1. Mechanical Filters - These filters actually allow the aquarium medium to pass through a pad or a sponge that holds back the impurities within the medium and allows clear liquid to pass through.

2. Chemical Filters - Chemical filters use the principle of adsorption to allow the pollutants in the aquarium medium to get adhered to them and then eliminated. Generally, activated carbon black is used in such aquarium filters. The benefit of chemical aquarium filters is that they can remove not only the impurities within the aquarium, but also foul odors and colors from within. Hence, the water that passes through a chemical filter is much purer than that passing through a mechanical filter.

3. Biological Filters - As their name suggests, biological filters use real live organisms and microorganisms to clean out the inside environment of the aquarium tank. Biological filters might just refer to a bed of bacteria on the aquarium gravel. Bacteria are very useful in the aquarium to maintain the ammonium cycle, which helps in removing the nitrite and nitrate impurities.

Most aquariums will have all three kinds of filters in them. The reason is that all the three filters focus on cleaning different aspects of the aquarium - mechanical filters will mostly remove the particulate pollutants within the tank; chemical filters will remove organic matter and colors and odors and the biological filters will remove degradable matter and some chemicals. Huge aquariums will require all three kinds of filters.

Even the maintenance of the three different kinds of filters follows different rules. The following are some basic steps necessary in the maintenance of aquarium filters:

1. Maintenance of mechanical filters - Since mechanical filters contain mechanical components such as pads and sponges, physical cleaning is often required. Sponges have pores, and these pores can get clogged with impurities. Hence, it is necessary to take out these sponges and pads and to rinse them under flowing water at least once in seven days. But that really will depend on the population of the tank and how many impurities are produced in it.

2. Maintenance of chemical filters - Chemical filters use activated carbon black, which cannot remain for a long time in its activated state. Hence, these filters will lose out on their effectiveness in some time. Generally, chemical filters need replacement of the activated carbon black every alternate month.

3. Maintenance of biological filters - It is difficult to clean biological filters because they are microscopic living organisms. A careful rinsing method can be employed taking care that the bacterial growths remain intact. It is wiser to actually clean out the mechanical and chemical filters before handling the biological filters, because many a time, cleaning out the mechanical and chemical filters cleans out the biological filters too.

When you go shopping for an aquarium filter, you must keep the size of your tank in mind, and the number of occupants in it. Also ask in the store what special measures you will have to adopt to maintain the filters.

Maintenance Of Aquarium Filters is a post from: External Aquarium Filters

As everyone knows, fish are like normal human being, they eat and they pass out waste substances. Then through the process of nature, this waste turns into bacteria. Hence you need salt water aquarium filters if you want to clean out these germs. They also help you to get rid of elements which make the water dirty and hence they keep the entire aquarium safe for your pets.

When it comes to this filter you have two main types, the first is the external filtration system and the send one is called the internal one. You will find these filters at any sort of fish shop. But then the local pet shops usually don't have these. Sometimes, even if they do they don't have good quality ones.

So try and get them from the specialized shops. Now you should know a few things about these salt water aquarium filters before you buy them. Let's start with the internal filters. Now these are basically used in those tanks where you have an internal tube. This tube is going to connect the water from the main tank to a sump tank which is present below.

The sump tank will be situated just below your main tank. The water in the fish tank will also be made to pass through a foam type thing. This foam will stop all types of bacteria and also unhealthy germs from getting accumulated. This way you can also filter the water.

After this the water will finally be pumped back into the main aquarium which is situated on the top. Now you will see that this process is a continuous one. The only defect of this system is that it is very noisy but then when it comes to effectiveness, it is very effective.

Then we have the external filter which is the most effective salt water filter available in the market. But then it also comes with a price tag. It is the most expensive one which is available as well.

But then the amount of money which you pay for this is actually worth it. This is something which is placed outside of your fish tank and it is just like the internal filtration system. Here there is a long black tube which is the filter and it is very silent and barely makes any noise and it is also very effective.

The Truth about Salt Water Aquarium Filters is a post from: External Aquarium Filters

How is the water in a fish tank filtered?

