Mechanical Aquarium Filtration

Mechanical aquarium filtration is accomplished by moving water through some kind of material that acts like a sieve, catching the solids and removing them from the water. Ideally, the most effective mechanical filter removes particles down to very small sizes, but there is a trade-off here.

The smaller the particles are that the filter removes, the faster the filter material will clog. Because clogged filter material severely reduces the rate of water flow through it, the material must be cleaned or changed. The more effective the filter material is, at trapping small particles, the more often you will have to clean the filter.

For this reason, most filter material is designed to catch only the larger, more visible solids. Of course, as the filter material catches large particles, the openings in the material through which the water flows become increasingly smaller and thus trap increasingly smaller particles. The material does clog eventually, but it takes much longer.

Aquarium Filter Designs: Sponge Filters

Another kind of biological aquarium filter that is commonly used in aquariums is the sponge filter. Although varying somewhat in appearance, all sponge filters work the same way. Water is pulled through the sponge, which is colonized by nitrifying bacteria. Most sponge filters use a single lift tube and air bubbles to draw water through the sponge, although some large models can use a powerhead instead.

 

There are specific reasons for using sponge filters. For example, if you keep a sponge filter in a tank that already has a biological filter; it will develop its own colony of bacteria. The sponge filter can then serve as an emergency biological filter in another tank.

If you need to set up a small tank to treat a sick fish or a quarantine tank for new fish, the sponge filter can provide immediate biological filtration for that tank. This eliminates the usual break-in period.

For those who breed fish, the sponge filter is also very useful. Often at some point, young fish need to be taken out of the adult tank and put into a fry tank, which contains only juveniles of the same size. Sponge filters provide instant biological filtration for the fry tank.

It is safe for the baby fish because there is no dangerous filter intake, as with power filters, and the micro-organisms on the surface of the sponge even provide an additional food source for the growing fish.

Five Tips for a Better Aquarium - Basic Pet Fish Care

Fish wish? Setting up an aquarium for the first time can be daunting for the novice fish friend. Or maybe you haven't had a fish tank in many years, and you long to return to the magic and mystery of having a small ocean or pond in a box in your home. These are basic tips and guidelines to help make your fish heather and promote a more enjoyable, fun experience with your aquarium - hopefully for many years to come.

Water:

Start out by treating your water. This is one of the most important elements of your tank. Don't take the water for granted. Use a tap water conditioner, which can be bought in most any pet supply store like PetSmart or PetCo. This will get rid of many of the unhealthy elements in the tap water. Don't ever change 100% of your aquarium water. The most you want to change is about twenty percent. Change the water about once a week.