# Undergravel Filter?



## it4lian (Mar 4, 2008)

I'm setting up my 29 gallon for some smaller cichlids and I've heard they like good filtration. I have a Whisper 30 gallon filter that came with the tank, but I've heard they ain't all too great, so I was wondering if I could add an undergravel filter to help with the filtration, I don't have a whole lot of room to hang another one on the back, but I could maybe fit one thats for a 10 gallon, would that bne good enough? Basically I'm asking should I trry and get a 10 gallon Hang on back one in addition to the 30 gallon one or get an undergravel filter in addition to the 30 gallon one. All helps appreciated. Thank you.


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## it4lian (Mar 4, 2008)

*Cichlid substrate*

my bad ignore this one. hit wrong button.


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## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

Undergravel filter? Maybe 30 years ago.

The Whisper 30 may really be inadequate for a 29 gallon tank despite Whisper's claims. I'm not a fan. It will probably work with little fish but once they start getting bigger you may begin to have problems. I am a fan of canisters. Could you set up a canister somewhere down the line?


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Undergravel filters work, and they are relatively invisible. Is that important to you? A large sponge filter with a powerhead is equally effective but much less trouble to maintain, but somewhat ugly.


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## it4lian (Mar 4, 2008)

I ended up getting a submersible 10 gallon filter, I'm still considering getting an undergravel filter in addition to it though. I know whipser aren't that great, and I don't plan on getting a canister filter for a 29 gallon. Whenever I get like a 75 gallon or something I'm going to get a good canister filter for it, but I don't think its nesessary for a 29 gal. Is Fluval have good filters? Thats who makes the 10 gallon filter I got. Thanks guys.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Fluval canisters get good reviews here, I haven't seen anything on their little filters. I guess I would put a HOT magnum on a 29 that was really heavily stocked, but nothing stronger. The big double-wide penguin with bio-wheels isn't too strong for a 29, but it does need a lot a space. 

What sort of cichlids? With a UG, you periodically have to take everything out of the tank and clean under the UG plate. If you do this anyway (like to catch the fry or redecorate), then it might be worth the trouble. Oh and definitely skip the UG if you want live plants, the roots get hopeless tangled in the plate. UG filters were standard years ago, but some people really hate them now. I just think they are a lot of work. Bare-bottom tanks are so much easier.


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## it4lian (Mar 4, 2008)

I was planning on a small amount of P. Saulosi, just like 1 male and 4 females, so a total of 5 and an albino bristle nose pleco, would that work in the tank? I'm hopefully getting a 55 gallon in 2-3 months, and I was planning on putting larger tangs in it, but I could move the saulosi into it if the 29 gal didn't work for them. I've heard they do alright in a 29 gallon, and I plan on making a lot of caves and stuff, and maybe getting another 10 gallon filter if they like good filtration. What yall think of this setup?


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Well I've done Saulosi in a 30 long with a Penguin 350 and a big sponge filter. It got pretty filthy. I don't think a lot of 10 gallon filters are going to cut it. You'd be cleaning them all the time. For cichlids, you should get a filter thats rated for a 55 or 70 gallon tank. A 29g is kind of small. You might get away with it if you only have 1 male, or you might get females jumping out. The profiles say 4" max, but mine are at least 4" without the tail, almost as big as my yellow labs. If you keep them in a small tank the odds of fry go way down, unless you have brood tanks for the females. If you put them in the 55 with lots of rocks, I'm sure you would get babies without doing anything special. They are pretty mild, so you prob. could keep them in a 29g, but I'm not going to recommend it. I really want to give mine a 55 as soon as I can.


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## it4lian (Mar 4, 2008)

Yeah, if I had room in my room I would already have a 55 gallon, but I can't put one in until like 2 months from now when we move the pool table over to the other side of our game room. Then a 55 gal is gonna go against the wall, but I've been thinking of putting tangs in there. If the saulosi don't work in the 29 gal I have a neighbor with a 90 gal that would take them.


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## it4lian (Mar 4, 2008)

I ended up getting a sumbermsible Fluval 2plus filter, which is rated for 24 gallons in addition to the whipser 30 so thats about 50 gallons of filtration. Think thats good enough?


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