Undergravel Filter With Sand? The 13 New Answer

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The under gravel filter is a filtration system that uses gravel as a filter.

Gravel can be a good filter material, especially when there is a significant layer of gravel more than 5 cm high.

The gravel provides mechanical and biological filtration when the aquarium is heavily trafficked.

What is a soil filter and how does it work?

The sub-gravel filter consists of a rectangular grid (most often made of plastic, but can also consist of connected pipes with holes) connected to a pipe for water circulation.

The under gravel filter is placed at the bottom of the aquarium, directly on the glass of the aquarium, and then the gravel is placed on the filter.

The under gravel filter uses the gravel as the filter media, thus providing both mechanical and biological filtration as the beneficial bacteria usually form colonies on objects instead of just swimming around in the water like the malicious species; The gravel is perfect for huge colonies of beneficial bacteria.

Filtering is done by circulating the water from the under gravel filter back into the aquarium.

The under gravel filter has tiny holes that allow water to enter the filter and uses the air or water pump to push the water up and direct it back into the aquarium.

The other end can be submerged if necessary. In this way, the water passes through the “cleaning” bacteria that convert ammonia and nitrites into less harmful nitrates.

We think you may be interested in this: Best Pond Pump

The working mechanism

The under gravel filters are usually designed for use with air pumps. Because air is lighter than water, it pushes the water up through the filter tube and back into the aquarium.

For this to work properly, the breathing hose should be routed along the tube to create water flow.

Using an air pump is more effective on smaller tanks than large ones.

The under-gravel filter is sometimes used with a water pump (power head) which when properly placed in the top of the under-gravel filter tube will produce greater water flow and therefore more effective filtration.

A water pump is also needed when using an under gravel filter in an outdoor pond.

Since the pond is very large compared to the home aquarium, a strong power head is used to create a stream of water flowing through the gravel.

If you decide to use a gravel filter for your koi pond, an additional retaining wall should be submerged to allow the gravel to maintain its shape and height to be a good filter material.

The setup is the same: first put down the sub gravel filter grid, then put the gravel on top.

When everything is connected and the water pump is on, the water is drawn towards the gravel, sucked through the small holes in the under gravel filter screen and returned.

By circulating the water through gravel with colonies of beneficial bacteria, you achieve mechanical and biological filtration.

When your filter material gets dirty

The gravel plays the role of the filter material and as you know, like any other filter material, this material should be cleaned from time to time.

The best way to clean your gravel is with a gravel cleaner.

Vacuuming the gravel will direct any accumulated debris and organic waste down the drain into a bucket.

Once the gravel is clean, your filter media is ready to use again.

When to Consider a Gravel Filter?

The undergravel filter is not as effective as other filter systems when used as a stand alone filter.

It might be useful enough for smaller aquariums, but for larger tanks it can be used as additional filtration.

Also note that the under gravel filter does not provide chemical filtration, which is a very important part of the filtration process.

So, to have chemical filtration in your tank, you need additional items.

If your under gravel filter is working properly, the water will be clear and the fish will look healthy and happy.

However, if the water becomes discolored and the fish become ill, you should consider additional sources of filtration, particularly chemical filtration.

Finally…

For smaller aquariums, an under gravel filter might work well for you, but if you have a large tank, using an under gravel filter can be a supplement to your main filtration.

Once you’ve settled on a gravel filter, below are some of my recommendations:

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Keeping the water clean is one of the most important steps in aquarium maintenance. Investing in a quality filter can ensure your water stays fresh and clean without too much effort. In order to choose the best one, it is best to know the different types of filters.

“There are three main types of filtration in any aquarium system. And that’s biological filtration, chemical filtration, and mechanical filtration,” says Nic Tiemens, co-founder of Infinity Aquarium Design. “Biological is the ability to break down harmful organics like ammonia, like nitrate, like nitrite, so you want to make sure you have a filter that has a reputation for breaking down harmful organics.” Mechanical filtration is simply the removal of particles in water. Finally, chemical filtration is the addition of chemical media like carbon or phosphate removers, things that really clean your water so you get clarity and purity.

For crystal clear water, check out the best filtration systems below.

Matt Clarke answers some of the most frequently asked questions about background filtration.

How do soil filters work?

A sub-gravel filter is a slatted grid that forms an intermediate floor that allows a layer of gravel to be suspended over a space filled with water. One or more vertical tubes called airlifts (or elevators) are attached to the slab through which water is drawn using a powerhead or an airstone (powered by an air pump).

The suction created draws water and solid waste into the gravel, providing a source of oxygen-rich water for beneficial nitrifying bacteria to remove the resulting pollutants from the water. This means that the filter works both mechanically, by trapping debris, and biologically, by acting as a colonization site for the bacteria that break down the fish’s waste.

Are you good?

Under gravel tends to be more labor intensive to maintain than internal filters and can cause problems in planted aquariums.

However, they are cheap to buy and run, and have a much larger surface area than most internal power filters. This means that they are theoretically able to endure a greater load of pollution once the bacteria have settled in the filter. If not cared for properly, they can cause a number of problems.

How much gravel should I put on it? And what kind should I use?

Research suggests that the minimum depth should be 76mm/3in and the optimum gravel size should be between 2mm and 5mm. If the gravel size is too small, or if you add sand, it will fall down and clog the slots and restrict water flow through the filter bed. As a general rule of thumb, allow about 10 lb of gravel per square foot, or about 45 kg per square meter.

What flow rate do I need?

A flow rate of 60 gph/272 lph per square foot is best when the filter is at the optimum depth of 76 mm/3 inches. The flow rate should be higher when the bed is deeper.

Undergravel doesn’t need cleaning – right?

Undergravel filters need to be cleaned to function properly. If the sucked dirt is not removed, it will eventually slow the flow of water through the bed. This reduces the amount of oxygen getting to the beneficial bacteria, leading to poor performance and degrading water quality. When the bed becomes clogged, toxic chemicals like hydrogen sulfide can build up. Nitrate (and phosphate) levels can also rise to extremely high levels if cleaning is inadequate.

How often should I clean the gravel?

The frequency of gravel cleaning really depends on how dirty it gets and the water quality. Tanks with large messy fish will require more maintenance than those with small numbers of tiny fish. While thorough cleaning is essential, it likely has some impact on performance. According to some research, many of the bacteria present on a sub-gravel filter bed are tied to trapping detritus. A thorough cleaning removes a lot of dirt in one fell swoop and can reduce the bacterial population by 40-66%, reducing nitrification.

