UnderGravel Filter?

[Kuronue]

I've never tried one with guppies, then again ... never tried guppies. My old HM never had a problem with it, nor did the CT before him. I've had one in my tank for a number of years and never had a problem with bacteria buildup and my HM loved to sleep on the gravel.

As before mentioned, I've never kept a guppy. I've always had a betta in the tank and by all accounts guppies and a betta are a baaad combination. That said, I don't know with guppies, but at least in my experience bettas do just fine with an under gravel filter.

[Fishehgobloop]

I wonder if maybe an undergravel filter would be bad with guppies because they are small fish, and with the wrong covering of the outflow they may be able to swim in the tube for the undergravel filter? I'fe had guppies a few times and I never had problems with them and undergravel filters.But I had a proper covering for the outflow.
Also, Cheese is correct. Just because information is published in a book doesn't make it accurate. Things that make profits get published just as much if not more than things that make for a safe, healthy fish tank.

[ChoclateBetta]

Its by an aquarist with years of expierence that breeds show guppies and I am pretty sure the Betta person breeds show fish too.

[bryanacute]

I've had guppies. I can't keep guppies or goldfish alive. I have had red eyes tetras kissing gourami and some others.

[ChoclateBetta]

Wow Kissing Gouramis you must have had a large tank. I am pretty sure the one I saw inflicted huge damage on a large Cichlid.

[bryanacute]

I had 1

[ChoclateBetta]

Yes but they grow 12 inches and are aggressive.

[JAGalletta]

Hopefully I'm not bringing this post back from the dead, but I didn't want to start a new post with the same theme:

I just got an under-gravel filter - the modular one you piece together to fit your tank, with the two stacks, air stones, and carbon cartridges. It is my understanding that the bacteria colonies that process the ammonia and nitrites in the tank actually live in the substrate (and sponge in a sponge filter). That being said, wouldn't it be a natural(ish) solution to providing adequate water flow for the bacteria living in the gravel, thereby providing adequate processing of the ammonia and nitrite? I'm not so much worried about water clarity as I am with ammonia and nitrites. I'm believing that an under-gravel filter will be able to handle the bio-load of 6 inches of fish in a 5.5 gal tank after removing the power filter. Am I wrong? If not, would I need to "cycle" the under-gravel filter before removing the power filter?

Thanks in advance!

[ChoclateBetta]

In normal tanks the bacteria are on the substrate too.

[JAGalletta]

Ok, can anyone answer my question?