Aquarium Filters - How They Work and the Benefits and Negatives of Each Type

AQUARIUM FILTERS

There are several different kinds of aquarium filters, each with advantages and disadvantages. Most work best when used in combination to compliment each other, this redundancy is also important for peace of mind in case one filter fails, another will keep your aquarium filtering. I give my opinion too with each of these types of filters, based on 28 + years maintaining a Large Aquarium maintenance company in Los Angeles, California. I used many different types and brands of filters during this time, and continue to try new ones out.

UNDERGRAVEL (UGF)

An old standby that is good for biological filtration (the conversion of fish waste from ammonia and nitrites to less harmful nitrates), but is poor for mechanical filtration (the removal of debris- organic and inorganic). Although I have use many over the years with good results, I do not generally recommend them anymore. Most also do not perform chemical filtration although some have small carbon cartridges that go on the exhaust of the lift tube (Lee’s makes such a UGF). They are also not real good for planted aquariums; the roots have a hard time thriving with the filter plants just below the gravel (although you add potted aquarium plants to aquariums with UGFs). UGF are also poor at denitrification, as they do not allow for the fine sand and anaerobic bacteria needed for Nitrate removal.

If used, I recommend a HOB (power filter) as a compliment, they have better mechanical and chemical filtration, but tend to be lacking in biological filtration (some are better than others for this).

HANG ON BACK-POWER FILTERS (HOB)

Another more popular filter now, these filters are good for mechanical and chemical filtration, and sometimes biological filtration. This does vary widely with the model though. The Aqua Clear is better than most for biological filtration, but it’s design tend to lead to flow-by, resulting in poor mechanical filtration (they also have poor impellers, and in my experience, have a higher than normal break down record). The Penguin has good mechanical filtration (little flow-by), but are not as good for bio filtration, EVEN with the Bio-Wheel! I have run many Penguins since they came out, but their bio-wheels tend to stop easily, and I have run ammonia and nitrite tests with heavily loaded aquariums and observed little difference with or without (I added a seeded Sponge filter to these same tanks and observed an immediate improvement in these levels). Whisper and ReSun use cartridges that are best rinsed in used aquarium water, or else should have a small sponge placed in them to preserve bio colonies, otherwise these would be my HOB of choice.

HOB filters are good compliments to sponge filters or under gravel filters.

SPONGE FILTERS

Probably one of the most under rated filters available. These filters are excellent biological filters and reasonable mechanical filters. They are simple and inexpensive. The type of sponge material makes a large difference in the filters bio capacity. Reticulated filter foam is the preferred sponge material. One of the sponge filters benefits is their ease in cleaning, which in turn lowers the amount of organic material being broken down in the nitrogen cycle. It takes only minute to clean a sponge filter by rinsing it used aquarium water, while it may take half an hour to clean a canister filter.

Internal filters and HOB small aquariums are good compliments to sponge filters. Canister filters are good compliments to sponge filters in large aquariums. I have a lot more information about sponge filters in my article: "Sponge Filters"

INTERNAL FILTERS

Not as common a filter but a much less alternative to expensive and bulky canister filters. Internal filters are basically a power head with a filter of varying capacity attached. They are useful for improved water circulation, generally are good mechanical and biological filters (although generally they do not have a large capacity). They are a great secondary or even third filter in large aquariums, and a good secondary are even primary filter in small aquariums (under 60 gallons). Internal filters are a good compliment to almost any filter (especially fluidized). I prefer the Via Aqua internal filters for the flow rates, internal sponges and durability.

CANISTER FILTERS

Popular filters for larger aquariums in particular, Canister filters are known for their large capacity, which sometimes can be their problem. Many aquarists will not clean canister filters often enough as they are “still running well”, but in reality are have a large build up of organic sludge turning them into ‘nitrate factories”. I do recommend them if they are serviced regularly, as their ability to hold large amounts of different filter media and their excellent mechanical filtration set canister filters above most other filters. For the money I prefer the Via Aqua or Jebo (the Jebo is the same basic filter), the Eheim is excellent but way over priced for the slightly better quality. The Magnum has unique convertible features (the ability to switch between standard canister filtration and micron), but their capacity is poor compared to the rest. Although popular, I am less than impressed with the Fluval. They have weak motors, poorly designed impellers, and have a larger flow-by than most others. I have had dozens of Fluvals on my maintenance route over the years, and their longevity is less than most others.

