shrimp and UGFs

[Trevor Pleco]

I know this has been discussed before here, but I wondered if there were any recent thoughts and experiences with using UGFs and an active substrate such as ADA in shrimp breeding tanks ? It would just be a normal UGF plate with air stone, covering about half the tank base. I was thinking of doing a test tank and including a 20mm layer of fine volcanic rock pebbles directly above the UGF plates to aid the bacteria and circulation and also to ideally filter and reduce the ADA potentially clogging up the UGF as it powders over time. I was also considering adding a thin filter mat immediately above the UGF plates, so below the volcanic rock to keep the UGF clear, but presumably this might block things too much and be counter productive ?

Is this irresponsible and complete madness and tempting fate ? I would also be using a big sponge filter in this 70L tank. I would welcome any thoughts here ?

 

[EnderUK]

Under gravel filters are usually not recommended on this forum for the reasons you have stated. Is there any reason you can't use a canister or a hob filter?

 

[Edvet]

Maybe a HMF, can be disguised with some javafern, safe, long running time and you can hide the heater in it.

 

[Trevor Pleco]

Under gravel filters are usually not recommended on this forum for the reasons you have stated. Is there any reason you can't use a canister or a hob filter?

Sure I agree I have not bought one for 25 years

Just to be clear this is not a scaping tank, but purely for keeping and breeding shrimp with some moss and pellia added. There seems quite a bit of positive talk using UGFs for shrimp breeding particularly in the east and the benefits of aerating the substrate and bacteria and to burn up nitrates. I was keen to try something different or in combination with other filters. I have canisters and HOBs in my other shrimp tanks which are great, although the HOBS are problematic for me given our almost daily power cuts here, ''load shedding" as they politely call it and so the HOBs can loose prime or the water runs out the suction pipe and leaves them dry for several hours, the life and times of living in Africa..