Filtration SystemsAll aquariums need some sort of filtration system. In the wild, the ammonia and waste that fish give off are dealt with easily. But in the concentrated and artificial environment of an aquarium, pollutants can accumulate to deadly levels unless filtration methods have been established. There are three aquarium filtration methods available: biological, chemical, and mechanical.
Chemical Replace carbon every four to six weeks, using about 1/4 cup for every 10 gallons of water. If you own a reef aquarium, look for low ash carbon to minimize phosphate leaching, or else soak activated carbon for a week or two before introducing it to your aquarium. In reef tanks or saltwater aquariums, protein skimmers are a valuable method of chemical filtration as they remove organic compounds before they can even turn into ammonia or nitrite compounds.
Mechanical Canister filters are a common type of mechanical filter for freshwater and saltwater aquariums. Power filters are another form of mechanical filter. Both canister and power filters sit outside of the aquarium, though canister filters are typically below the tank and sometimes even inside it, while power filters hang on the back. |
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