Canister filters are good compliments to internal and sponge filters.

WET/DRY FILTERS

Popular with marine aquariums in particular, these filters are great biological filters, but poor mechanical filters. They also can become “nitrate factories” like canister filters if not maintained properly.

They are two basic types; the under tank wet/dry which uses a siphon to take aquarium water out to the “sump” where the bio balls are other biological media are, and uses a pump or powerhead to return the water. With this type of wet/dry you want to make sure that you do not over fill the aquarium past where the sump will over flow with the pump off in case of a power or pump failure. This type also usually has a pre filter box to add mechanical filtration to the wet/dry. You can run a variety of bio media in this type of wet/dry. Bio balls and ceramic bio media are popular; live rock, plant refuguiums, sponge filters attached to the pump intake, or all of the above are also popular.

The other type is the built into the back wet/dry. These wet/drys are usually much more reasonably priced (along with the aquarium they are attached to). They usually do not have the versatility or capacity as the under tank wet/drys do though. Internal filters are usually good compliments to wet/dry filters.

FLUIDIZED BED FILTERS

These filters are primarily biological filters only. They work well attached to an internal or canister filer (I prefer an internal). Fluidized bed filters use fine sand kept suspended in a water flow for aerobic biological filtration. The plus is they are basically self cleaning as the sand is constantly rubbing against other grains keeping down the organic buildup. The negative is do not supply a lot of oxygen for the aerobic bacteria. I have set up fluidized filters in marine aquariums in place of wet/drys with excellent results (I set up a whole marine aquarium store department this way). But I strongly recommend other filters (especially internal) to make up for the weakness of fluidized filters. If properly installed, their strengths will shine (they are not the nitrate factories that wet/drys are).

MUD FILTERS

These filters are primarily biological filters. Their advantage is they work both aerobically and anaerobically (removing nitrates). They are not good as the only filter and do not replace mechanical or even germicidal filtration (in marine). They do make an excellent alternative to sometimes difficult to use protein skimmers.

GERMACIDAL FILTRATION

Germicidal filtration is the use of UVC radiation or ozone to kill disease pathogens and improve the Redox Potential in aquariums. I believe they are essential to a healthy marine fish aquarium. But are equally important to expensive and sometimes delicate freshwater fish such as Discus. Many articles I have read state that a UV is not that beneficial to an established aquarium as a healthy aquarium depends on beneficial bacteria typically growing on media in your filter which neutralize ammonia. Unfortunately the problem with this statement is beneficial bacteria belongs in the filter, not in the open water. Also this is great for advanced aquarists who are not adding fish and have a healthy Redox Potential, but not in the real world of average and above average aquarists that I have dealt with in the 100s of aquariums I have serviced. I have a very in depth article about “Why you should use a UV Sterilizer and how it works” . I strongly recommend reading this article.

PROTEIN SKIMMER;

Protein skimmers remove nitrogenous wastes (protein based organic waste) via foam refraction. The protein skimmer collects this waste in a cup, where it is then emptied. There are pump driven and air driven models. Protein skimmers generally only work in marine aquariums where they are very popular in reef aquaria, as they are needed to keep nitrates below .20 ppm for the delicate marine invertebrates. The advantages are that they remove nitrogenous waste before they can go thru the nitrogen cycle and become nitrates. The disadvantages are they are messy, take frequent adjustments (at least on many commercial models), and in my experience, over rated. I have kept many reef aquariums successfully with and without protein skimmers (I believe lighting such as metal halide is more important to a successful reef aquarium than a protein skimmer). The key to keeping low nitrates without a protein skimmer is;

*Proper feeding of foods with highly digestible proteins so as to lower the nitrogenous waste produced.