An aquarium produces waste materials for a number of reasons. One reason is the biological reactions that take place in the water; these could simply take form of uneaten food that was left to spoil, or by waste materials of the fish themselves. But whatever these waste sources are, there are usually three general ways to remove and clean off these waste materials out of your fish tank.

When we speak of the natural processes involved in filtering the water inside a fish tank, we talk about biological filtration. Beneficial bacteria is the most common and effective agent of this filtering process, being able to break down dangerous toxic materials into less toxic substances.

Synthetic materials that are used to combine with waste materials are the work of a chemical filtration process. These waste materials react with the synthetic material, dissolving it and transforming it into a form that can be collected and thrown afterwards. One good material used for chemical filtration is activated carbon.

Manually trapping solid waste materials in a filter media is a form of mechanical filtration. Although this method does not involve dissolving substances or breaking down materials, it is an effective means of filtering out solid waste out of the fish tank. One thing though... collected material from the filter must be periodically removed by hand, so that it can continue to clean the water continuously.

What are the filters available out there then?

Fresh water aquarium filters are commonly purchased at your local hobby stores, and there are quite a number of these filters that can provide you with one or more of the filtering processes explained above. Take a look at some of the filters used in aquariums.

Power filters are the most common filters used in fish tanks, mostly because they're affordable, are readily available, and quite efficient. They're quite easy to install and use, and maintenance is relatively simple too. This is one of the filters that can actually use all three filtration methods, depending on how you customize the power filter's settings.

Canister filters are among the most powerful filters that you can use. This is because they force the water through the filter media, not just letting it flow through, making the filtration process far more effective in terms of filtration amount per time interval. One disadvantage, though, is that power filters are somewhat difficult to maintain.

Corner filters were the forerunners of the modern filters that are used today. Their basic function is to pass the water through it, and with a proper filter media installed inside, filter the water appropriately. They are very cheap, and are commonly used for hospital tanks. The advent of more effective ways of filtering made the corner filter a lot less popular than what it was before.

Sponge filters, as the name suggests, make use of a sponge for beneficial bacteria to colonize into, setting the filter for biological filtration. They can also, however, filter larger solid particles using the very same sponge. Other versions of the sponge filter include the use of two sponges at the same time, for convenience purposes.

Freshwater Aquarium Filters to Keep Your Aquatic Neighborhood Clean is a post from: External Aquarium Filters

Filtration method

The filtration process for all aquariums is usually broken down into three major processes: the biological, chemical and mechanical filtration, each with their own way and own realm of dirt and waste materials to be cleaned.

Biological filtration is the filtration process involving the use of beneficial bacteria to transform several substances in the water. These bacteria literally break down toxic substances commonly found in fish tanks, such as ammonia and nitrites, and transform them into less toxic substances such as nitrates.

Chemical filtration uses the aid of synthetic substances to work out some of the waste material found in water. The reaction of the waste material with the synthetic material allows it to be dissolved, and to be collected easily through the filter. Activated carbon is one of the common materials used for chemical filtration.

Mechanical filtration is a filtration process that involves the use of a filter media to trap solid waste particles in the water. The filter media can be of any material, as long as it can make the waste material stick to it. Regular maintenance of the filter media is required, and it should be replaced periodically.

Aquarium Filter types

These filters usually involve one or more of the kinds of filtration processes, and it’s entirely up to the hobbyists fish tank specifications whether a certain filter would best suit his or her aquarium or not. Alternatively, you can check out your local hobby stores for freshwater aquarium filters and ask certain experts for advice, but here’s a starting list of filters:

Power filters are the most common in terms of popularity, mainly because they are cheap, usually available at most hobby stores, and relatively efficient. In addition, these kinds of filters are easy to install and use, and you don’t need to suffer much from their maintenance.

Canister filters offer that filtration power that you probably can’t find in other filters. They use a mechanism that forces water in the filter media, achieving greater filtering action than most. You have to be wary though, this type of filters is quite hard to maintain, and at most times quite expensive.

