Aquarium filters are essential for removing debris in your aquarium and for removing nitrite, ammonia and nitrates produced as waste products by your fish. Some kinds can also remove heavy metals and medications. They can be purchased in three different types biological, mechanical or chemical. We’ll look at each of these types, see how they work so that you can decide which would be the best type to buy for your aquarium.
All aquariums need a good population of bacteria to deal with the waste from fish by converting ammonia, firstly to nitrites, then into the less toxic nitrates. This is why it’s so important to cycle your aquarium when you first set it up so that you encourage the growth of these beneficial bacteria. Bacteria can grow on any surface in the aquarium including rocks, gravel and artificial plants and also in your filter which provides an ideal environment for them to grow. It is essential that you keep air flowing through the filter at all times as the bacteria need oxygen to live. You should never completely clean out the filter as you will remove all of the beneficial bacteria.
Mechanical filter simply remove any particles suspended in water
Chemical filters usually use some form of activated carbon which can remove heavy metals and medications from the water. They are usually used in combination with a biological filter.
Filters come in a variety of different forms including under gravel filters, external filters and internal filters. they all do a similar job and work very well.
These types of filters usually have filter medium of foam or some type of wadding which can mechanically filter out debris from the water and also provides an environment for the growth of the beneficial bacteria. They are cheap and simple to use b and work by using a pump to force air through them. They are very good to use if you have baby fry as they won’t pull the babies into the filter. If you use another type of filter is a good idea to have one of these simple filters as a backup in case your main filter stops working. One of the main disadvantages of this type of filter is that they need to be maintained regularly as they can quickly become clogged with debris from the aquarium water and they can’t handle any heavy filtration needs.
These are very cheap and easy to main tank and are run by means of an air pump. They need no maintenance apart from ensuring that the gravel above them is regularly cleaned so it doesn’t clog. These filters work by drawing water through the gravel and then forcing the water through a pipe to the top of the tank by means of an air stone. The water is cleaned physically by the gravel filtering out any debris and biologically by the bacteria that live in the gravel. If you need to be able to remove any heavy metals from the water on medication a carbon filter can be attached to the top of the plastic riser pipe. They can be bought in a variety of sizes to fit most tanks.
Lee S Aquarium and Pet Products Original Under Gravel Filter 10×20 Inch – 13210
List Price:$19.68
includes airline tubing and discard-a-stone and features the fish saver elbow.advanced design allows a separate plate installation and also has optional flow-thru set-up for use with a power head.made of special quality plastic which resists splitting and cracking. rectangular 10 gallon 10 x 20dimensions
Under gravel filters also aerate the water with the air stone and they also ensure an even water temperature throughout the tank as the cold water at the bottom of the tank is continuously recirculated. Under gravel filters are also able to cope with a heavier filtration flow than the simple air filters and if necessary can be fitted with more than one riser pipe. They are also suitable for tanks with live plants at the slots in the tray provide good hold for plant roots and they can be used in tanks with small fry as long as the outlet from the riser pipe is higher than the water level of the tank. You will need a good pump to run this type of filter and you need to be careful about the substrate you use in the tank as gravel is really the only type that works successfully. You cannot use sand or other fine particulate substrate with this type of filter. They are easy to maintain and will only need cleaning about once every six months.
These type of filters are becoming more popular. They can be attached to the tank or even placed in a cupboard underneath the tank or on the wall. The type of filter material varies considerably depending on the filters manufacturer. As they only need two pipes leading into the tank they can be hidden away discreetly. They are powerful filters and can be used for larger tanks with a higher demand. they also create strong currents so not very suitable if you have fry in the town and for some fish that do not like these strong currents. they are also fairly difficult to clean and some need to be primed to work. They are expensive to buy and maintain and you might need to buy a larger unit than you might think the size of tank that you have. They can also be noisy but they can be placed at a distance from the town, even in another room, to cut down on the noise.
RENA FILSTAR xP4 CANISTER FILTER 450GPH
List Price: $258.00
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These internal filters are probably the most popular in use today and are suitable for most small or medium tanks. They attach to the side of the tank and are connected to the mains power and work by drawing the water through a filter medium and back into the tank. They are easy to install and do not need an air pump. They are very easily removed for cleaning and contain a variety of different materials fulfill tradition such as foam, wadding or crystals. Foam is easily be with rinsed out and the place, wadding usually needs replacing regularly and crystals usually lasts for about a month before they need replacing. You will need to clean them regularly though as they can become clogged up with debris quite quickly. They also create quite a strong current so would not be suitable if you have small fry in the tank. They are also quite large and can look slightly unsightly. They are one of the more expensive filters to buy and replacing filter medium can also be quite expensive.
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