Overview of Fish Tank Filters

Posted by Clint Johnson

A fish tank is a closed environment. This means that the conditions inside the tank should be properly monitored and the ideal settings should be maintained to ensure a healthy fish population. Clean water is one important factor to having this equilibrium. Changes such as fish deaths, uneaten fish food, fish waste, changes in water composition, dead plants, and the like will compromise the water quality.

If left untreated, water pollution will build up and toxic substances will also abound, causing fish illnesses and deaths. To ensure that clean water is circulating inside the tank at all times, fish tank filters should be a part of your fish tank setup.

Filter types: brief descriptions and the pros and cons

To have a complete filtration system, your tank should have mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration. You can choose to get three fish tank filters to perform each type of filtration or get one filter that supports all three.

Inexpensive filters such as hang-on filters, box or corner filters, internal power filters, diatom filters, and sponge filters are generally ideal for small tanks. Consisting of just a sponge or foam and a tube, sponge filters are the cheapest and simplest fish tank filters, ideal for tanks with small or newborn fish and quarantine tanks. Also known as external power filters, hang-on filters are among the most popular since they often provide all three filtration methods. On the other hand, internal power filters are placed inside the tank. These are ideal only for small freshwater tanks. Box or corner filters are also placed inside the aquarium, providing mechanical and chemical filtration for small tanks. To provide the best method of mechanical filtration, diatom filters use diatomaceous earth .

The sponge filter combines biological and mechanical filtration. It is the best filter to use if you have very small fish or fry. However, it can get clogged easily. In larger tanks, it should be used as secondary filter.

If you are looking for more powerful fish tank filters, you may want to consider buying canister filters, undergravel filters, wet/dry filters, and fluidized bed filters. The first three types can provide a complete three-step filtration system to your fish tank. While fluidized bed filters do not contain necessary mechanism for mechanical filtration, their biological and chemical filtration capabilities are good for tanks with live plants and heavy bio-loads.

While powerful and mostly complete, the above-mentioned filters also come with some disadvantages. Maintenance issues, such as periodic cleaning and replacement of parts, are the most common concerns with these types of filters. In the case of wet/dry filters, additional plumbing is one of the requirements.

Most important filter accessories

Fish tank filters have parts and accessories that you have to change from time to time. The most commonly used are filter bags, filter cartridges, and filter media. Examples of filter media are ceramic rings, sponge or foam inserts, filter gravel, foam blocks, and filter pads.

Clint Johnson is a fish breeder and an aquarium enthusiast who likes to help others succeed in raising their fish as well. He is a featured member and guest speaker at many aquarium clubs, as well as having a few very large tanks of his own. To learn more about fish tank filters and aquarium wet/dry filters, please go to marinedepot.com.