| The creatures that occupy your freshwater | | | | your fish never get a rest! So try to strike a |
| aquarium live in a closed system, where the | | | | balance between a reasonable water cycle and a |
| water is constantly being polluted by their waste, | | | | goal of creating a calm environment for the fish. |
| which in turn introduces toxic by-products. This is | | | | Your fish will be much happier. |
| a natural process that would otherwise be | | | | There are fundamentally four types of filters on |
| negated by the biological balance in their native | | | | the market. Under-gravel filters are inexpensive |
| habitat. But these by-products must be dealt with | | | | and effective but require that you change out the |
| in a freshwater aquarium or otherwise the | | | | gravel 3-4 times a year. And, they do not |
| accumulation would eventually, and often in a very | | | | remove any chemical agents from the water. |
| short time, kill your fish and its other occupants. | | | | Power filters are the units you see hanging on the |
| Typically healthy systems incorporate healthy | | | | back of an aquarium. These provide excellent |
| bacteria population working to help with waste | | | | filtration. They also are very efficient and |
| "treatment". But an overloaded aquarium (too | | | | oxygenate the water better that other types of |
| many fish) with an under-performing filtration | | | | filters. I have used a Marineland biowheel for |
| system will soon be the scene of smelly disaster. | | | | years with great success. |
| There are three types of aquarium filtration to | | | | More expensive than the biowheel, but highly |
| consider. Biological, mechanical, and chemical | | | | popular is the canister filter. Generally, they will |
| agents must be removed and the best filters | | | | take care of all three types of filtration. There are |
| handle all three. The waste that fish introduce | | | | many to choose from and offer the best |
| produces ammonia, which is very poisonous. But | | | | filtration. However, these don't oxygenate the |
| the "good" bacterium is working to break it down | | | | water and require diligence to keep the media |
| into nitrites. And then yet another type of "good" | | | | clean and fresh. So they do require a little more |
| bacteria breaks the nitrites down into nitrates, | | | | maintenance time. I use a combination of both a |
| which is the least harmful. Thus the biological filter | | | | canister and a small power filter to take care of |
| provides the balance to help the bacteria do its | | | | the oxygenation requirement. Works great! |
| job. | | | | The last type of filter is the wet/dry or trickle |
| As for the mechanical filtration process, it is | | | | filter. These are expensive and somewhat |
| simply removing the suspended particles floating | | | | complicated to install, but are a great choice for |
| around in the tank. And how does the chemical | | | | very large tanks. They generally operate out of |
| removal process work? Well, some filters allow | | | | site and siphon water through a hole in the tank. |
| the placement of active carbon granules, wadding, | | | | When properly installed they can add a great deal |
| sheets, crystals, and other media that absorb | | | | of volume to the water capacity of the system. |
| heavy metals, medications, and some will also | | | | This often means a more stable biological |
| remove ammonia, phosphates and silicate, | | | | condition. These are not, however, for the casual |
| depending on the type of media you choose. | | | | hobbyist and require very careful planning and |
| When you choose your filter, make sure it will | | | | understanding. |
| cycle the full volume of water in your tank a | | | | Speak to an expert at your local pet store and |
| minimum of 3 times an hour. The higher the | | | | research your options before you decide which |
| volume, the better, up to a point. Higher volume | | | | freshwater aquarium filtration system is right for |
| means increased flow in the tank and you don't | | | | you. |
| want to create a strong current so disruptive | | | | |