# undergravel filter with plants/sand help



## alex5467 (Nov 2, 2013)

im looking to buy this http://www.truaqua.com/aquarium-tank-st320.html it has a good light, a hood and it's the perfect for me

Its cheap, but the only downside is that i heard undergravel filters dont work well will with live plants and with small sized substrates. My goal is to make my tank look somewhat like http://www.aquascapingworld.com/gallery/images/850/1_Riverbank_Ryuboku_aquascape_.jpg one large driftwood covered in moss and a few plants around
Any idea/plan on how to have live plants in that tank, or would i have to spend another $10 on a hang-on filter


----------



## Chachi (Sep 22, 2013)

I'm glad you asked this question cause I just bought the 14.5 gallon of the same tank and was wondering the same thing. Or can you just use plants in gravel? do they have to be in sand/substrate? In my smaller tank I have live plants in gravel. Hmmm....


----------



## tlatch89 (Apr 26, 2013)

The only downside I see is when you have to clean the filter you will have to uproot all of your plants.


----------



## peachii (Jan 6, 2013)

We just received our 6.6 today and it is absolutely awesome for the price listed. The light is a 7200K light and plenty bright enough for just about any plants that i have with no Co2 running. We are opting to go with a small sponge filter from Truaqua that we ordered last month http://www.truaqua.com/aquatop-internal-sponge-filter-caf-10.html, it's tiny but plenty big enough for this tank. Main thing is the small sponge filter doesn't take up much room and the flow is fine for a betta.

On the back of the hood it has a swinging door that you can lift up to insert any other type of filter you like, and for cords to go through. Most lids you have to saw off the plastic pieces to fit your filter but this one just lifts right up. 

I'm really impressed by it, no idea why it's this cheap.


----------



## alex5467 (Nov 2, 2013)

peachii said:


> We just received our 6.6 today and it is absolutely awesome for the price listed. The light is a 7200K light and plenty bright enough for just about any plants that i have with no Co2 running. We are opting to go with a small sponge filter from Truaqua that we ordered last month http://www.truaqua.com/aquatop-internal-sponge-filter-caf-10.html, it's tiny but plenty big enough for this tank. Main thing is the small sponge filter doesn't take up much room and the flow is fine for a betta.
> 
> On the back of the hood it has a swinging door that you can lift up to insert any other type of filter you like, and for cords to go through. Most lids you have to saw off the plastic pieces to fit your filter but this one just lifts right up.
> 
> I'm really impressed by it, no idea why it's this cheap.


That sponge you're buying looks like a good and cheap filter. I'm not familiar with a sponge filter but it seems ideal to me. Does the pump included with tank work with the sponge filter? or would i have to buy another pump.


----------



## peachii (Jan 6, 2013)

alex5467 said:


> That sponge you're buying looks like a good and cheap filter. I'm not familiar with a sponge filter but it seems ideal to me. Does the pump included with tank work with the sponge filter? or would i have to buy another pump.



We have not turned it on yet but with something to hold it tight (or a slightly larger tube) against the bottom of the pump it should work just fine.


----------



## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

IMO-undergravel filter (UGF) are not a good choice for rooted live plants-The plant roots will cause the UGF to not function proper-as well as the water movement between the plates are not good for plant roots-

You can use the UGF if you only want to grow species of plants that don't root-Like ferns, anubias, moss that are tied to something or floating plants like hornwort, water lettuce, frogbit, duckweed will all do okay with UGF-You just want to avoid any species of plants that root....

IMO/E-especially with keeping Betta...you don't need or want filtration or water movement-especially with the Long fin male Betta...but that is just my opinion based on personal experience. 

Depending on the number, species and growth state of the plants-they will provide all the filtration needed for a Betta-along with some shrimp and/or snails if you wanted to keep them too. With the added benefit of meeting the needs of beneficial bacteria.

IMO/E- planted tanks either thrive or crash based on your lights-the wrong color temp lights, age of bulb and PP can mean the difference between success and failure with live plants.....Photosynthesis.....


----------

