About Aquarium Filtration Systems

Anyone looking into owning an aquarium should understand the workings of an aquarium filtration system beforehand. A good filter is a necessary addition to any aquarium if you want to make sure that the aquarium stays healthy without bending over backwards to keep everything clean. The aquarium filtration system comes in many forms with numerous benefits and features that are important to consider when picking out the filter that best matches your aquarium.

  1. Function

    • An aquarium filtration system ensures that the water in an aquarium stays clean. This creates a healthy environment for any fish living in the aquarium without the owner having to clean the aquarium by hand. Plus, it makes the aquarium a much more attractive decoration for any room in the house.

    Types

    • There are several different types of aquarium filtration systems which all have different benefits and drawbacks. One such type is the bio wheel filter, which is attached to the side of the aquarium and uses a spinning wheel to constantly move water through the filter to clean the water. Another type of filter is the under gravel filter, which is set up underneath the gravel in the aquarium to filter things up through tubes on either side of the tank. The canister filter is a more heavy duty option for a larger tank and requires a little more maintenance in exchange for the additional power.

    Features

    • An aquarium filtration system will have to be cleaned every so often. The cleaning method will depend on the type of filtration system. However, any aquarium filtration system will be easier to clean than an entire aquarium. Some of these systems, such as the bio wheel filter, have a specific part which must be removed and wiped clean. For the bio wheel filter, the wheel itself usually must be taken out of the filter and wiped clean. Look for specific features on each aquarium filtration system to determine what must be cleaned to keep the filter in proper running order.

    Considerations

    • Buying an aquarium filtration system does not necessarily mean that you never have to worry about your aquarium again. A filter can become clogged. It can become damaged, or it may require regular cleaning to remain functional. Every aquarium filtration system should be checked for these kinds of limitations, and owners should be prepared to keep the filter in running order after buying a new one.

    Warning

    • If the water in an aquarium ever becomes green and murky, or fish waste seems to be continuously building up in the gravel on the bottom of the tank, then either the filter is not functioning properly, or work is required on the part of the owner for the aquarium to be kept in a good, healthy condition. If the filter has worked properly for over two weeks before these signs are noticed, then it is likely that something in the filter has to be cleaned or replaced. Always be on the lookout for signs such as these to make sure that your aquarium filtration system is still working the way it should.