How to Make a Nonmechanical Filter

To be considered fully stabilized, your aquarium should have a fully completed nitrogen cycle. When the aquarium's biological filtration is intact, the aquarium is referred to as having been "cycled." The nitrogen cycling of a biological filtration system requires beneficial bacterial populations to be of sufficient numbers to break down ammonia into nitrite, and nitrite into nitrate. Ammonia and nitrite are toxic in small quantities, whereas nitrates do not become toxic until greater concentrations exist. Biological filters house populations of bacteria to ensure the aquarium remains "cycled." Building a biological filter requires time and a source of ammonia.

Things You'll Need

  • Raw cocktail shrimp
  • Nylon hosiery
  • Aquarium filter
  • Aquarium test kit
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Instructions

  1. Prepare the Tank

    • 1

      Fill the aquarium with water, substrate -- gravel, rocks, sand, etc -- and other decoration. Do not add fish or other organisms to the aquarium until the biological cycle is completed and intact. Toxic levels of ammonia and nitrate may harm or kill aquarium inhabitants.

    • 2

      Cut a nylon hose, such as the kind worn on legs, into a small packet large enough to house several raw cocktail shrimp.

    • 3

      Place the shrimp into the nylon hose packet and secure both ends of the hose.

    • 4

      Place the shrimp bag into the aquarium.

    • 5

      Assemble the aquarium filter. Attach the aquarium filter to the aquarium. Turn the filter on. Regardless the type of filter used, circulation of water should occur. Under-gravel filters, hang-on-tank filters, canisters, sump systems, wet-dry systems and sponge systems all are sufficient to help build populations of beneficial bacteria.

    • 6

      Allow the shrimp to rot in the tank.

    Use Biological Filtration

    • 7

      Measure the ammonia and nitrite levels every three days until both reach zero parts per million, or ppm. Ammonia concentrations will spike as the bacteria grow to consume it and produce nitrites. Once the ammonia consuming bacteria is of sufficient quantity, the ammonia concentration will drop to zero and the nitrite levels will spike. Bacteria will grow to consume the nitrite and produce nitrate. The cycle is complete when ammonia and nitrite levels are zero and nitrate levels are climbing.

    • 8

      Remove the shrimp bag from the water with a dip net. The shrimp bag will smell badly, due to decomposition. Dispose of the contents and bag.

    • 9

      Remove 70 percent of the aquarium water. Replace with clean dechlorinated water.

    • 10

      Wait several hours for the water temperature to stabilize. Add fish, plants or other aquarium life to your tank.