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Choosing the Right Type of Fish Tank Filters
By admin | February 16, 2010
The inhabitants of your fish tank won’t survive if their habitat is not properly cleaned and maintained. One important part of fish tank maintenance is the use of the right type of fish tank filters. Fish tank filters clean the aquarium water of nitrites, ammonia, dust particles or debris, and promote good water circulation. Before you purchase a filter for your aquarium, read this guide on some of the popular types of fish tank filters, along with their pros and cons.
Under gravel fish tank filters
Aquarium filters under this type are easy to maintain. Plus, they are also very affordable compared to other filter types. An under gravel filter works by drawing the water down through the gravel found at the bottom of the tank. The water is then directed into small slits found in the tray underneath the gravel. The gravel then filters the water by removing large particles. The beneficial bacteria that lives on the gravel removes nitrites, ammonia, and other harmful chemicals. The clean water is then pumped back into the tank through risers with active carbon filter attachments.
Pros and cons
This filtering system provides good water circulation because it uses a powerhead or air stones. Because it draws in colder water into the bottom, it also conveniently regulates the temperature inside the fish tank. Another advantage of this fish tank filter is that this is the perfect filtering type for tanks with live plants, since plants can gain more grasp by rooting through the gravel. However, this filter type also has its cons. One is that to make this filter system work effectively, you also need to purchase powerful air pumps. Another disadvantage is that you are limited to the type of substrate you can use.
Canister fish tank filters
Canister filters usually use a couple of pipes that are hung over the back of the aquarium. The water is pumped through the filter, which then contains different filtering media. The water, once inside the canister fish tank filters, go through mechanical, biological, and chemical filtration. The clean water is then pumped back into the tank with the use of outtake valves.
Pros and cons
These fish tank filters are powerful cleaning devices that are best suited for large tanks or aquariums with very demanding inhabitants. These fish tank accessories are also easy to hide away because they can be easily placed under an aquarium cupboard. Unfortunately, this type of fish tank filters are very expensive. Maintenance costs can also get pricey.
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