*Good anaerobic filtration via live rock, live sand, or mud filtration.

*Plant refugiums and or good plant and green algae growth in the aquarium.

*Proper and frequent cleaning procedures. Using a gravel vacuum (or better, the Aquarium Cleaning Machine , which with recirculation of water thru a micron cartridge after the initial water change, insures better waste removal with less water changed.) to remove waste before it can go thru the nitrogen cycle, but not digging so deep so as to disturb anaerobic filtration in the sand (I prefer a layer of fine sand under #3 gravel to achieve this).

For my full Aquarium Filters article (pictures and much more information), please visit this site: "Aquarium Filtration (Filters); how they work, benefits, and trouble shooting"

Your Aquarium Depends on Your Maintenance

The proper maintenance of the aquarium will all be played upon by the size of the tank, the number of kept species, and the wear and tear of equipments, and other factors.  By rule, larger aquariums are easier to maintain because they have a better chance of achieving the right ecological balance as large aquatic environment.  But being artificial and synthetically run, it will need manpower and knowledge to keep up with the demands necessary to keep the fish healthy and alive.

To achieve the right aquarium maintenance, there should be an allocated budget to keep up with the changes in general.  Setting up an aquarium is a big responsibility because it is continues process of keeping live animals out of the independent environment from where they come from.

What are aspects that the need maintenance?

Everything from tank water to the health checklist of the fish is included in maintaining an aquarium hobby.

The most important to consider is waste management.  Given the proper balanced environment, production of waste matters in the tank may help in keeping the balance of good and bad bacteria in the tank.  A poorly maintained aquarium will surely accumulate and produce ammonia, which is deadly to any fish forms in aquariums.  If properly handled, the nitrogen cycle in the tank will make its own self-cleansing process, making water change less frequent.  The cleaner the water, the better the fish mortality rate.  In case of changing the water, the use of filtration and even reverse osmosis is required to avoid harsh chemical compounds from contaminating the aquarium water.

Keeping abreast with technology and research is also important to pave way to better options in maintaining the aquarium.  This could help in knowing all the necessary changes needed.  The right lighting can be achieved by liquid emitting diode (LED) for purposes of keeping the fish day and night simulation realistic.  The use of LED has added to the options in putting up aquariums, instead of plainly using fluorescent lighting only.  Metal halide lights can play a role in simulating the flickering lights in the ocean bed.  With these, it means the habitat requirements of the fish must be met.  

Conservation of a rare species should also be taken care of.  Any individuals must buy only those that are allowed for commercial selling.  Buying of very exotic species must be avoided by getting acquainted with different kinds. 

Maintaining the life of fish in the aquarium involves constant checking of water properties.  Cycle of nitrogen in the water level has to be carefully checked.  It will take some peculiar fish behavior to specifically know this.

Tips on Selecting Aquarium Fish

Aquariums are made for fish to swim around. Not only that, most aquariums are also made for people to wonder and marvel at a beautiful miniature water environment with fish swimming around. In order to make an aquarium beautiful to look at, you must have a collection of attractive fish to add to your aquarium. But how do you select what fish will do well for your type of aquarium? Here are some tips that may be able to help you.

Do your research.

It pays to know what types of fish will thrive in the type of aquarium environment that you have recreated. Try to read as much about different fish varieties that thrive in different environments. You should know how to differentiate between fish that do well on a temperate environment and those species that thrive in a tropical aquarium setting. Try to choose fish varieties that will be able to live comfortably in your type of aquarium.

Know how to determine a healthy fish.

Try to learn as much about the signs that show how healthy a fish is. This will ensure that you buy aquarium fish that won't end up dead in your tank or infect other fish in your tank. Try also to learn the signs of fish that are stressed out. Most marine fish usually turn colors when they are stressed. Some fish like tangs, triggers and even damsels may either darken or pale their colors when they are stressed.

