How to Choose a Good Filter for Your Aquarium
The filter is vital and required to maintain a healthy and disease-free environment for your fishes. Aquarium filters provide 3 kinds of filtration – biological, chemical and mechanical. A biological filter reduces the level of ammonia, nitrate and other toxic substances in the tank. A mechanical filter helps to keep the water clear and a chemical filter will control the water from getting yellowed by removing the dissolved wastes in the water. A filtration that provides all the three types of filtration in one may be most suitable to maintain your tank. One of the most commonly used filter types are power filters that hang off at the back of the tank. They are effective for smaller aquariums as well as they do not require much space inside the aquarium. The power filters are inexpensive, and the maintenance is simple since it is easy to set up, convenient and provides chemical as well as mechanical filtration. To enable biological filtration along with a power filter, a sponge or a bio-wheel can be used. A Canister filter provides a combination of mechanical, chemical and biological filtration that is ideal for medium sized to large sized aquarium. They perform efficient mechanical filtration by letting the water forcefully through the media so that most debris is blocked from passing through. When ceramic rings and sponges are added to canister filter, biological filtration is also done. By adding resins and carbons chemical filtration is performed. Maintenance part is a slightly tougher in case of canister filters since to change the filter, you have to reach to the tank. Wet or dry filter is another type of filter that has a filter material to allow the water to slowly dribble down so that water receives as much air as possible. Bio balls or bio wheels are used as media to enable biological filtration and for chemical filtrations; carbon or resin may be used. A sponge may be added for mechanical filtration. The disadvantage is it gets clogged up quite frequently and by adding a pre-filter this may brought under control. A fluidized filter is an effective biological filter that is quite easy to maintain in larger aquariums. However they do not provide chemical or mechanical filtration hence have to be used in combination with other filters. Their filtration works by pumping water through a fine media such as sand so that bacteria get enough space to dwell on. Sponge filter provide biological filtration and works by forcing water from an air pump which then allows bacterial growth to maintain the quality of water. They provide mechanical filtration as well however they get clogged up easily. It is easy to unclog them by holding it under chlorinated water which kills the bacteria and you just have to squeeze the sponge which clears up any residues. The sponge filters are easy to maintain as there is no need for cleaning them and they are quite suitable when growing baby fishes since the sponge filters avoids the baby fishes getting sucked up into the air pump. Whichever filters are used it can only aid in maintaining the quality of the water in the aquarium. Hence replacing the water regularly should be done despite the use of any kind of filters. Moreover before buying the filters, it is important to analyze which filter suits your tank. A local pet store employee should be able to guide you in choosing the filter suitable for your aquarium. More Articles on Aquarium Care: | 