Regular cleaning, however, prevents the accumulation of detritus, so the bacteria are more likely to attach themselves to gravel. A quick cleaning every week is believed to have less of an impact than having the dirt build up over a month and then removing it with a gravel cleaner.

My filter seems to be clogged. How can I unclog it?

Too infrequent gravel cleaning can cause the slots under the plate to clog. Insert a siphon tube into the buoyancy and attempt to siphon the water from under the panel. If vacuuming alone doesn’t work, try gently blowing the hose down to loosen any trapped debris, then start vacuuming again.

If that fails, as a last resort you may have to disassemble the tank and scrub the plate with a toothbrush. Make sure you only wash the gravel with water from the tank. Never wash the gravel in tap water or replace it with new ones, otherwise you will lose the beneficial bacteria and the water will become dirty quickly.

Does it come in any size?

Bottom filters are available in a range of standard sizes to fit snugly in the bottoms of most common tanks. If you have a larger tank you can use multiple plates provided you add enough pumps to ensure adequate flow through the filter. Some manufacturers make small panels that can be joined together to make custom filters for large or irregularly sized tanks.

My plants are not growing very well. Is that because of my soil filter?

Unfortunately, few plants grow well in tanks with a bottom filter. This is thought to be because they pull oxygen over the plant’s roots and, like other filters, oxidize nutrients and expel carbon dioxide.

Choose plants that don’t need to be rooted directly into the gravel, like anubias and java fern. Or place specimen plants in clay pots partially filled with laterite, a nutrient-rich clay.

My cichlids expose the filter when spawning. Is this a problem?

When part of the plate is exposed, the water flows through the whole, bypassing much of the filter bed. Underworld (01509 610310) make a special plastic mesh material called a gravel basket that can be cut to size and placed between two layers of gravel. Burrowing cichlids can only properly dig down to the gravel instead of exposing the whole panel, which keeps the filter functional.

This article was first published in the September 2002 issue of Practical Fishkeeping.

With all the technological advances in the aquarium hobby, I thought it would be nice to take a look at one of the most rudimentary and long-lived devices in the industry – the bottom filter.

Background filters have a pretty bad reputation. They are sometimes considered a relic of aquarium history, but are they still useful? Some hobbyists swear by them and some hobbyists swear by them. How your tank performs with an undergravel filter depends on a few factors – setup and maintenance. Let’s take a look at some of the most common problems related to undergravel filters and explore some solutions.

The problem: They don’t work well enough. Some say bottom filters are inefficient in tanks with a lot of fish.

The Solution: Proper setup is very important in filtration. This applies in particular to underground filtration. Using the right size and amount of gravel plays an important role in how well your filter will perform. To ensure maximum efficiency from your filter, you need to make sure you have at least 2 to 3 inches of gravel over the filter plate. The gravel should be of mixed quality, but make sure you don’t have anything so small that can slip under or through the grate. You also want the gravel to be evenly distributed across the soil. Because water flow follows the path of least resistance, an area with less gravel will receive more flow than an area with more gravel. This results in less efficient use of the entire filter panel. Another thing to watch out for is using large chunks of stone or wood laid flat on the gravel. These ornaments can restrict the flow across the area.

Another recommendation: Use compressed sand air vents instead of compressed paper air vents. Paper vents clog quickly. You should replace the air vents every month regardless of which ones you use, but the sand air vents work better over longer periods of time.

The problem: They are DIRTY! Many hobbyists have horror stories about the amount of dirt that accumulates under the filters over the years. Another complaint is that they are troublesome to maintain.

The solution: Fish waste and other debris is pulled down through a debris under the filter plate, making it easy to see why someone might think it was dirty. People assume that if you have undergravel filtration you shouldn’t vacuum the gravel because they think that would destroy or suck up the beneficial bacteria. Proper maintenance, however, will ensure that excessive litter and debris does not accumulate under the slab.

To keep your filtration running at peak performance, you should perform weekly water changes. Mentally divide your tank into quarters. Select a quarter of the tank each week and vacuum the gravel in that section. Go about half an inch deep into the gravel with your gravel siphon. This should remove a good amount of the dirt that settles under the filter plate while preventing the bacterial colonies from being completely wiped out. It should also allow the bacteria to recolonize the area before you need to vacuum the next section. If you follow this schedule, your undergravel filter should not accumulate excessive waste or produce nitrates in large quantities.

Simply put, undergravel filters have been around for so long because they work. The low-tech and simple device can be used successfully for years with proper maintenance. Keep your tank well stocked (don’t overload it), don’t overfeed, and keep water changes on schedule. You should have as much success with an undergravel filter as with the more advanced filtration techniques available on the market today. Give an underbody filter a try…with the right setup and maintenance, it can be a dependable and cost-effective tool.

Many Thanks,

craig

Activated carbon has been used in home aquariums for decades and is still the best selling filter media product. As new types of filters and media have become available, debate has raged about the value of using activated carbon in filters. Some believe it should be used as the standard medium for continuous use in most filters. Others believe that it should only be used for special needs, and still others believe that activated charcoal should no longer be used at all.

It is important to remember that charcoal will be depleted relatively quickly when used in an aquarium filter. If you decide to use activated carbon permanently, it should be replaced regularly. Otherwise it’s of little use.

What is activated charcoal?

Activated carbon is made from carbonaceous material that has been heat treated at very high temperatures to create many tiny pores, greatly increasing its surface area. These tiny pores and huge surface area allow the filter media to capture a large volume of material, making it useful for removing pollutants from air and water. Different methods of producing activated carbon result in different forms of material suitable for different uses. In aquariums, the most commonly used form is GAC, or granulated activated carbon. Forms of activated charcoal include:

BAC or Pearl Activated Charcoal

EAC or Extruded Activated Carbon

GAC or granular activated carbon

PAC or powdered activated carbon (also available in compressed pellet form)

There are also different sources for the carbon itself, each resulting in different potential pore sizes. Materials such as charcoal, coconut, peat, bamboo, and wood are all used to make activated charcoal. Coal is the best source for aquariums.

What activated charcoal does

Activated carbon adsorbs a range of dissolved contaminants such as chloramine and chlorine, tannins (which color water) and phenols (which cause odors). It prevents the aquarium water from turning yellow over time.

