| Aquariums, just like any other part of the environment, | | | | water continuously. |
| need to be kept considerably clean, for aquatic life to | | | | What are the filters available out there then?Fresh |
| keep thriving in them. Many people dislike the idea of | | | | water aquarium filters are commonly purchased at |
| having to manually clean the inside of a freshwater | | | | your local hobby stores, and there are quite a number |
| aquarium every now and then, so manufacturers have | | | | of these filters that can provide you with one or more |
| provided them with freshwater aquarium filters that | | | | of the filtering processes explained above. Take a look |
| can be installed to do the initial cleaning of the fish tank | | | | at some of the filters used in aquariums. |
| for them. | | | | Power filters are the most common filters used in fish |
| How is the water in a fish tank filtered? | | | | tanks, mostly because they're affordable, are readily |
| An aquarium produces waste materials for a number | | | | available, and quite efficient. They're quite easy to install |
| of reasons. One reason is the biological reactions that | | | | and use, and maintenance is relatively simple too. This |
| take place in the water; these could simply take form | | | | is one of the filters that can actually use all three |
| of uneaten food that was left to spoil, or by waste | | | | filtration methods, depending on how you customize |
| materials of the fish themselves. But whatever these | | | | the power filter's settings. |
| waste sources are, there are usually three general | | | | Canister filters are among the most powerful filters |
| ways to remove and clean off these waste materials | | | | that you can use. This is because they force the |
| out of your fish tank. | | | | water through the filter media, not just letting it flow |
| When we speak of the natural processes involved in | | | | through, making the filtration process far more |
| filtering the water inside a fish tank, we talk about | | | | effective in terms of filtration amount per time interval. |
| biological filtration. Beneficial bacteria is the most | | | | One disadvantage, though, is that power filters are |
| common and effective agent of this filtering process, | | | | somewhat difficult to maintain. |
| being able to break down dangerous toxic materials | | | | Corner filters were the forerunners of the modern |
| into less toxic substances. | | | | filters that are used today. Their basic function is to |
| Synthetic materials that are used to combine with | | | | pass the water through it, and with a proper filter |
| waste materials are the work of a chemical filtration | | | | media installed inside, filter the water appropriately. |
| process. These waste materials react with the | | | | They are very cheap, and are commonly used for |
| synthetic material, dissolving it and transforming it into a | | | | hospital tanks. The advent of more effective ways of |
| form that can be collected and thrown afterwards. | | | | filtering made the corner filter a lot less popular than |
| One good material used for chemical filtration is | | | | what it was before. |
| activated carbon. | | | | Sponge filters, as the name suggests, make use of a |
| Manually trapping solid waste materials in a filter media | | | | sponge for beneficial bacteria to colonize into, setting |
| is a form of mechanical filtration. Although this method | | | | the filter for biological filtration. They can also, however, |
| does not involve dissolving substances or breaking | | | | filter larger solid particles using the very same sponge. |
| down materials, it is an effective means of filtering out | | | | Other versions of the sponge filter include the use of |
| solid waste out of the fish tank. One thing though... | | | | two sponges at the same time, for convenience |
| collected material from the filter must be periodically | | | | purposes. |
| removed by hand, so that it can continue to clean the | | | | |