Understand What Filtration Systems Are

Talk to experienced aquarium fish and koi hobbyists and they will tell you the key to the good health of their beloved pets is maintaining good water quality. Good water quality involves maintaining appropriate levels of essential constituents and minimizing the levels of undesirable substances in the water.

Proper filtration, regular water changes and the use of additives are ways in which good water quality can be maintained. How often you should change the water and how much to change at a time depends a lot on the waste load in the tank and the sensitivity of your fish.

There are no set rules on the particular type of filter you should use, or on combining different filtration methods. It’s best to research and explore all the options available and use what suit your needs.

3 Types of Filtration Systems

Biological Filtration: No matter what type of filter you choose, a good biological filtration base is the most important maintenance device in your aquarium. Biological filters are created by the fostering of ammonia-neutralizing bacteria.

Overpopulating the aquarium with fish and overfeeding them are usually the main causes of waste products building up to toxic levels. Waste products include ammonia released from the fishes’ gills, waste matter and scraps of uneaten food. Waste matter and decaying food release ammonia, which can kill aquarium fish even in small amounts.

Mother Nature provides several types of bacteria that break down ammonia into less toxic compounds—nitrite and nitrate. The beneficial bacteria multiply naturally in the presence of ammonia and oxygen, and attach themselves to the tank, rocks, gravel and decorative items.

However, as this natural bio-filtration method is inadequate for supporting many fish, biological filters are necessary to provide additional surface area for the bacteria colonies to attach themselves to, and increase the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water.

Mechanical Filtration: Such system strain solid particles of waste from the water before they have a chance to decay. They do not directly remove dissolved ammonia. These filters also do not remove microscopic bacteria, algae, and any solids trapped by gravel, plants, or decorative items in the tank. Such solids and algae are best removed through vacuuming.

Some people install circulation pumps, known as wave makers, to improve the chances of catching solid waste particles in the mechanical filter.

The most popular mechanical filtration media include sponges, paper cartridges and loose or bonded floss media which are reusable to different degrees.

Depending on the size of the openings, the filter can get clogged as particles get trapped. A good mechanical filter is one that traps enough solids to keep the water clear without getting clogged too often.

Chemical Filtration: These systems aid in the removal of dissolved wastes which exist in the water at a molecular level.

The most common chemical filtration method involves filtering water through gas-activated carbon. When carbon is steamed at very high heat, large numbers of tiny pores develop in it. In a filter, these pores help to trap waste particles by means of absorption and an ion exchange process. Undesired metal substances and organic molecules are removed in this way.

As a rule, buy only carbons made by reputable aquarium supply companies. These carbons are low in ash—a substance which could lead o undesirable shifts in pH level and phosphate leaching in water. Also, always wash carbon before use to remove dust that may have accumulated during shipment.

“New wave” filtration systems, such as the ECO-Equalizer, operate on the principles of magnetism and light energy to achieve more effective results. The design of this tube-like device involves a technology developed by NASA called “far infra-red.”

Through the combined use of magnetic fields and far infra-red light waves, the ECO-Equalizer creates vibrational effects which affect molecular interactions and enhance water reactivity (the ability of water to undergo chemical changes). It thus imparts a natural sterilizing effect on the water and restores healthy equilibrium.

The images above are Penguin BIO-Wheel filters, which I highly recommend for both freshwater and saltwater aquarium filtration. There are three different sizes for any aquarium up to 75 gallon. And the good news is that they are very affordable.

To better understand what BIO-Wheel filter technology is, here’s one good literature to get you started.

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