Ungergravel Filter

I was wondering if I should remove my under gravel filter from my ten gallon tank. I've recently lost multiple fish in that tank; I've tried to ember tetras and harlequin tetras and lost both schools. The only things in there currently are three Corydoras pygmaeus, a dwarf mexican crayfish, and a nerite snail. I just ordered some fish online today and want to make nay changes to the tank before they arrive next week.
My main filter is a HOB with a sponge over the intake so I would still have filtration. However, I was wondering if I should take out my UGF and add more substrate, especially since my tank is planted.
I used to have an UGF in my five gallon but took it out when I switched from gravel to sand substrate. Ever since then my five gallon has been running smoothly with no problems.
Current tank parameters:
ammonia: 0 ppm
nitrates: 0 ppm
nitrites: 10 ppm
pH: 7.6

 

Does your main filter have at least 100gph? If so then you'd be fine to take it out but it would be a take all the fish out and do a big water change kind of thing. I've run ugf before and they're not bad really. I just love me some bottom dwellers that love sand. So I switched all my tanks to sand for them. Other wise I would have kept the ugf.

 

If you've found a good formula for success with the 5 gallon it makes sense to replicate it for the 10 gallon.

However, an undergravel can only add to the total filtration and improve water quality so removing it won't improve things.

Although its well known that plants don't grow so well with ugf.

I use an ugf for my Clown Loaches but this is a 110 gallon. I find it keeps all the particles in the gravel not in the water column and water quality is good.

Also, most importantly for me it means I don't have to pump water out of the aquarium into a canister and risk leaks. 110 gallons is a lot to have on the carpet and I don't want to risk my Clown Loaches which are already 23 years old.

 

I'm running an aqueon HOB that says it's certified for 100gph. I really love planted aquariums and was thinking of adding my substrate as well to give my plants more space to root since they generally don't go through the UGF (although I have had an anubias create an extensive root system beneath this same UGF, none of my other plants have done this)

 

My planted tanks don't have UGFs. I'd advise having good light intensity (any type you like), otherwise it's a case of experimenting until you get the plant growth / algae balance right. It can be tricky before everything settles down.