It is important to understand that there are several important toxins that activated charcoal does not remove. Most importantly, it does not remove ammonia, nitrite or nitrate. Therefore, it does not help in removing toxins during the initial setup of the aquarium. Water changes or other methods must be used to correct elevated ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate levels.

Heavy metals such as lead or copper are also not removed. If your water source contains heavy metals, use a water treatment product before adding the water to the aquarium.

Activated Charcoal and Medicines

Activated charcoal adsorbs many drugs used to treat fish diseases. Therefore, before treating sick fish with medication, all carbon should be removed from the filter. After the course of treatment is fully completed, it is safe to add activated carbon back to the filter. The charcoal removes all drug residues in the aquarium water.

placement in the filter

Activated charcoal loses its effectiveness fairly quickly when exposed to a lot of debris from the aquarium. Therefore, carbon should be placed in the filter after the mechanical filter media. Remember that if you don’t keep your tank clean and dirt builds up in the filter, the activated carbon will not be effective.

Change activated carbon

As activated carbon binds to the compounds it removes, it eventually becomes saturated and unable to remove additional contaminants. It must therefore be replaced regularly – once a month is usually sufficient. Longer replacement intervals will not harm the tank, but the carbon will gradually lose its ability to remove toxins from the water. If you see yellowing in the water or smell an odor in your tank, it’s high time to change the activated carbon.

Activated charcoal recharging myth

Stories about recharging activated charcoal abound. Some even provide step-by-step instructions that generally involve baking the charcoal in your oven. These stories are myths. The temperature and pressure required to refill used activated carbon cannot be reached in your kitchen range. It’s better to just buy new charcoal from the fish store when you need to replace your charcoal, and be sure to store unused charcoal in an airtight container, otherwise it can absorb odors and chemicals from the air.

de-absorption

You may have heard that once activated carbon reaches its capacity, it leaches some adsorbed materials back into the water. This is not an accurate claim. While technically possible, deadsorption requires changes in water chemistry that simply do not occur in an aquarium.

However, the processes used to manufacture activated carbon can result in the presence of phosphate in the final product. In this case, phosphate already contained in the activated carbon can be washed out into the aquarium water. Some activated charcoal products specifically state whether they are phosphate-free.

If you are having trouble with persistently elevated phosphate and cannot find another cause, remove the activated charcoal completely. Perform normal tank maintenance for a few months and see if the phosphate level remains elevated. If it stays high, the carbon probably wasn’t the cause of your elevated phosphate level.

Cautions with carbon

In general, using activated carbon in your filter is a good thing, but not a necessity. If you test your water, do regular partial water changes, and dechlorinate the backup tap water, you really don’t need to use charcoal. It’s just an extra expense as the carbon needs to be replaced every month.

The charcoal in a recirculating filter system also serves as a home for the beneficial bacteria that convert ammonia into nitrite and then nitrate. If you change the charcoal every month, you are throwing away part of the biofilter and it will take a while for the new charcoal to grow beneficial bacteria on it. If the carbon media makes up a significant percentage of your filtration system, you are losing your biofilter with every replacement. An ammonia spike could potentially occur after adding the new carbon. To prevent this, use sponges, beads, bio-beads or ceramic beads in the filter in sufficient quantity to act as the main medium for bacteria that form the bio-filter.

It has been reported that powdered activated carbon, when used in the filtration system, is blown into the aquarium as a fine dust that attaches to the gills of the fish. There have been cases where the fish have died after using powdered carbon that was not properly contained in a media bag in the filter. When the dead fish were autopsied, carbon particles were found in their gills and fin tissues. Use larger pellets or granular activated carbon and rinse the dust off with distilled water before adding it to your filter chamber to avoid this problem. Use distilled or deionized water to rinse the new carbon to prevent it from adsorbing chlorine from tap water before even putting it in your filter!

Did you know that new gravel needs to be rinsed off before adding it to the aquarium? Don’t worry, it only takes a few simple steps. Here’s what you need to know.

Difficulty: Easy

: Easy Time needed: 20-30 minutes

What you need

6″ or larger screen

5 gallon bucket

instructions

Buy enough gravel to cover the aquarium floor about 2-3 inches deep. If you don’t already have one, purchase a 5-gallon bucket and label it for aquarium use only. Aquarium buckets should never contain soap. Place a large, clean strainer, at least 6 inches in diameter, over the bucket. Fill the screen half full with gravel. Pour water over the gravel in the screen while gently shaking. Flushing the gravel over the bucket and not down a drain allows gravel that slips through the screen to be caught instead of going down the drain. Keep pouring water over the gravel until the water runs clear. Multiple washes are usually required. Once the water is clear, the gravel can be used. It can be added directly to the tank or to a clean bucket or container. Repeat steps three through five until you have washed enough gravel to fill the aquarium 2-3 inches deep.

tips

A rule of thumb for the amount of gravel to use is one to two pounds of gravel per gallon of tank capacity.

Old buckets can be used if they are cleaned thoroughly with bleach, rinsed well and air dried.

An alternative cleaning method

To properly clean new aquarium gravel, it must be done right!

Proper cleaning of new aquarium gravel is an important first step in keeping water quality high; Gravel dust and debris can harm or even kill fish. Although new aquarium gravel may be marketed by manufacturers as “pre-rinsed” or “pre-cleaned,” bags of new aquarium gravel often contain dust, dirt, grit, or toxic residue from the factory that packed it. These small particles should not get into the environment of a freshwater aquarium.

Fish keepers often think that an aquarium filter can remove these small particles that temporarily cause cloudy water. This is partially true, however much of the “dust” settles at the bottom of the tank only to be kicked up when the gravel is kicked up. Improperly cleaned gravel is a major cause of slightly cloudy water in newer aquariums.

The dye used in cheaply available gravel can discolor aquarium water and introduce toxins into your fish community. Colored aquarium gravel might be your choice, but if not fully cleaned, it can pose a long-term hazard to many fish.

The first step in cleaning aquarium gravel, the easiest way, is to pour one bag at a time into a bucket outside the home or office. It’s important to do this cleaning outdoors, the gravel dust won’t harm lawns or plants, but it could permanently clog the siphon in sink drains. This is a clog that needs to be repaired by a plumber. Don’t clean sink drains with gravel!

