Aquarium Filter

Picking the right aquarium filter is a very important process in owning your very own aquarium. Filters work by filtering out the toxins and wastes produced by the fish you keep. There are a few different filtration options to consider when picking out the one that is best suited for your aquarium. In this article I will be going over a few of the filtration designs that can work for your aquarium.

The first filter system type is the air driven internal filter. These filters are relatively weak and are best used to house fry or other very small fish. These filters provide mechanical, biological, and chemical filtration on some level, but not enough to house fish with a heavier bio load with. You can place this filter type right in the aquarium and allows for room around the tank.

Another great filter type is an internal power filter. Internal power filters can be placed completely underwater in the aquarium. These filters have the advantage of being compact like an air driven internal filter, but the strength and maneuverability of larger power filters. Internal power filters are normally placed toward the lower half of the aquarium to be most effective, it is recommended you pick a different filter if you have an aquarium over 20 gallons in size.

Canister filters are the heavy duty filters of the aquarium world. They provide excellent filtering for mechanical, biological, and chemical areas. This filter type can hold much more of a filter medium than other models, and is great for heavy duty loads in aquariums. You can use this filter type in South American and African cichlid tanks, or also other freshwater and saltwater aquariums. I highly recommend these filters, you may pay a little more but you definitely get your moneys worth out of this type.

Wet-dry filters are the absolute best filter you can purchase for biological filtration. Wet-dry filters are best used for fish only saltwater aquariums. This pump type gets its name from the way it works in its filtration method. The filter media in these pumps is exposed to air, and water while operating. This provides plenty of beneficial bacteria for your home aquarium. These bacteria process the waste in the aquarium that is produced by your fish. Wet/Dry filters are highly customizable and provide a great opportunity to set up your filter the exact way you want to. When you are using a Wet/Dry filter you are going to need a sump and a reservoir that holds other accessories to the pump. Some pumps include the sump and other equipment with it, but make sure you purchase all the equipment to have it functioning properly.

Well, I hope I was able to cast a bit of light on the different filtration systems available. As always, you should do a lot of research before you settle on a filter system. If you have any questions you cannot find the answers to on the internet, you can always speak to a friendly sales representative and they can guide you along.