managed to get it to work ok.....no BLOOOPING, and no shifting of the gravel!

Now.....if only I can get the pump to stop vibrating

ChrisMack

[Caryl]

You will find they are also called bubble curtains.

[ChrisMack]

hmmmm o.k. makes sense...anyone else got a name for them???? :lol:

ChrisMack

[Warren]

If you put air under the undergravel plates it will fill up most of the UGF with a thin layer of air. It will eventually find its way to either a riser tube or the weakest part of the UGF where it will exit as bubbles. The problem lies with the thin layer of air trapped under the UGF. This creates a pretty good seal and can seriously restrict the waterflow into the UGF. I strongly advise against trying this, as it will kill your UGF.

Almost all airpumps are noisy. I got annoyed at the noise so stuck mine under the house. It’s ok if you have a wooden floor as you can easily bore a hole through for the airline. A friend puts his in the wardrobe. The cheapest solution is usually to hide the pump from year ears.