Corner filters were the first kind of filters to be used. It works by the simple action of letting the water flow through the filter and into the filter media, and finally filter the water as the filter media begins forming its own beneficial bacteria colony.

Sponge filters make use of a sponge (believe it or not) inside a tube to hoard beneficial bacteria into them, initiating the biological filtration process. Alternatively, the sponge can also be used as a mechanical filter, as it can also trap certain solid particles into it. Some hobbyists install extra sponges for interchanging purposes.

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr><td><img src="http://www.externalaquariumfilters.com/images/B000I1O2PK/" /><td></tr><tr><td><td></tr></table>Fluidized bed filters are a relatively new type of filter that uses the concept of using sand for biological filtration. These sands are installed into tubes and are used as the main filter media, letting beneficial bacteria colonize the sand, and then pumping the water upward, which produces the filtering action.

Freshwater Aquarium Filters – Road to a Heathy Fish Tank is a post from: External Aquarium Filters

Any worthwhile aquarium filter will provide mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration in the aquarium.  Mechanical refers to the filtration of physical particles such as fish waste, excess food, dead plant material, etc.  Chemical filtration is concerned with the removal of unwanted chemicals in the fish tank water, such as ammonia and excess nitrites that can build up and prove toxic to the fish if not filtered out.

The third part, biological filtration, is accomplished by beneficial bacteria that live in the filter and in the substrate of the tank.  This is often overlooked, but is extremely important.  These bacteria are the main driver of the nitrogen cycle which is the process by which fish waste and food is broken down by the bacteria and turned into usable nitrate for the plants in the aquarium.  All effective filter systems employ all three of the filtration processes.

There are a few basic filter types that are available for use.  They include the sponge filter, box filter, undergravel filter, internal power filter, external (hang over the back) power filter, and canister filters.  Roughly speaking the list is in order of cost and effective tank size.  The sponge and the box filters rely on an airstone to power them while the undergravel can use an airstone and/or a powerhead.  The internal, external, and canister filters all use a power motor of some sort.

When choosing a filter, the size of the tank as well as the number and type of fish that are going to be kept in it (also known as bioload) need to be considered.  In smaller tanks, such as a 5-15 gallon tank, a simple box or sponge filter will often do the trick.  An undergravel filter is suitable for 10-30 gallon tanks and the internal power filter works best for the 15-40 gallon range.  When it comes to the external power filters and the canisters, they can work for tanks as small as 10-15 gallons, but they are the filter choice for the bigger tanks because they can be scaled up in size to handle just about any sized aquarium.

Regardless of how effective the filter is, periodic water changes and gravel cleaning is still a necessity.  No filter is powerful and efficient enough on its own to take care of all the needs of an aquarium, so bear that in mind and don't think that bigger is better, either.  When in doubt, ask questions at the fish store and read the information on the filter boxes, and making the right choice should not be difficult.  Buy the right size filter for the tank and do water changes, and your fish will stay happy and healthy!

Freshwater Aquarium Filter Systems is a post from: External Aquarium Filters

Maintenance is a person's primary concern when wanting to have an aquarium in their home or office; they think that caring for the fish and plant will be too difficult. With the proper aquarium filter fitted in your aquarium it can save you lots of time and energy. The filter does all the hard work for you ensuring your tank is always beautiful and clean. If a person does not have a filter the process can become messy and time consuming as the job becomes more laborious. A person would have to change the water by hand every couple of days. This means they would have to remover the fish to a safe place until the cleaning job was done.

Aquarium Filters Save Time And Energy

A good quality filter can provide the perfect environment for maintaining the life of all your fish and plants. Remember a person can spend a large amount of money on the setup of the tank with beautiful fish, plants and accessories only to have them die very quickly because the quality of the water and air in the tank goes bad. The use of a good aquarium filter can provide the perfect conditions to sustain your fish, plants and their environment

A good aquarium filter will maintain an aquarium in a variety of ways.