Using a high-pressure hose (normal outdoor water pressure, but with a spray head to increase the pressure at which the water shoots out of the hose), spray an intense jet of water into the gravel at the bottom of the bucket. The water becomes cloudy, residue is literally washed out of the gravel. Pour the water covering the gravel into the bucket, again pour the water not down a drain but onto the ground. Repeat this over and over until the water runs clear over the gravel in the bucket after spraying the gravel. At this point the gravel is clean enough to put straight into the tank. Empty the next bag of new gravel into the bucket and repeat the process.

Even after this process, there may be a slight cloudiness in the water, this is normal and the dust will settle. Using new gravel is another reason not to put fish in a new aquarium until it has been filled with water and filtered to allow the water to circulate for at least a week.

A second step may be necessary to avoid clouding of the water. After you have completely removed the dust and debris using the bucket method, take a large strainer and hose down small amounts to get the last of the dust out, then pour into the new aquarium.

Long used in saltwater aquariums, bottom filters have increased in popularity in freshwater aquariums over the past decade as the importance of the nitrogen cycle has become apparent. These aquarium filters provide an effective means of minimizing levels of ammonia and nitrites in aquarium water and are easy and inexpensive to install. Since they are invisible and do their job without fuss, they can easily be ignored or neglected. Proper setup and maintenance are indeed required for these filters to function effectively over the long term.

Bottom filters work by pulling aquarium water through the layer of gravel at the bottom of the aquarium. In a well-established aquarium, the surface of every particle of this gravel is inhabited by bacteria that metabolize nitrogenous compounds present in the water and convert these compounds toxic to fish into less toxic forms – ammonia to nitrite and then nitrite to nitrate. Nitrate is relatively non-toxic to fish and can be used as a nutrient by aquatic plants or removed from the aquarium by changing the water. Since the gravel grains offer such a large total surface area, a large bacterial population can be supported, ensuring efficient nitrification. Known as the nitrogen cycle, this process is essential to maintaining proper water quality.

The undergravel filter consists of a raised platform on which the gravel is placed and through which the water is drawn. There is a space under the platform into which the water flows after passing the gravel. The filtered water is pumped out of this room and returned to the upper area of ​​the aquarium. Deposits in the aquarium, such as solid fish excrement and uneaten food, are drawn into the gravel by the water flow. Some of this material runs through the entire filter bed and ends up in the space under the filter plate. A small amount of this material is pumped back into the aquarium. However, the water flow under the filter plate is relatively gentle, which is why a significant percentage of this material settles on the aquarium floor. Over time, this material accumulates.

Since the water flowing around this debris is enriched with oxygen, anaerobic decomposition processes are minimized. In fact, there is no evidence that enrichment has any negative impact on water quality. However, if accumulation becomes excessive, it can reduce the water flow rate through the system, thereby reducing the efficiency of the biological filtration process. If the space under the bottom filter plate contains so much material, the only option may be to remove the entire aquarium – in other words, a complete demolition. The plate can then be lifted out of the aquarium and the bottom of the aquarium can be vacuumed clean.

However, it is difficult to determine when, or even if, such an accumulation occurred. If the aquarium does not have a transparent floor that can be seen from below, a visual inspection for deposits is not possible. If it is possible to lower a siphon tube to the bottom of one of the underdrain filter siphon tubes and a significant amount of solids is sucked out, cleaning should be considered. Of course, the extent of debris accumulation remains unknown until the filter panel is lifted out.

All parts of an aquarium accumulate after sufficient time. Even parts that are only exposed to “clean” water, e.g. B. the drain hose of an external filter, develop dirt and slime. Therefore, even with the use of a powerhead to increase the water flow rate under the plate and periodic vacuuming of the gravel – which removes particles under an undergravel filter – the space under the filter plate is still susceptible to the gradual accumulation of slime, dirt and debris. As mentioned above, this material can reduce the efficiency of the filter by reducing the flow rate of water through the system.

A number of measures can be taken to prevent or prevent such clogging. Increasing the water flow through the gravel space (e.g. by using powerheads instead of air stones) can reduce particulate buildup there, but remember that the higher flow rate will also increase the amount of debris sucked through the gravel bed . Regular vacuuming of the space under the filter plate certainly helps. To do this, insert a siphon pipe or the suction hose of a canister or kieselguhr filter into the riser pipe of the underbody filter and suck off the water until no more dirt is visible. However, this technique is not 100 percent effective, and eventually there is a build-up of mucus and other debris that cannot be suctioned out.

The most effective way to prevent debris accumulation in a standard sub-gravel construction is to remove as much debris as possible from the system before it has a chance to work its way through the substrate and into the sub-surface. This can be achieved in two ways. First, an efficient, high-performance filter can remove many solid particles from the water before they can settle on the gravel. Efficient mechanical filtration, in turn, improves the efficiency of the undergravel filter. Secondly, regular vacuuming of the gravel with a suitable suction device will remove significant amounts of debris in the gravel bed and thus allow water to flow freely through the gravel bed. Removing this material from the aquarium, along with the water in which it is suspended, is an excellent way to perform the frequent partial water changes that are an important part of good aquarium maintenance.

Overfeeding the fish can increase the clogging rate of the bottom filter as well as any mechanical filters operated in the aquarium. If the debris sucked out of the gravel contains uneaten food, the fish are overfed. If debris from the fish accumulates so quickly that it requires vacuuming more than once a week or so, the aquarium may be overstocked. In such a case, care must be taken to keep the biological filtration at peak efficiency. Only one-third to one-half of the substrate should be vacuumed at a time, and the area of ​​the gravel bed to be cleaned should be rotated each time. This prevents excessive losses of nitrifying bacteria that can lead to dangerous levels of ammonia or nitrite in the aquarium. Of course, avoiding overstocking is a much preferred method for managing the nitrogen cycle.

A bottom filter operated in countercurrent can also reduce the material problem under the filter plate. With this technique, water that has been mechanically filtered through a canister or other high-efficiency filter is pumped through the siphon tubes into the substrate and then flows through the filter plate and gravel into the aquarium. Very little dirt can collect under the filter plate as only pre-filtered water enters this space and the upward flow direction through the gravel largely prevents dirt from working its way through the gravel bed and under the filter plate. The biological filtration abilities of the bottom filter are retained with this method, although some believe that the backflow inhibits the growth of aquatic plants.

