To ensure the smooth operation of your fish tank system, it should have clean water at all times. The cleanliness of your water is constantly compromised due to changes in water composition caused by fish deaths, uneaten fish food, fish waste, dead plant matter, and other causes of pollution. 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.

The type of filter you will need will basically be dictated by the size of your tank. Fish tank filters perform either mechanical, chemical, or biological filtration. Some types combine two or all filtration methods.

Fish tank filters that perform only one filtration type are diatom and fluidized bed filters. Diatom filters provide the best mechanical filtration since it removes not only dirt particles but algae, bacteria, and parasites as well. They are not for continual use as they can clog quickly. Fluidized bed filters perform either chemical or biological filtration. When referred to as fluidized reactors, it means that it does chemical filtration. When referred to as fluidized filters, it often performs biological filtration. Whatever the type, it follows the same principle of using fine-grained sand or chemical media suspended in a column of water to filter out impurities. This, however, can deplete oxygen supply, and is therefore advised to use only in tanks with live plants.

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.

Fish tank filters that can have all filtration types are the hang-on, internal power, box or corner, undergravel, canister, and wet/dry filters. The problem with these, however, is that they can do best only two of the three, wherein the third type of filtration is only effective up to a certain extent. For the hang-on, internal, and box or corner filters, this is due to the small surface area of their filter media.

Exceptions are perhaps the undergravel, canister and wet/dry filters. However, undergravel filters are not good in tanks with live plants. Due to the external location of canister filters, there may be oxygen flow concerns during a power outage. The best three-stage filtration system could be provided by wet/dry filters, but they have additional plumbing requirements and advanced setup.

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.

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Article Submitted By: Clint Johnson
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