The Various Types Of Aquarium Filter And Their Functions

The primary function of any aquarium filter is to filter out the bad stuff in the tank. Every aquarium needs a filter to keep the water clean, as well as maintain the nitrogen cycle of the water.

Filters work by sucking up dirt in the tank, including excess food, decaying plant, and other organic matter, as well as waste products from fish. If all these are not constantly removed from the tank, the fish will eventually be swimming in a foul solution that can poison them.

A good filter should clean the aquarium’s water in several ways. First, it acts as a vacuum cleaner, removing floating matter and debris in the water by sucking them in and trapping them.

Second, it should contain substances such as carbon, which removes toxic materials that can harm you fish. A filter should also contain beneficial bacteria that eat up and break down fish waster and excess food.

Types of Aquarium Filters

There are two main categories of filters to choose from: Internal and External. I’ve written more in depth about internal and external filters here.

Internal filter: Used mainly in smaller tanks, tend to be cheaper and easier to maintain. However, they also clog easily and need to be cleaned often. Have a look at some of the internal filters here.

External filter: Used by the serious hobbyist, are more expensive but can process large amounts of water. Because they are placed outside the tank, you have an unobstructed view of your fish.

A filter should keep the conditions in the aquarium close to those found in the wild, as far as possible.

Filters Of Various Shapes, Sizes, and Designs

Filters can be found in various shapes, sizes, and designs.

Power filters have a small motor to draw the water through the system, as well as a filter until consisting of media like foam cartridges containing beneficial bacteria, activated carbon, and peat to acidify the water.

Other types of filters include the trickle filter (a.k.a. wet/dry filters), where the water trickles slowly through a pre-filter and then through biological filter media then back into the aquarium; and undergravel filter, which consists of a filter plate lying beneath the bed of gravel on the tank bottom.

If you have an undergravel filter, you will need an air pump to pull water through the filter for it to work properly.

All aquarium filters must be cleaned regularly, and the disposable media changed at required intervals, to prevent clogging. Before purchasing a filter, it would be wise to find out how much its disposable media will cost as you will have to change them frequently.

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