All aquariums will need some sort of filtration system to help create healthy living conditions for your fish. It will also make it easier for you by keeping your tank and water clean, eliminating toxins and aerating the water.
There are 3 different types of filters available for freshwater aquariums. All tanks will need at least a biological filtration method AND a mechanical one. The biological filter will be incorporated into the aquarium itself. And the mechanical filter is a separate system usually generated by a motor.
Three major types of filters:
Biological Filtration
This type of tank filtering system will break down toxins and waste matter and uses bacteria to do so. It is usually a very simple system and quite often uses a pump to run the tank water through different materials like sponge filters, bio-balls and under-gravel filters. A bacterial colony will form inside the filter that can break down waste into material that is less toxic to the tank.
Fish waste can not be completely filtered out with a mechanical or a chemical filtration system. If these wastes are not removed, they can build up over time, creating a toxic environment. That’s why it’s necessary to have a biological filtration system set up, too.
Mechanical Filtration
You will also need the mechanical filter to filter out solid waste from your tank. This kind of system sends the aquarium water through a filtering substance, usually foam or some other type of porous material.
This material will trap waste and other debris. The foam or other material part of the filter will need to be cleaned out or replace now and then. A lot of these types of filters can be removed or rinsed out. Other types can just be replaced according to the instructions.
Chemical Filtration
This type of filter is not used as often as the above two, but can be used for dissolved toxins (the finest particles) or in combination with the above two methods.
The chemical filter often uses carbon or some other type of material to pass the aquarium water through to remove minute particles and toxins. Often there’s a buildup of ammonia or toxic metals that can be caught with a chemical filter. This type of system is best particularly when starting a new tank or even when there seems to be some problem in the aquarium water.
There are also some basic filter types to consider. But if you’re a beginner aquarist, you’ll want to use a power filter along with the biological filter.
These are the basic filter types:
- Power
- Sponge
- Box and canister
- Bed
- Underground
- Wet/Dry
For small tanks, 10 gallons or under, most use a corner box-type filter that fit nicely into the corner of your tank. For medium sized tanks, use an underground filter or a power filter. Larger tanks, 50 gallons or larger, usually use canister filters. These will give you all of the above 3 types of filtration, which is what you’ll need for a larger aquarium.
JAMES FIELD is a freshwater aquarium expert. For more information on freshwater aquarium filters, visit http://www.freshwateraquariumstips.com/.
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