Fish Tank Maintenance

An Aquarium Without Fish Tank Filters Is Like A Death Camp For Your Pets
Michalis 'BIG Mike' Kotzakolios


Defined Tag: Fish Tank Filters.

You may have a perpetual supply of water for your aquarium, but water by itself does not establish a healthy environment for your aquatic pets. Aquariums should mimic the natural habitat of fish, and this requires more than just a regular supply of water. For starters, most fish require oxygen which, in a fish tank, is provided for by the inclusion of an oxygen pump. Just as important is the cleanliness of the aquarium. Water is susceptible to the accumulation of unhealthy dirt, the rise of its pH level to dangerous degrees, and the development of perilous parasites that would jeopardize the good wellbeing of your fishes.

To combat these dangers, fish tank filters are made necessary for all aquariums, regardless of their breadth and dimensions. A good filtration system is a must for a clean, healthy, and beneficial environment for aquatic creatures. Even makeshift ponds for carps, large gold fish and gator fish require filters.

Basically, there are three kinds of fish tank filters. These are mechanical, biological and chemical systems. There are distinct differences between them, and each serve a specific type of fish tank and specific species of fishes. Let's take a closer look at them.

1. Mechanical filters. These are the fish tank filters commonly available in most pet shops. They can either be under-gravel or overhead. Under-gravel filters are those that are placed beneath the pebbles or the sand at the bottom of aquariums. These filters siphon the dirt and other unwanted materials that have accumulated in the water system. Under-gravel filters are best suited for smaller aquariums, however, like 2.5 to 10 gallon setups. These filters may not be able to handle the load of bigger fish tanks, and they could prove quite inconvenient to clean up. Overhead filters work the same was, but they are conveniently located on top of the aquarium. Water is sucked upwards to the filter box, and thereafter passes through porous materials (usually cotton, carbon, or rocks) to separate the unwanted particles and keep the water clean.

2. Biological filters. This is the hardest biological system to achieve. It requires a direct simulation of the natural living conditions of the fishes' environment. The wastes (ammonia) of aquatic creatures in a natural environment are broken down by water vegetation, and are converted into beneficial bacteria that produce nitrates required for the fishes' sustainable wellbeing. It goes without saying that expert knowledge is needed is establishing biological filters. Additionally, this is recommended only for very big setups, like 100 gallons and above, and outdoor habitats like ponds and the likes.

3. Chemical filters. Of the three kinds of fish tank filters, chemical filtration is the easiest to set up. All you need are activated carbon particles. This may be in the form of a box that you'd simply dip into the water, or gravel made up of these specialized carbons. Carbon is natural ammonia absorbent that would help maintain the cleanliness and good conditions of your aquarium.

Regardless of what aquarium you're keeping, a proper filtration is a necessity. It has been said that a fish tank without filters would be tantamount to a death camp for your aquatic pets. It's a rather morose analogy, but it perfectly described the high importance of a filtration system for the setup you should aim to achieve.

BIG Mike is a well known author, developer and Adsense expert as well as the owner of Niche Maniacs - a unique Adsense Marketing System designed to build long-term passive income streams from Adsense, YPN, Chitika and other PPC services.