Are You Using the Right Freshwater Aquarium Filter?

Your freshwater aquarium filter will keep your fish tank clean and aerate your fish aquarium providing more oxygen for your fish. The filtration device for your aquarium should be chosen after careful consideration and research.

Types of Freshwater Aquarium Filtration

There are three types of filtration utilized by filter systems and are commonly used in all types of aquariums and are all essential to the health and vibrancy of the fish and plant life you have elected to put in your aquarium.

1. Mechanical Filtration - These are the filters you see hanging on the side of an aquarium, or can be of the underground or under-gravel type that sit on the bottom of the tank under the rocks. This type mechanically moves the water in a continuous fashion through either a foam filter or a filter pad with charcoal, lime, or some other natural filter in side it. This filter will remove solid particles. This type of filter is a must have to continuously move water and keep solids out of the water column. These filters must be changed periodically. They also make these filter systems as sealed units that you can place underneath your aquarium in the stand, and can allow you to use a larger pump for adequate circulation.

2. Chemical Filtration - This is most helpful when starting your freshwater aquarium. A chemical filter will help remove chemicals like ammonia and other toxic metals in the water. Activated carbon is the most common form of chemical filtration used for freshwater aquariums.

3. Biological Filtration - Every tank needs a biological filter inside the aquarium itself. Fish will create biological waste that is difficult to filter out by other means, except by micro-organisms that will naturally grow inside the tank. This type of aquarium filtration can take up to a month to grow and be effective in filtering out these wastes. The micro-organisms can grow in the water column, in the gravel substrate, or in the filter system itself.

Flow rates for Freshwater Aquarium Filters

The flow rate, or the rate that a filter system recirculates the entire capacity of the tank, is essential to successful aquarium filtration. A good rule of thumb for aquarium filter systems is to be able to completely recirculate all of the water in the tank at least four times every hour.

Taking this into consideration, it would be easy to figure out your needs in a mechanical filter. If you have a ten gallon tank, then you would need a freshwater aquarium filter that can move up to 40 gallons per hour.

Freshwater Aquarium Filter Tips

Mechanical filters that hang off the side of a tank do not support biological filtration as much as an underground or under-gravel filter. However, you can create biological filtration by adding a sponge to the filter. Place a small round sponge into the air intake hose of the filtration system. I have never tried this but have found that a sponge within the filter system is adequate.

Keep your mechanical power filter clean and free of any obstructions. Sometimes your filter can get clogged with debris and cause the filer to stop working or can overflow onto the floor. Constantly monitor your filter to make sure it is operating optimally.