Other signals can be exhibited by the fish themselves. Aquarium fish that act listless or hides often may be a sign that there may be problem. Try also looking for actively swimming fish with no torn fins or discolored scales. Missing fins and discolored scales may be a sign of some kind of infection.

Try to observe a fish variety for some time before you buy them.

You can always put your chosen fish variety under observation for a time by paying a deposit at a fish pet store and ask them to hold it for you for a week or so. You can always say that you need to have your tank set up before you can get the fish from them. Not only will this help you observe how the fish will be reacting and behaving, you may also be giving them time to get readjusted to their environment.

The most colorful fish that you might find in the pet store might usually be fresh from transport from some other place, which might put the fish in some form of stress. Giving it some time to readjust will help keep them in shape so that you don't have to worry about getting unhealthy fish in your aquarium.

Tips on Caring for Fish Inside the Aquarium

It doesn't cost that much to have an aquarium. The important thing is to know how to take care for these delicate creatures. Here are some reminders for those who have them at home.

First, regular checks must be done on the aquarium. There are test kits that can monitor the level of ammonia, nitrate and phosphate in the water. Fish poop doesn't evaporate into the air so a filtration system is needed to store it until such time that this is full and has to be cleaned using a vacuum.

Fish need to stay at a certain temperature. The owner can maintain this by installing a heater and having a florescent tube on top of the aquarium. A lid is also important since some jump out and are discovered dead on the floor.

Bottled water must be used when filling up the aquarium. It should be changed every two weeks because of the toxicity in the chlorine. The good news is that only a small portion needs to be replaced.

There are fish that are peaceful and those that are aggressive. Putting these two together isn't a good idea because one group will die. Before buying, you should check with the sales clerk, which species can live peacefully together.

Fish like humans need food to survive. The owner can give pellets or flakes but this should be given in small amounts. Believe it or not, there is such a thing as overfeeding and it could be the cause of death.

An aquarium should have a few decorations to make the place friendlier to the fish. Decoration in the form of rocks, plants, corals, shells, ceramic miniatures, cedar wood and more can be used to make this happen.

Those who have the time should read up on the types of fish in the aquarium. After the female lays the eggs, they should be isolated using a glass divider or transferring them to another holding area. Adult fish have the tendency to eat the eggs and the offspring.

If the fish have grown a lot bigger since these were purchased a few months ago, perhaps it is time to consider buying a larger aquarium. The limited space may not be enough so when they multiply which is something that has to be anticipated.

It is sometimes hard to tell if the fish are fine. If one is behaving abnormal, it would be a good idea to isolate it from the others and focus more effort until it gets better.

Things That Will Be Needed To Set Up An Aquarium

Anyone who has ever been to Sea World or any other marine park will notice that the aquariums are huge. This is to accommodate the different species of fish and the same principles apply when deciding to have one at home.

The first thing to think about will be what size of aquarium to get from the pet store. This depends on the kind of fish that you would like to own and how many will live there.

Fish need to be kept warm especially in the evening when the room temperature drops. So another thing that has to be purchased is a heater and a lighting system.

Since some consider the aquarium to be a decorative item, some sand and a few ornaments will fit nicely in the bottom. There are so many to choose from such as a sunken ship, a treasure chest, a miniature statue and a submariner.

The aquarium will get dirty over a period of time and the best way to control this is by also getting a filtration system. These come in different sizes and there are so many brands to choose from. Those who are unsure should ask the assistance of sales professional.

The first thing to do when setting up an aquarium is to wash everything using hot water and soap. These should be rinsed thoroughly or else the fish will be swimming through a soapy environment. 

Water should then be put in gradually while simultaneously installing the filter system to the base. This is usually made of plastic and the only way to keep it down is by putting some gravel. There is no standard as to how the underwater habitat should look like.

Some artificial plant life can also be added to color and life to the aquarium. Once everything is set up, this is the time to plug in the lighting, heater and the filter into the outlet.

