Freshwater Aquarium Filters – How To Choose The Right One
Posted by GuestW on Sep 3, 2010 in Pets • No commentsWhy do you need an aquarium filter?
It is possible for freshwater ponds and lakes to naturally achieve an ecological equilibrium without external help. By that I mean that they are able to reach equilibrium whereby the fish population adjusts according to conditions and fish excreta is all dealt with biologically and there is no build up of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates making the water poisonous to fish.
Aquariums are too small to achieve a balance without help. The water would very soon become toxic and all the fish would die without external help. The main reason is because we all like to fill our tanks with a density of fish which far exceeds that found in the natural world. Even changing one third of the water every week is not enough to keep the water safe because the resident bacteria cannot possibly deal with the amount of waste that fish in such high numbers will produce. Consequently a freshwater aquarium filter system is essential.
How do Freshwater Aquarium Filters work?
Any filter system worth its salt should be capable of performing in all three ways; mechanically, biologically and chemically. A fourth way also exists called germicidal or algaecidal, this kind of filtration is usually applied for a particular purpose like getting rid of green water and utilises a UV steriliser.
Mechanical filtration involves using foam and/or fibre to remove large particles like uneaten food and fish waste. The filter medium varies in texture from coarse to fine, large particles are removed first by the coarse filter and then small particles are removed by the fine filter.
Biological filtration brings into force populations of two kinds of good bacteria. Fish waste rapidly turns into ammonia which is extremely toxic to the fish. One kind of bacteria converts the ammonia to nitrite and the other kind of bacteria converts the nitrite into the much less dangerous nitrate. Regular water changes maintain acceptable nitrate levels.
Chermical fiters invariably use activated charcoal or various resins. Chemical filtration is normally only needed in the first few weeks of a new tank being setup.
The Five Main Types of Aquarium Filters
1.Amongst the first filter designs are the in-tank filters also known as corner or box filters. Most of the modern filters used today are based upon these filters. They work by pulling water through several different filter media using an air pump. Compared with other filters available they are not very effective but they are reasonable in price. Breeding and hospital tanks are there most common use today.
2. Undergravel filters (UGFs) comprise a grid of plastic pipes with small holes every centimetre or so. A space of water is created underneath the gravel because the grid sits there. The pipes are all connected to up to four ‘air lifts’ which slowly pull detritus and debris down through the substrate. The theory is that bacteria will break it down there. The advantages of UGFs are that they are very cheap and easy to setup and run, and the aeration helps keep dissolved oxygen high. One disadvantage is that they normally do not do chemical filtration. Also the small holes in the pipes are easily blocked and then waste tends to build up in the substrate. As a consequence you must regularly use a siphonic hoover on the gravel and at least twice a year completely clean the filter. In order to have access to the filter you it is necessary to remove all the substrate. It is for this reason that undergravel filters are not as popular as they used to be.
3. A much better choice are cannister filters. These units comprise a canister with a pump inside and a siphon tube pulling water out of the tank and a return tube to pump the fitered water back in. The typical canister normally contains some type of coarse mechanical media, like ceramic “donuts” or very coarse fibre, some chemical media like filter carbon, some porous glass or stone for biological filtration, and finally some very fine filter fibre. Biological, mechanical and chemical filtering are all perfomed by a cannister filter. Cannister filters do an excellent job keeping the water crystal clear. The downside to these filters is that they tend to be expensive, use expensive media, and need to be maintained every month. If they are not maintained well they can become nutrient traps. The result is that nitrogenous waste is pumped back into the tank because of the dirty filter media. The result is algae blooms and bad water quality! Also you should add an airstone and pump to oxygenate the water since cannister filters are completely enclosed. A well maintained canister filter is hard to beat.
4. Power filters simply hang outside and on the top edge of the tank and water is pulled through them with a pump. The water falls back into the aquarium after having passed through mechanical, biological and possibly chemical filter media. These filters are rapidly gaining popularity with aquarists because they are efficient, slightly less expensive than canisters, and a dream to maintain. They help to oxygenate the water because they are exposed to the air. Power filters are very efficient biologically because they are open to the air so the water passing through is oxygen rich and supports large numbers of nitrifying bacteria. The biowheel version is particularly good.
5. Wet/dry or trickle filters. These are only mentioned for completeness. They are essentially used for very large tanks. They are not cheap and can empty your aquarium if they go wrong!
Conclusion
It is essential that you provide efficient filtration in addition to regular water changes to stop a toxin build up which will eventually cause your fish to die. The several choices have been described above. The choice is yours.
For more information on your Freshwater Aquarium Filters go to my website www.freshwateraquariumsecretsonline.com
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