An alternative solution is to perform the biological filtration at a different point in the system that is easily and fully accessible for cleaning. In this setup, the background is completely eliminated. An excellent way to do this is to use an external filter as a biological filter unit. If the filter has sufficient capacity, it can perform both mechanical and biological filtering functions. One or more external line filters can be used for large aquariums.

Canister filters, like undergravel filters, are excellent sites for biological filtration. The water flows relatively slowly through the filter and is in prolonged contact with a large amount of filter material, which serves as a substrate for colonies of nitrifying bacteria. The larger the surface area available for the bacteria, the larger the potential bacterial population. Of course, the longer the water is in contact with the filter media, the greater the potential efficiency of the nitrification process. Thus, a large volume canister filter with a relatively low flow rate provides excellent conditions for the two-stage conversion of ammonia to nitrate. A good rule of thumb for filter flow rates is no more than four or five aquarium volumes per hour.

Perhaps even better than a canister filter in its biological filtration capacity is a trickle or wet/dry filter. In this design, aquarium water is dripped or sprayed over a bed of substrate medium on which the nitrifying bacteria grow. The water is then collected and pumped back into the aquarium. The volume of substrate media is typically equal to or greater than a comparable canister filter and the trickle filter offers the added benefit of highly efficient return water aeration. Water is aerated by contact with air at its surface. As the aquarium water trickles down over the nitrifying substrate, it forms a thin film around the surfaces of the filter media and offers a large surface area to the surrounding air, allowing for rapid and effective gas exchange. Oxygen dissolves from the air into the water, while carbon dioxide escapes in the opposite direction. The aerobic nitrifying bacteria receive the oxygen they need for their activities, and the water returning to the aquarium is saturated with oxygen and has released excess carbon dioxide.

External mesh filters, which typically hang from the back of the aquarium, while they can provide both mechanical and biological filters, are ultimately better mechanical filters than biological filters. Because the gravel bed of a soil filter simply offers a larger surface area for bacteria than the medium of a power filter. For sparsely populated aquariums, an external mesh filter may be sufficient, but a higher density of biological filtration is often required for aquariums with a higher fish density. For this reason, external mesh filters are often combined with bottom filters. The strength of one complements the weakness of the other for the overall benefit of the fish in an aquarium.

These power filters can pump a lot of water through their media in a short time. The advantage of this: The more often the water flows through the filter in a certain period of time, the better the filter removes suspended matter. After all, this is the basis for effective mechanical filtration. However, the high flow rate means less time for the water to contact the bacterial substrate. Also, the volume of filter material in a typical high-efficiency filter is much less than a canister filter that is likely to be used in aquariums of the same size. In fact, such filters often use cartridge media, which provides only about a half inch of material through which the water will flow. The result is less surface area for bacteria to attach and therefore less potential for ammonia and nitrite oxidation.

Another simple way to provide biological filtration is to use a sponge filter. These use a stream of air to draw water through a porous sponge material, which has the nitrifying bacteria in and on it. Due to the large surface area that the sponge provides, nitrification is very efficient. Water flow through the sponge can be increased by using a powerhead instead of an airlift. Due to the small pore size of sponge filters, they are easily clogged with solid waste material. Luckily, they’re just as easy to clean by taking them out of the tank and popping them in water that’s about the same temperature as the tank. Water that is too hot, too cold, or overly chlorinated should not be used as this will kill the bacteria colonizing the sponge.

Undergravel filters, while not the only method of biological filtration available, retain their popularity because they do a good job, are easy to use, and are relatively inexpensive. Alternative methods such as canister or trickle filters, while equally effective, are far more expensive. Sponge filters are much smaller than most bottom filters and have a lower nitrification capacity. While it is true that biological filtration is essential to the well-being of most aquariums, it is also true that the exact location of such filtration in the system is irrelevant. Regardless of how the required nitrification is carried out, the most important thing is that all the necessary maintenance work is carried out regularly and conscientiously. In this way, the long-term success of the aquarium and the satisfaction of its owner is increased.

Posted by: Chewy Editorial

Featured Image: Via Joel Bez/Flickr

You can clean your aquarium gravel without a vacuum cleaner. Credit: Andrey Nikitin/iStock/GettyImages

Cleaning your aquarium gravel with a vacuum cleaner made specifically for the aquarium is the easiest cleaning method. Aquarium vacuums are designed to quickly and easily remove leftover food and other debris that settles on the bottom of the aquarium. However, an aquarium gravel vacuum is not the only alternative.

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video of the day

First pull out your fish

Although you do not have to remove your fish from the tank when using an aquarium gravel vacuum, you should remove them if you are cleaning the tank without a siphon. Cleaning your aquarium gravel without a vacuum will stir up silt and debris that can be unhealthy for them.

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Fill a bucket or other clean container with water from your aquarium and carefully transfer the fish to the bucket using a landing net. Make sure the bucket is very clean because, according to the Fish Tank Club, even the tiniest trace of chemical residue can harm fish. A bucket or container dedicated solely for your fish’s use since it’s new is the safest option.

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Remove the gravel

Scoop up a few cups of gravel from the bottom of the tank and set aside without rinsing. This gravel contains beneficial bacteria that help break down ammonia from fish waste into less harmful nitrates. It’s important to keep some gravel uncleaned so these bacteria can easily recolonize after your tank is cleaned.

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Place the remaining gravel in a colander and rinse thoroughly under running water, stirring with a plastic-gloved hand. Make sure the gloves, strainer and any other tools and utensils you use are strictly for use with your fish to ensure no chemical residue is carried over.

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Once the water under the strainer is clear, return the gravel to the tank. Add the cups of dirty gravel you set aside and mix thoroughly with the clean gravel. According to Fish Tank Master, this method is most effective when algae are growing in your substrate.

Try an alternative method

Caring Pets suggests a second method of cleaning aquarium gravel without a filter that doesn’t require removing the gravel at all. This method is ideal if you have live plants as removing them from the tank can damage the roots and ultimately kill the plants.

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First, remove your fish from the tank along with any decorations. Keep your live plants rooted in the gravel and, if necessary, push the plant and surrounding gravel to one side of the aquarium.

Stir up the gravel with your hand and work around the live plants. Mix the gravel thoroughly to keep debris trapped between the stones floating in the water. Next, submerge 1/3 to 1/2 of the muddy water from the tank. The remaining water contains the healthy bacteria needed to replenish your aquarium.

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Say hello to your little friends

Algae eaters and snails can also help clean your gravel. The best varieties for cleaning your aquarium gravel are those that like to dig under the substrate.