Before buying any fish and transferring them to the new home, you should make sure that all the aquarium's systems are working. A rapid change in temperature may kill it so you should put the plastic bag on top of the water for a few minutes before releasing it.

The fish should be monitored to make sure they has adjusted thoroughly in the new environment. Constant maintenance is also needed to make sure this doesn't change.

Therapeutic Health Benefits of Having Aquariums

To some people, having an aquarium in the home may just be having some attractive fixture to make the surroundings more attractive. Some people see aquariums as just a part of the interior decoration. But aquariums usually offer more than just being eye candy. They offer another set of benefits apart from making a home look unique.

As many aquarium enthusiasts believe, aquariums not only provide visual benefits to their owner, there are certain therapeutic elements that such a hobby may be able to bring. For one, aquariums filled with fish usually have a calm and serene effect that makes them so irresistible to look at. Just by looking at the seemingly peaceful nature of an underwater environment, it tends to have a calming effect on humans.

A good example of its calming effect can be seen especially in some waiting areas and overcrowded offices with aquariums. It certainly would be easier for one's nerves to unravel waiting in line and doing nothing as well as with all the overcrowding. It can really be a very stressful place.

But with an aquarium to set your eyes on, you feel more relaxed, fixing your gaze upon a wonderful miniature world that can be so hypnotizing. You becomes less agitated and anxious having something beautiful to focus on and forget about stress even for just a moment.

Aquariums can also be used as therapy to treat a wide range of emotional problems. Such ailments can be treated by giving patients something to focus their minds on while undergoing a number of stressful treatments. For example, it may be easier for cancer patients not to worry when they are undergoing treatment.

The treatment can be very taxing not only to their bodies but also to their emotions. Such patients need some thing to focus on aside from their situation. A simple aquarium full of colorful fish will be able to do it effectively.

A patient with an aquarium will have something worthwhile to do during the period of recuperation. Spending time feeding the fish, cleaning the tank, and even talking to the fish may greatly help in making patients feel more relaxed. No longer do they have time to worry and feel sorry for themselves because they have an aquarium to care for. The feeling of having something to do and being useful can do well to provide a positive boost in them.

The Joy Of Having An Aquarium

To the uninitiated, the idea of having an aquarium can be dull and boring. That is of course if you maintain an aquarium in a fishbowl or if you maintain the type of aquarium that contains plastic skeleton decorations among others. If however you create and maintain an aquarium that tries to stay true to the natural elements found in the wild as well as sustain the complex ecosystem of aquatic life then it turns into a really interesting and educational hobby.

Serious aquarium hobbyists are learned about aquatic conditions that are conducive to the life and survival of their aquatic pets. This means that before even going down to the store to buy fish and other aquatic life, the aquarium owner has already decided on what type of theme to set up in the tank. The theme would basically fall under three categories, namely: freshwater, salt water, and brackish water.

The types of aquatic life you decide to purchase depend on what type of water you decide to fill your aquarium tank with. Once you have set up and got your aquarium going, you would have successfully transformed space in your terrestrial home into an aquatic home for your new pets. Because the elements and the dynamics found in the regular ecosystem of your aquatic pets were recreated in your aquarium, you can actually liken the idea of this hobby to snorkeling.

Indeed, maintaining and having an aquarium on display is quite like snorkeling sans. In fact, having an aquarium can be better because you don't have to leave your home or get wet to enjoy the underwater scenery and dynamics. Watching the fish in a well maintained and well designed aquarium can be very therapeutic to all the individuals in your home. Plus, the actual maintenance and care for the aquarium teaches patience, meticulous care and knowledge so that it makes for a very interesting and educational hobby to have.

With an aquarium, you will be creating and maintaining an entire life support system for your aquatic pets. This means that a very big responsibility comes with having an aquarium as a hobby and you should be well prepared for it if you decide to pursue this activity. However if you take the time and care to create and maintain a proper aquarium, it can become very fulfilling and aesthetically pleasing for you and for all to see.