can someone tell me what kind of filter this is?
 

Can someone more experienced tell me about this filter? I believe it's undergravel but not sure. Do you know if it's easy/difficult to maintain? (I've heard various about UG)

Suggestions and recommendations greatly appreciated. Thanks.

http://www.fishforum.com/userpix/304..._stuff_2_1.jpg

do u have some kind of box or manuel

All I see are 3-4 powerheads and a heater. No filter grate that would suggest it was an UGF filter.

Lots of options to go from with them. Could do an undergravel in reverse flow if the pwoerheads will work in reverse flow. Could set up 3-4 sponge filters on the ends of each of them.

As for ease of maintaining, unless you run reverse flow with another filter for mechanical filtration I wouldn't use one. You can but it almost requires that you tear down the tank and and completely clean out below the filter plate once a year.

Ok I was wondering that because I didnt see a plate either. I'm looking at getting another tank on craigslist and this guy is selling this with his brother's old aquarium. There was another posting for an 8 month old Eheim for $30 so I was considering going with that. I've read they are better and easier to maintain. Thoughts?

Also, is it possible to split the hosing on canister filters? could i split the intake into two, maybe 3 intake hoses so i can distribute them at different ends of the aquarium?

Thanks for the replies!

Oh, and no I dont have a box/manual since this is a craigslist posting. I guess i should have mentioned that.

I have never heard of anyone building a manifold for a canister filter.

I have never heard of it either but what a concept! I imagine it could be done but getting the filter to take equal amounts of water from each point might be tough.

I'm no expert on canister filters (obviously) and I don't know much about fluid dynamics either, but I do know that water/plumbing acts very similar to electricity/circuits and that the amount of water going into the canister = the amount of water coming out.

Theoretically, as long as the pipes/hoses could support the pressure, the canister inflow should = canister outflow. You could vary inflow at certain points of the tank by varying the diameter of tubing/pipes used at each point. (right?)

I'm just curious what people with long tanks do if they have a canister filter? do they get multiple mid-sized filters instead of one large one?

What if you have a large tank that's divided? Purchase expensive canister filters instead of cheap tubing to split up one?

Just some thoughts. Like I said, i dont know much about canister filters.

I think most people with large tanks who are worried about filtration end up using more than one filter. Multiple filtration is really the best way to go with any tank, especially a larger one. Not to mention, if one breaks, you aren't totally screwed. It's quite near impossible to over filter a tank, so I say, load it up!