Filtration For Aquatic Ecosystems
4 Kinds Of Common Aquarium Filtration Systems
One of the most important elements of any aquarium is the purifying system . It's this unit alone that filters and cleans the water 24 hours a day. Without purification, fish tanks would just not be possible without continued water changes. All aquariums would be as huge fish bowls and nothing more. There are four basic filter systems for fish tanks and each is explained in detail below .
Sump Filter Systems
Whether you have a smaller free-standing tank or a bigger built in unit, filters that utilise a sump offer equal benefits to both aquarium designs. Naturally the only difference being the dimensions of the sump reserviour. Typically the sump is under the main tank, obscured from view inside the base cupboard or some other structure for larger custom units. This system however requires a drilled tank so there is an outlet generally in the bottom of the tank. This facet of the sump can act as a deterrant for many that do not need a hole in the bottom of their aquarium. Sumps due to the volume they can handle are customarily reserved for big tanks over 200 gallons. They can however be used on any size tank but can be overkill on little marine tanks.
Canister Filters
With canister filtering units, the filter medium is self-contained in the canister. Water is pumped to the canister through an output and input hose system that forces water inside the unit and the filtration medium and back out to the tank. The canister is usually concealed inside the cabinet or stand that supports the tank itself. This design is quite popular as it is easy to conseal and does not interfer with the aesthetics of the tank interior design. Changing the filter medium is also simple as it is usually a compact replacement element that installs easily.
Hang-On Filters
An old and very trusty design, water is siphoned from the tank and into the hanging filter attacted to the corner of the tank. Water then passes down throught the container filter medium and pumped back into the tank usually in the guise of a waterfall from the apex of the filter. These are especially favored by smaller tank sizes. They also are used quite ofter as a secondary purifying system in conjuction with and under gravel filter.
Under Gravel Filters
Under gravel filters are the most cost effective purifying systems. WIth these sorts of filters a punctured plate is layed under the tank gravel and water is pumped up thru stand pipes by small electrical powerheads. This creates a cycle of filtration that utilises the gravel itself as the particulate and biological filter. The downfalls to this design however are two fold. The 1st problem is that the gravel clogs after a while and must be vacuumed with a special syphon to wash the gravel. Second some live plants do not do like their roots being constantly flushed by the filter water action. This could attract the use of synthesised plants.
Filtering Media
Both kinds of external filtering customarily contain 2 types of purification media. A chemical part and a particle part. The most typical chemical media is active charcoal, It is extremely efficient at removing unwelcome compounds that taint the water and can even trap bigger molecules. Carbon nevertheless has a short life-span and must be replaced constantly as the pores in the carbon become brimming with substances filtered from the water. Carbon does continue to function as a biological filter as it has additionally besieged large amounts of favourable bacteria. Even though carbon filtration is not necessarily mandatory, rather well any tank will benefit from it.
For particulate purifying there is a flood of plastic and fibroid filter media that accomplish the job well. The key function of particulate purifying is to remove particles that have accrued in the tank such as excess food, fecies and any other stuff that is floating in the water, removing this particulate helps keep the water nice and clear. This media also aquires a building up of beneficial bacteria and micro-organisims and contributes also as a biological filter.
The Author has been avidly concerned with both freshwater and marine aquariums for over two decades and posts frequently about saltwater and reef tank setup for beginers on his site.
