Choosing the between
all the various salt water fish tank filtration
systems can be confusing to say the least. Before you choose your
specific system, there are a few points you must know no matter which
system you choose. Keep in mind filtration is a very important part of
your tank.
In natural habitats,
the fish have an ample area in which to live.
In your tank, they are confined to a relatively small quantity of
water. In your tank, waste products can quickly build up and
spell
disaster.
Four factors have a
huge impact on the success of your tank, and
your filtration system. You must have an adequate biological
base, the
appropriate choice of animals, not over-populate, and don’t
over
feed.
Get one of these factors wrong, and you most likely will have problems
with your salt water tank.
Biological
filtration is the most important sector of salt water
fish tank filtration systems.The biological filters are living
organisms within your tank. They consume oxygen and waste material
within your tank. It’s not something you can add. They will
occur
naturally within your salt water fish tank.
Mechanical
Filtration
The second type of
filtration for your tank is mechanical
filtration. This is where you choose the type of salt water
filtration
systems you will use in your new tank.
Mechanical
filtration strains the solid particles from your tank
water. It will not remove solids trapped by gravel, or other
items
within your tank. A good mechanical filter traps enough solids to keep
your water clear, without becoming clogged frequently.
Smaller openings
catch finer particles and are clogged faster than a
larger opening. Keep this in mind as you choose your
mechanical
filtration system.
Types of
Mechanical Filters
For years, the
corner filter has been the least expensive and most
used type of salt water fish tank filtration systems. These clear
plastic boxes sit inside the tank. An air stone bubbles air
through an
airlift tube, which forces water through a bed of filter floss
mechanically filtering the water. Today there are better
methods,that
don’t take up space, look nicer, and perform well.
Power filters are
used by many. You’ll find many styles of power
filters. The most common hangs on the back of the tank. A
siphon
tube
pulls water from the tank into the filter box and passes the water
though a mechanical filter. An internal pump returns the filtered water
into the aquarium. Power filters come in many sizes suited for small to
large aquariums
Under-gravel filters
work by slowly passing water through the gravel
on the bottom, which sits on top of a perforated plate. The
water
pumped with an airlift, with bubbles air lifting the water in a
vertical tube attached to the filter plate. One problem
…the gravel
clogs up with waste creating a health risk for your fish.
Sponge filters are
an efficient,cheap form of
biological filtration. Water is forced through
porous foam
by air
bubbling through an airlift tube. Water flowing though the sponge
allows the growth of a colony of beneficial bacteria that neutralizes
toxic ammonia.
Chemical Filtration
Chemical
filtration, removes dissolved wastes from aquarium water.
The most popular chemical filtration is the carbon filter method. Your
water is filtered through gas activated carbon. The best GAC
for
filtering water is made from coal and is macro-porous (larger pores).
