Under Gravel Filter With Powerheads Setup Question

[skjl47]

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If you plan on going the UGF route, I highly recommend using M. Moe's system. The bonded filter pad adds up to 800 times the surface area for BB to adhere to, makes for an excellent anchoring point for plant roots, prevents detritus from clogging the slits and under plate, and the weave is enough to keep large debris at the surface for east vacuuming.

I've used this setup for years in my large predator tanks and it's been a definite asset to the systems even where I wasn't running additional filtration. The last UGF only tank I ran held 17 polys, a SAL, and 3 FL gars. After nearly 3 years the tank was broken down for a relocation. The bonded pad was only minimally stained, the onion plant roots spread over a foot through the pad (The plants were never dislodged by the monsters), and there was zero dirt deposited under the 4-powerhead UGF plates.

Hello; This is a new concept to me. Always something new to learn. I like the concept. If I look for one do I search under bonded filter pad or is ther some other product name they go by?

 

[Oddball]

Bonded padding is commonly available. It's the material that is blue on one side, white on the other.



For heavier-than-normal substrate beds, a coarser material may be used such as pond pads (Matala or polyethylene).

 

[EastBay]

I know this thread is a little old, but I have a suggestion: how about an "under substrate jet" system? Basically, instead of pulling gunk down into the undergravel filter, you use the powerhead to blow the gunk up into the water column and then it gets sucked into your filter. (Although I missed if you said what your other filtration system is).
You take the PH and reverse it: use pvc on the output on the PH. attach it to a series of pvc under the substrate, with nozzles placed every so often and sticking slightly out of the substrate (sand/gravel/whatever you have).
Don't know if this makes any sense. If you want, you can google "undergravel jets." I know people on chichlid-forum use them.