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Malaysian trumpet snails are detrivores—meaning they devour both plant matter and protein they find in the gravel. These hard-working snails won’t gobble your plants, however, and will actually help them by aerating the roots, according to Nualgia Aquarium.

Most other algae-eating creatures don’t dig per se. And not all will eat plant matter, algae, and leftover fish food. You also need to consider if your chosen algae eaters will be attacked by larger aquarium mates. Cherry Shrimp, for example, are good at scavenging all types of detritus, but larger tankmates will hunt and eat them.

Siamese algae eaters are another smart addition. Not only do they eat all kinds of algae, they also help fight flatworms and gorge on pretty much any type of waste.

Today’s aquarium filters offer a variety of ways to keep your aquarium water clean and healthy. If you decide to use filtration, base your decision on the size of your aquarium and the number of fish you intend to keep. To achieve the absolute best water conditions, you may need to use more than one type of filter. Air operated internal filters

These small, affordable box or foam filters are ideal for rearing juvenile fish, hospital aquariums and small aquariums with very small fish. They are strong enough to maintain good water conditions but gentle enough to keep small aquarium dwellers out of harm’s way. Most of these devices offer mechanical, chemical and biological filtration. These filters are placed inside the aquarium and allow you to place your aquarium very close to adjacent walls to save space. underground filter

As the name suggests, these filters are placed under a layer of aquarium gravel. These filters move water through the gravel to create favorable conditions for biological filtration. Once the beneficial bacteria colonize the gravel, they begin to break down waste efficiently. Undergravel filters are relatively inexpensive and require either an air pump or power head to function. Soil filters are primarily biological filters. However, many models have a replaceable cartridge placed at the end of the rigid hose to provide additional chemical (activated carbon) or mechanical (filter floss) filtration. These filters are available for small or large aquariums, but are best suited for aquariums with light fish stocks. Internal power filters

Imagine a power filter that you can place completely under water. These handy filters have the space-saving qualities of air-operated internal filters and the performance and versatility of standard power filters. These filters provide excellent filtration and water movement as they are generally placed near the bottom of the aquarium. Waste products are removed before they can settle on the aquarium floor. They are intended for smaller aquariums, generally under 20 gallons. performance filter

Power filters are probably the most widely used aquarium filters – and with good reason. They are very easy to use and offer excellent biological, chemical and mechanical filtration. They are designed to hang from the back of your aquarium and are the perfect filter for the most common aquarium sizes that house a variety of tropical fish. Replaceable filter cartridges make maintenance easy and convenient. Newer models feature either a biological filter pad or a BIO wheel to provide extra power in removing contaminants. canister filter

Canister filters provide superior mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration for larger aquariums or aquariums with many fish. The body or “canister” portion of the filter is significantly larger than most power filters – imagine how much media canister filters can hold! Depending on the model, canister filters have one to three (or more) large media baskets to accommodate different types of filter media. Each media type is layered on top of each other to maintain superior water quality. Compared to power filters, canister filters require a little more effort to set up and maintain. However, you will be amazed by their filter performance. These multi-purpose filters are ideal for African and South American cichlid aquariums, saltwater aquariums and planted freshwater aquariums. Wet/dry filter

Wet/dry filters offer the ultimate in biological filtration. They are excellent for pure marine aquariums or any large aquarium that requires efficient biological filtration. These filters are referred to as wet/dry filters because the biological filter media is exposed to both the aquarium water (wet) and a significant amount of air (dry). This design creates the ideal environment for a large number of beneficial bacteria to actively process waste. In general, these aquarium filters require the greatest installation effort, since they have to be installed or piped in the aquarium in a complex manner. However, for the creative and enthusiastic aquarium hobbyist, setting up a wet/dry filter provides the ideal opportunity to construct a custom, unique filtration system. Most models are designed to be placed under an aquarium and require an overflow box on the back. Most wet/dry filters contain a sump/reservoir that contains ancillary equipment along with the required water return pump. Question:

Why do I need an aquarium filter? Answers:

Unlike natural aquatic systems, toxic compounds accumulate quickly in a closed aquarium system. Filters help create a healthy aquarium environment that can support life. Filter type cost

Range setup skill

Level Effectiveness:

Mechanical effectiveness:

Chemical effectiveness:

Biologically air powered

Internal

Filter Low Basic Low Low Medium Undergravel

filter low

Medium Basic Low Low Medium Power Filters Low-

Medium Base Medium Medium Medium Internal

power filter low

Medium Base Medium Medium Medium Canister

filter medium

High Medium High High Medium Wet/Dry

Filter High Advanced Medium Medium High

We hear this question quite often, and we think the answer is yes.

Some aquarists advise against using powerheads. They consider them an additional source of heat and can introduce unwanted stray voltage into an aquarium.

Powerheads are electrical units with motors that are sealed to allow them to be submerged.

They can be used for purposes such as powering a bottom filter or for basic aquarium water circulation, they are economical, fairly inexpensive and can benefit the health of your aquarium in many ways.

The Benefits of Using Powerheads

Powerheads provide important water circulation and oxygenation in the aquarium, much more efficiently than air stone bubbles.

The more your aquarium water is circulated and filtered, the better the water quality in the aquarium.

They prevent dirt and other tank materials from settling on the bottom of the tank. Powerhead circulation allows the majority of these particles to be circulated or suspended so they can be filtered out by a mechanical filter.

They contribute to the health of the tank dwellers. Water moving over the animals helps carry oxygen to them, brings food to stationary animals, and stimulates animal activity. Learn more about the animals you choose for your aquarium. Many corals and anemones do not thrive well in areas of high current, while others thrive on good strong currents. Position them accordingly in your tank.

The water movement and current provided by powerheads are a source of movement for fish.

Powerheads can help prevent algae growth, as some species grow better in calmer, less turbulent water.

Help choosing the right powerhead:

Choose a powerhead that can be easily disassembled and reassembled. Unwanted materials can sometimes enter the impeller area and need to be removed. Maintain easy cleaning to avoid restricted water flow, which in turn can lead to premature burnout of the unit from overheating.

Choose a powerhead that you can order and replace parts with. After prolonged use of the device, parts may need to be replaced periodically. Again, choose a power head that can be easily disassembled and reassembled.

