When choosing an aquarium filter, a person must consider the volume of water in the aquarium. Aquarium filters is important for two main reasons: managing the quality of the water in the aquarium and managing the behavior of the fish in that aquarium. By choosing the appropriate filter, based off the volume of the aquarium and the amount of waste that the fish in that aquarium will produce, a person will ensure that the aquarium system functions well.
If a person choose the wrong type of filter, however, the water in the tank may become cloudy and the fish may become stressed. There are several types of aquarium filters available, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. Hang-on-back filters attaches to the back of the aquarium and allow for easy maintenance of the filter.
How to Choose the Right Aquarium Filter
Canister filters sits beneath the aquarium so that their operation can be hidden from view. Sponge filters are inexpensive and gentle on the fish, which makes them ideal for those who wish to keep shrimp or fry in there aquarium. Finally, internal and undergravel filters are often used in cases where a person has limited space for an aquarium, or desires to minimize the number of filtration system within the aquarium itself.
A person must also consider the flow rate of an aquarium filter when they are selecting the best filter for their aquarium. Flow rate refers to the amount of water that an aquarium filter move in gallons per hour (gph). Aquarium filters commonly have a recommended flow rate that is equal to four times the volume of the aquarium in gallons per hour.
A flow rate that is four times the volume of the aquarium is often sufficient for communities of fish that are common in beginner or intermediate aquariums. However, fish like goldfish or large cichlids tend to produce more waste then other fish, so a higher flow rate of water is recommended. Additionally, using two smaller aquarium filters will allow for the water to be filtered more completely than using a single filter.
Finally, using two filters allow for one to be cleaned without stopping the filtration of the aquarium. Aquarium filters perform three main types of filtration for the aquarium: mechanical, biological, and chemical filtration. Mechanical filtration utilizes mechanical media to remove visible debris from the aquarium.
The media prevent the debris from breaking down in the aquarium. Biological filtration use biological media for beneficial bacteria to live on the media; the beneficial bacteria perform the chemical change of ammonia to nitrite. Chemical filtration utilizes chemical media to remove dissolved organics and odors from the water; activated carbon is one form of chemical media.
If an aquarium filter dont include each of these media types, the aquarium filter will not properly maintain the health of the aquarium. In addition to understanding the type of filter that is best for an aquarium, and the flow rate of that filter, a person must also perform maintenance on the filter. To perform filter maintenance, a person rinses the filter media in the aquarium water rather than tap water; the use of tap water can kill the beneficial bacteria that live within the biological media.
Chemical media, like activated carbon, should of been replaced once a month; if not changed monthly, the media will re-introduce the dissolved organics and odors into the aquarium. Finally, a person should test the aquarium water for levels of ammonia and nitrite after cleaning the aquarium filter; testing for those substance will help a person to ensure the water chemistry within the aquarium is stable. Finally, there are two common strategies for oversizing the aquarium filter.
One common strategy is to purchase an aquarium filter that can handle a larger volume of water than that which exists within the aquarium itself. Doing so provide the aquarium with extra capacity to handle the addition of more fish to the tank. Additionally, if the water temperature within the aquarium increases, the fish will increase their metabolic rate, thus increasing the amount of waste that is released into the tank.
Finally, using two aquarium filters allow for one filter to be cleaned while the other works to continue filtering the aquarium water. The objective for a person with an aquarium is to find a filter whose capacity match the conditions within the aquarium. A person should not focus entirely upon finding the filter with the highest flow rate; instead, the focus should be upon finding the proper matching of the aquarium filter with the fish tank itself.
By finding such a match, the water will remain clear and the fish will remain active within the aquarium.
