Undergravel filter modified to be compatible for fine plant medium

I'm trying to acquire some very fine stainless steel screen which I will place on top of my under gravel filter and actually silicon it to the edges of the tank. The idea is to create an undergravel filter that can be used with fine plant growing gravel, will be easy to clean if necessary with a gravel vacuum, and is durable. I know that some plants get some of their nutrients by allowing the roots to physically bond to the substraight and some by removing it directly from the water, but there's been some discussion as to whether it's best to have water flow through the gravel or not. I want to make this and I think I can make it work as an UG filter powered by powerheads. Any thoughts on if it would be better for plants as opposed to no water flow? I know of a company that makes this screen but they sell to businesses only and in bulk. Does anyone know where I can find it in Los Angeles?

How about the hardware store, they sell screen for doors and windows. Most of them have the polyester screen that would be safe for your tank and it's not expensive.
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I need very fine screen. The suff for doors isn't nearly small enough.

Check to see if you have a screen print supply store around, you could get the screen you are looking for from them. It will be a polyester and you can go so fine that sand will not go through.
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Subject: stainless Sun Mar 09, 2008 4:52 pm

For stainless screen I check with the metal scrapyard first before I order it out of a hardware store.
Do not use aluminum and whatever wherever it comes from, clean it a lot.

Screen print supply store. OK, I'll check this out. It's the weekend so I'll work on this Monday. I read an article that recommends not disturbing the substrate with plants, though it also says that some water flow through the substrate is good to get nutrients down to the roots.

Rank2 Member Age : 33 Joined : 20 Jan 2008 Posts : 63

Would you not run into the problem of the screen clogging up and impeding the water flow and causing the UGF not to work correctly?

I expect there to be some bare areas, about 30% with no plants, where I will vacuum, and some areas where I won't want to disturb the roots or soil around them. These heavily rooted areas wouldn't have much if any water flow so nutrients can be contained and saved for the roots and not the algae, which gets it's nutrients from the water.

I decided to go without the UGF. I'm waiting for the cloudiness to get filtered out and I'll add a bunch of tiny mosquito fish and tilapia babies to get the cycle going. Now I'm thinking I have a little too much gravel. I will start a post for gravel depth now.