Make sure the power head has a screen or some type of strainer covering the water intake opening to prevent unwary tank dwellers from being sucked in. Check the size grid of the holes on the screen and choose the larger one. Too small can slow water absorption. This can be made more difficult by tank mass adhering to the strainer. This clogs the device, further restricting water flow, and prematurely overheats it, shortening the life of the device. Superheating devices can also add an additional unwanted heat source to the aquarium.

Some powerheads have switches for adjusting the water rate up, down, or in a reverse flow. If you want less flow in a certain area of ​​your aquarium, you can optionally automatically reduce the water flow.

A diffuser attachment with directed water flow is useful. This allows you to direct the water flow where you want it.

flow rates

You should aim to circulate the tank water at least 6-10 times per hour. Many aquarists are of the opinion that you can’t have too much water movement and nowadays aiming for a ratio of 15-20 times per hour is not uncommon. We find that this is not necessary for a fish-only aquarium, but is beneficial for a reef aquarium. You want to give the tank enough water movement and circulation, but not so much that the fish can’t move against the current or other tank residents get carried away.

Powerhead positioning

For small aquariums under 80 liters you can use a larger powerhead. Better yet, use two smaller ones on opposite ends of the aquarium.

For medium and large aquariums, you can use two, three or more units in different and opposite positions in the aquarium.

For the extra-large, exhibition-size aquariums, you can use as many as you find necessary to achieve the water circulation you need.

Many aquarists choose to use wavemakers along with controllers to regulate the timing of the powerheads. Setting the powerheads to turn on and off at different times and intervals will help create wave action and keep the water circulating. Oscillating units like iQuatics’ Aqua 360 create random water currents through continuously rotating power heads and can help create more flow in the tank, bring water from different levels of the tank and help eliminate “dead spots” that are hard to circulate, making them more beneficial than most air-stone powered filters

Tip:

A desirable healthy aquarium water turnover rate is 6-10 times per hour. Many aquarists find that more is better, especially for a reef tank system.

Aeration is important for both fresh and saltwater aquariums. Most aeration occurs at the surface of the aquarium and can be provided by either the flow of rising bubbles from an air stone or the iQuatics Aqua 360’s agitator adapter. Freshwater aquariums should be relatively calm, with no strong currents, since most tropical fish come from calm waters.

However, sea coral reef fish and invertebrates mostly come from highly agitated waters with strong natural aeration. They prefer aquariums with high-flow water pumps that provide vigorous water movement to ensure adequate oxygenation.

You just read another great aquarium blog post from iQuatics. If you would like us to blog about a specific topic or have your own aquarium blog content that you would like to feature on our website, please contact us. Together we can help grow the iQuatics aquarium blog into a massive resource of combined industry knowledge.

Long used in saltwater aquariums, bottom filters have increased in popularity in freshwater aquariums over the past decade as the importance of the nitrogen cycle has become apparent. These aquarium filters provide an effective means of minimizing levels of ammonia and nitrites in aquarium water and are easy and inexpensive to install. Since they are invisible and do their job without fuss, they can easily be ignored or neglected. Proper setup and maintenance are indeed required for these filters to function effectively over the long term.

Bottom filters work by pulling aquarium water through the layer of gravel at the bottom of the aquarium. In a well-established aquarium, the surface of every particle of this gravel is inhabited by bacteria that metabolize nitrogenous compounds present in the water and convert these compounds toxic to fish into less toxic forms – ammonia to nitrite and then nitrite to nitrate. Nitrate is relatively non-toxic to fish and can be used as a nutrient by aquatic plants or removed from the aquarium by changing the water. Since the gravel grains offer such a large total surface area, a large bacterial population can be supported, ensuring efficient nitrification. Known as the nitrogen cycle, this process is essential to maintaining proper water quality.

The undergravel filter consists of a raised platform on which the gravel is placed and through which the water is drawn. There is a space under the platform into which the water flows after passing the gravel. The filtered water is pumped out of this room and returned to the upper area of ​​the aquarium. Deposits in the aquarium, such as solid fish excrement and uneaten food, are drawn into the gravel by the water flow. Some of this material runs through the entire filter bed and ends up in the space under the filter plate. A small amount of this material is pumped back into the aquarium. However, the water flow under the filter plate is relatively gentle, which is why a significant percentage of this material settles on the aquarium floor. Over time, this material accumulates.

Since the water flowing around this debris is enriched with oxygen, anaerobic decomposition processes are minimized. In fact, there is no evidence that enrichment has any negative impact on water quality. However, if accumulation becomes excessive, it can reduce the water flow rate through the system, thereby reducing the efficiency of the biological filtration process. If the space under the bottom filter plate contains so much material, the only option may be to remove the entire aquarium – in other words, a complete demolition. The plate can then be lifted out of the aquarium and the bottom of the aquarium can be vacuumed clean.

However, it is difficult to determine when, or even if, such an accumulation occurred. If the aquarium does not have a transparent floor that can be seen from below, a visual inspection for deposits is not possible. If it is possible to lower a siphon tube to the bottom of one of the underdrain filter siphon tubes and a significant amount of solids is sucked out, cleaning should be considered. Of course, the extent of debris accumulation remains unknown until the filter panel is lifted out.

All parts of an aquarium accumulate after sufficient time. Even parts that are only exposed to “clean” water, e.g. B. the drain hose of an external filter, develop dirt and slime. Therefore, even with the use of a powerhead to increase the water flow rate under the plate and periodic vacuuming of the gravel – which removes particles under an undergravel filter – the space under the filter plate is still susceptible to the gradual accumulation of slime, dirt and debris. As mentioned above, this material can reduce the efficiency of the filter by reducing the flow rate of water through the system.

A number of measures can be taken to prevent or prevent such clogging. Increasing the water flow through the gravel space (e.g. by using powerheads instead of air stones) can reduce particulate buildup there, but remember that the higher flow rate will also increase the amount of debris sucked through the gravel bed . Regular vacuuming of the space under the filter plate certainly helps. To do this, insert a siphon pipe or the suction hose of a canister or kieselguhr filter into the riser pipe of the underbody filter and suck off the water until no more dirt is visible. However, this technique is not 100 percent effective, and eventually there is a build-up of mucus and other debris that cannot be suctioned out.

