Fish Tank Filters – Read This Before You Buy

Before you go out and buy your fish tank filter you need to do your research and make the right choice. Although most filters are designed to maintain water quality by keeping your tank clean not all of them suit all aquarium set ups. Choose the wrong filter and it can be an expensive mistake.

All aquariums need both mechanical and biological filtration to remain healthy. An aquarium filter can as well as dealing with these two areas also help to aerate the water in an aquarium at the same time.

So what are the different types of filters and are they suited to your set up.

Box filters or corner filters as they are also called were the first aquarium filters available for home aquariums. They can hold a variety of filter media allowing them to deal with several different types of filtration but tend to have a less powerful intake than most other filters. These have tended to go out of fashion as more powerful filters have come onto the market but are still a good filter for smaller tanks and breeding tanks.

Canister filters are more powerful filters suited to medium to large tanks. These filters force the water through the filter media rather than letting it flow through as other filters do. Consequently they are suitable for tanks that require a high level of filtration. Most canister filters will take a wide range of filter media allowing you to interchange the media to deal with different water conditions. Canister filters sit outside the tank, either behind or underneath it.

Power filters have become the most popular type of filter. They are easy to install and simply hang off the back or side of the aquarium, making the filter media easier to change than the canister filter. The biological filter can be increased by adding a bio wheel. These are best suited to small to medium sized tanks.

Under gravel filters are as the name suggests placed underneath the gravel. A pump draws water down through the gravel filtering the water as it goes. They are relatively easy to maintain but can clog. They are not recommended for planted aquariums as they can damage the roots of plants.

Diatomic filters are specialist filters used to remove fine particles such as diatomic algae from the water. Consequently, as these would have occasional use you are better off making sure that the filter you buy can take a diatomic insert rather than investing in one of these.

Sponge filters are simply a sponge that fits over the water intake. These are really used for breeding tanks where small fry could get sucked into the water intake and are not really suitable for anything but the smallest home aquarium.

Trickle or wet and dry filters are designed to help with oxygenation. In this filter water is trickled over a bed of filter media such as plastic balls helping to increase the surface area and oxygenate the water. These are becoming more popular.

Fluidised bed filters are fairly new to the market but fast becoming popular. Suited to any size tank they use sand as the filter media. This results in a very large surface area making them an extremely efficient biological filter although they can take a longer time to cycle initially.

So give some thought to your filter system. If you’re tempted by a starter package including tank, lights and filter ask some searching questions to make sure that it is a bargain and not a white elephant.

If you found this article interesting check out my website at http://www.aquariumhintsandtips.com

Nick North is an aquarium enthusiast with nearly 20 years experience of keeping freshwater tropical fish. He has set up a website to help anyone who is new to the freshwater aquarium hobby and thinking of <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="â??“>http://ezinearticles.com/?Setting-Up-an-Aquarium—Successfully&id=2623044â??”> setting up an aquarium

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