Freshwater Aquarium Filter Systems - By: Andrew Bartlett

One of the most important pieces of equipment that you need when setting up a freshwater fish tank is the filter. With so many aquarium filter systems available today, the beginner may get confused as to what they actually need. A good filter must provide multiple levels of filtration and be appropriately sized for the tank that it will be used in. Beyond that, other considerations depend on aesthetics and budget.

Any worthwhile aquarium filter will provide mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration in the aquarium. Mechanical refers to the filtration of physical particles such as fish waste, excess food, dead plant material, etc. Chemical filtration is concerned with the removal of unwanted chemicals in the fish tank water, such as ammonia and excess nitrites that can build up and prove toxic to the fish if not filtered out.

The third part, biological filtration, is accomplished by beneficial bacteria that live in the filter and in the substrate of the tank. This is often overlooked, but is extremely important. These bacteria are the main driver of the nitrogen cycle which is the process by which fish waste and food is broken down by the bacteria and turned into usable nitrate for the plants in the aquarium. All effective filter systems employ all three of the filtration processes.

There are a few basic filter types that are available for use. They include the sponge filter, box filter, undergravel filter, internal power filter, external (hang over the back) power filter, and canister filters. Roughly speaking the list is in order of cost and effective tank size. The sponge and the box filters rely on an airstone to power them while the undergravel can use an airstone and/or a powerhead. The internal, external, and canister filters all use a power motor of some sort.

When choosing a filter, the size of the tank as well as the number and type of fish that are going to be kept in it (also known as bioload) need to be considered. In smaller tanks, such as a 5-15 gallon tank, a simple box or sponge filter will often do the trick. An undergravel filter is suitable for 10-30 gallon tanks and the internal power filter works best for the 15-40 gallon range. When it comes to the external power filters and the canisters, they can work for tanks as small as 10-15 gallons, but they are the filter choice for the bigger tanks because they can be scaled up in size to handle just about any sized aquarium.

Regardless of how effective the filter is, periodic water changes and gravel cleaning is still a necessity. No filter is powerful and efficient enough on its own to take care of all the needs of an aquarium, so bear that in mind and don’t think that bigger is better, either. When in doubt, ask questions at the fish store and read the information on the filter boxes, and making the right choice should not be difficult. Buy the right size filter for the tank and do water changes, and your fish will stay happy and healthy!

About the Author

Andrew Bartlett is an aquarium enthusiast with over 30 years experience in freshwater fish tank setup and maintenance. You can get more information at his website, http://www.TheFreshwaterAquariumGuide.com.

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