The most effective way to prevent debris accumulation in a standard sub-gravel construction is to remove as much debris as possible from the system before it has a chance to work its way through the substrate and into the sub-surface. This can be achieved in two ways. First, an efficient, high-performance filter can remove many solid particles from the water before they can settle on the gravel. Efficient mechanical filtration, in turn, improves the efficiency of the undergravel filter. Secondly, regular vacuuming of the gravel with a suitable suction device will remove significant amounts of debris in the gravel bed and thus allow water to flow freely through the gravel bed. Removing this material from the aquarium, along with the water in which it is suspended, is an excellent way to perform the frequent partial water changes that are an important part of good aquarium maintenance.

Overfeeding the fish can increase the clogging rate of the bottom filter as well as any mechanical filters operated in the aquarium. If the debris sucked out of the gravel contains uneaten food, the fish are overfed. If debris from the fish accumulates so quickly that it requires vacuuming more than once a week or so, the aquarium may be overstocked. In such a case, care must be taken to keep the biological filtration at peak efficiency. Only one-third to one-half of the substrate should be vacuumed at a time, and the area of ​​the gravel bed to be cleaned should be rotated each time. This prevents excessive losses of nitrifying bacteria that can lead to dangerous levels of ammonia or nitrite in the aquarium. Of course, avoiding overstocking is a much preferred method for managing the nitrogen cycle.

A bottom filter operated in countercurrent can also reduce the material problem under the filter plate. With this technique, water that has been mechanically filtered through a canister or other high-efficiency filter is pumped through the siphon tubes into the substrate and then flows through the filter plate and gravel into the aquarium. Very little dirt can collect under the filter plate as only pre-filtered water enters this space and the upward flow direction through the gravel largely prevents dirt from working its way through the gravel bed and under the filter plate. The biological filtration abilities of the bottom filter are retained with this method, although some believe that the backflow inhibits the growth of aquatic plants.

An alternative solution is to perform the biological filtration at a different point in the system that is easily and fully accessible for cleaning. In this setup, the background is completely eliminated. An excellent way to do this is to use an external filter as a biological filter unit. If the filter has sufficient capacity, it can perform both mechanical and biological filtering functions. One or more external line filters can be used for large aquariums.

Canister filters, like undergravel filters, are excellent sites for biological filtration. The water flows relatively slowly through the filter and is in prolonged contact with a large amount of filter material, which serves as a substrate for colonies of nitrifying bacteria. The larger the surface area available for the bacteria, the larger the potential bacterial population. Of course, the longer the water is in contact with the filter media, the greater the potential efficiency of the nitrification process. Thus, a large volume canister filter with a relatively low flow rate provides excellent conditions for the two-stage conversion of ammonia to nitrate. A good rule of thumb for filter flow rates is no more than four or five aquarium volumes per hour.

Perhaps even better than a canister filter in its biological filtration capacity is a trickle or wet/dry filter. In this design, aquarium water is dripped or sprayed over a bed of substrate medium on which the nitrifying bacteria grow. The water is then collected and pumped back into the aquarium. The volume of substrate media is typically equal to or greater than a comparable canister filter and the trickle filter offers the added benefit of highly efficient return water aeration. Water is aerated by contact with air at its surface. As the aquarium water trickles down over the nitrifying substrate, it forms a thin film around the surfaces of the filter media and offers a large surface area to the surrounding air, allowing for rapid and effective gas exchange. Oxygen dissolves from the air into the water, while carbon dioxide escapes in the opposite direction. The aerobic nitrifying bacteria receive the oxygen they need for their activities, and the water returning to the aquarium is saturated with oxygen and has released excess carbon dioxide.

External mesh filters, which typically hang from the back of the aquarium, while they can provide both mechanical and biological filters, are ultimately better mechanical filters than biological filters. Because the gravel bed of a soil filter simply offers a larger surface area for bacteria than the medium of a power filter. For sparsely populated aquariums, an external mesh filter may be sufficient, but a higher density of biological filtration is often required for aquariums with a higher fish density. For this reason, external mesh filters are often combined with bottom filters. The strength of one complements the weakness of the other for the overall benefit of the fish in an aquarium.

These power filters can pump a lot of water through their media in a short time. The advantage of this: The more often the water flows through the filter in a certain period of time, the better the filter removes suspended matter. After all, this is the basis for effective mechanical filtration. However, the high flow rate means less time for the water to contact the bacterial substrate. Also, the volume of filter material in a typical high-efficiency filter is much less than a canister filter that is likely to be used in aquariums of the same size. In fact, such filters often use cartridge media, which provides only about a half inch of material through which the water will flow. The result is less surface area for bacteria to attach and therefore less potential for ammonia and nitrite oxidation.

Another simple way to provide biological filtration is to use a sponge filter. These use a stream of air to draw water through a porous sponge material, which has the nitrifying bacteria in and on it. Due to the large surface area that the sponge provides, nitrification is very efficient. Water flow through the sponge can be increased by using a powerhead instead of an airlift. Due to the small pore size of sponge filters, they are easily clogged with solid waste material. Luckily, they’re just as easy to clean by taking them out of the tank and popping them in water that’s about the same temperature as the tank. Water that is too hot, too cold, or overly chlorinated should not be used as this will kill the bacteria colonizing the sponge.

Undergravel filters, while not the only method of biological filtration available, retain their popularity because they do a good job, are easy to use, and are relatively inexpensive. Alternative methods such as canister or trickle filters, while equally effective, are far more expensive. Sponge filters are much smaller than most bottom filters and have a lower nitrification capacity. While it is true that biological filtration is essential to the well-being of most aquariums, it is also true that the exact location of such filtration in the system is irrelevant. Regardless of how the required nitrification is carried out, the most important thing is that all the necessary maintenance work is carried out regularly and conscientiously. In this way, the long-term success of the aquarium and the satisfaction of its owner is increased.

Posted by: Chewy Editorial

Featured Image: Via Joel Bez/Flickr

canister filter

Canister filters are ideal filters for aquariums by drawing water through a suction tube and pumping it through a filter before releasing clean water back into your aquarium. These filters are better suited for medium and large aquariums that require a little more efficiency to maintain a healthy ecosystem. We also offer a range of marine canister filters suitable for saltwater aquariums.

Choosing the best external filter

Maintaining your filter is necessary as carbon buildup over time can begin to release waste back into your tank. For this reason, it is ideal to choose a canister filter that is easy to clean and gives you the ability to customize your filter media to suit your aquarium. Pet City has sourced a variety of different canister filters to help you find the ideal cleaning solution for your aquarium water.