Maintenance Of Aquarium Filters
Aquarium filters come in many shapes and sizes. Their principles of filtering the media inside the aquarium are entirely different too, and so is their effectiveness. Based on their principle of functioning, aquarium filters can be classified into three main categories:
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.
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Can I Use the Same Canister for both Fresh and Salt Water Tanks
Sometimes the question “can I use my freshwater canister filter for a marine aquarium” pops up and the answer to that question is yes as long as you clean the filter first.
Mechanically most external filters don’t mind working in an salt or fresh water environment. The mechanics just don’t change. Your filters pump is powering the water flow through your filter no matter if it’s salt or fresh water.
The differences start at the filter media you’re using. As an example in a fresh we use Zeolite filters to absorb ammonium from the water, but this trick doesn’t work with salt water. The same hold true for some "scavenger resins" used in some canisters.
Thus you can use the same external filter but will sometimes need different filter media. The mechanical and sponge filtration remains the same. Most biological filtration remains the same and most media are developed for use in both environments anyway. Follow the instructions of the manufacturer.
There is one thing to keep in mind though; a marine aquarium is often more susceptible to small disturbances in balance then a fresh water tank. This makes maintenance of the filter and it’s media to a top priority.
In a marine aquarium you will often use a protein skimmer; this won’t work in a fresh water aquarium.
So canister filters can are usually suitable for fresh as well as salt water but there are some differences in the filter media used. A protein skimmer is great for marine, but it won’t work in your fresh water tank. More often than not you will want a higher flow-rate of water in a marine aquarium.
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My 2 Weeks Old 20 Gallon Salt Water Tank & Bangaii Cardinal
Here is my 2 weeks old 20 gallon salt water tank SET UP!! I have to start with my main concern the light is a marine glo fluorescent bulb t8 If you can post your comments about a good light fixture for corals and the perfect fit for my tank I will really appreciate it next I got: * More than 20 pounds of Fiji live rock and Salomon live rock. * 20 pounds of pink fiji sand * Rena xp1 canister filter * HYD koralia pump 400gph. * Biocube protein skimmer * Digital Thermometer And a bengaii cardinal fish hope to get more fishes and corals
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