- A quality filter works to eliminate the waste from the inside of the aquarium.
- It removes different types of debris from the tank as well. Different filters use some kind of screen or sponge to achieve this task.
- A good filter also removes any kind of chemical build up that might be in the tank.
- A high-quality filter removes or treats any unwanted biological material that is in the tank.

There are different types of materials used in an aquarium filter, and all of these can be most useful for an owner devoted to the care of their beautiful fish.

Aquarium Filters Maintain Healthy Fish And Plants is a post from: External Aquarium Filters

What is Filtration Method?
This is one method of cleaning the aquarium through using filtration media and has 3 types namely; biological, chemical and manual.  These 3 types have its distinct procedures of filtering the dirt inside the aquarium.

Biological Filtration
This is the kind of filtration method which uses a special kind of bacteria to convert several substances that can go through with the water.  These good serving bacteria will then break down toxic substances found in fish tank into less toxic ones.  These harmful and toxic substances are ammonia and nitrites which can bring hazardous effects to living things inside the aquarium if they are not properly removed.

Chemical Filtration
Synthetic substances are mixed with the waste materials to easily flush them out together with the water.  Activated carbon is commonly used in chemical filtration making it easily dissolved and flushed out through its filter.

Mechanical Filtration
This type of filtration method involves the use of filtration media to trap solid waste particles in the water. This can be manually done anything that can hold the waste materials can be used here.  This is the least costly type of filter and can readily be available when needed.  This kind of filter must be replaced in determined time interval.

The filtration process made easier through using filters.  There are a number of filters which can be used in any filtration methods you may want to select.

Power Filters
They are the most common type of filters mainly because they are cheap and can be bought almost every local hobby shop you can find.  Power filters are easy to install easy to use and maintain that is why many would like to use this filter for most of their filtration needs.

Canister Filters
This filter is not quite easy to maintain and use, though it has bigger cleaning advantage than any filters do. This is heavy duty type of filter exerting much force so that wastes can be flushed out faster.  Canister filters are also more expensive thus many would not prefer to use this especially those budget conscious people.

Corner Filters
A corner filter provides the most basic filtration in an aquarium.  These are one of the most familiar things a hobbyist acquires when starting to build his first freshwater aquarium set up.

Sponge Filters
This type of filters makes use of a sponge to filtrate organic wastes from your aquarium. Oftentimes they are considered simple, effective and cheap. This type of filter is ideal for water tanks that have small fish or fry as it can absorb almost anything.

Fluidized bed filters
This is a relatively new type of filter today that uses sand in the filtration process.  This is highly efficient biological filter which make sand as the filter media.  The sand will slowly moves the bacteria as it moves outside the filter.

It is important to know and search on this information about filtration method and the different types of filters so that it will be easier to clean the aquarium since proper filtration system handles maintaining the cleanliness inside your freshwater aquarium.  Basically these information that has just been presented can give a more positive result in your freshwater aquarium keeping.

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Freshwater Aquarium Filters And Filtering Methods is a post from: External Aquarium Filters

My Fluval FX5 biological canister filter. Got it at last, see the size! Man this is going to be great!!

Fluval FX5 Biological Filter At Last is a post from: External Aquarium Filters

Personally I always used an air pump and I’m wondering if my fish will get enough oxygen to survive, especially at night.

These are my Aquariums Specifications:

Capacity: 40gallons,

• Airpump 802,
• Eheim Canister Filter,

Planting:

• A little java moss.
• 2 large amazons,
• Couple of stems of wisteria,
• Loose narrow leaf java fern (some are branching out little ones),

Fish:

• 2 angels,
• 2 discus,
• 1 cory,
• 1 pleco.

Can someone help me out of the dark?

Aeration with an Air Pump or Only a Canister? is a post from: External Aquarium Filters

Watch my first ever marine tank. It's set up a week ago and I will start to add hermit crabs and turbo snails in a few days. For some strange reason the PH dropped from 8.3 to 7.0 since I added live rock 5 days ago. I use a Fluval U2 Filter (aqua one ava40)

Any ideas as why the PH went from alkaline to neutral would be highly appreciated.

Video – My First 10 Gallon Marine Tank is a post from: External Aquarium Filters