Maintenance of Fish Tank Filters

Fish tank filters will function properly once installed as long as proper maintenance is carried out. Maintenance of fish tank filters involves cleaning the filter of waste materials or replacing the filter.

Filters must not be cleaned immediately after cleaning the plants, rocks or other decorations within the tank. This is because the cleaning that has just been performed has disturbed the beneficial bacterial colonies (the bacteria which are produced by the filter is used to convert nitrates into less harmful materials) which were present on the rocks, water, etc.

Therefore one must wait at least a week before going on to clean the filter. However, if the filter has been recently installed in the fish tank, then you must consider waiting for a few more days before performing the cleaning.

The period required before replacing the filter depends on the type of filter you have chosen. If the filter used contains ammonia absorbers, carbon or ion-exchange resins, then the replacement must be done every three weeks. This is because after a couple of weeks the absorbing feature of these filters becomes exhausted and the filter ceases to function. If the filter is a mechanical filter then you should gently rinse it to remove the waste rather than replacing it frequently. Experts argue against replacing the filter as it removes the beneficial bacteria and leads to an in increase in the concentration of ammonia waste which is very poisonous for the fish. Therefore, replacing the filter must only be done in circumstances where the filter has become very old or does not function properly even after regular maintenance.

While cleaning the filter, excessive care must be taken on the usage of cleaning chemicals. Some of these chemicals may be poisonous to fish and you should therefore refrain from using them on filters. You must remember to sanitize the filter tubing as well as other parts of the filter. A filter brush is helpful in clearing the sludge that is present in small crevices. Care should also be taken while removing and replacing the filter from the fish tank. The filter should be removed in such a way that it does not cause much disturbance to fish, plant, or rocks.

In case the filter requires refilling, then it should be properly refilled using appropriate chemicals and while doing care should be taken that the chemicals do not leak. This requires proper sealing of the container of filtration media. In case there are any algae or lime deposits on the filter then they should be properly cleaned and thoroughly rinsed with fresh water. If you have used any chemicals while cleaning the filter then they should be properly cleaned and sanitized in such a way that the chemical is completely removed from the filter before they are placed back in the tank.

Maintenance of fish tank filters should be done regularly in the same way maintenance is done on your motor vehicle. If proper maintenance is not done then it may lead to non-function of the filter. It is also recommended that the first few times cleaning is done it should be done by an expert.Pros and Cons of Fish Tank Filters

Filters are the most important component of both freshwater and marine aquaria. Filters help to remove physical as well and soluble chemical waste from your fish tank filter which makes maintenance simpler.

Fish that are kept in fish tanks produce waste from their respiration and excrement. Other sources of waste are the uneaten plants or food as well as fish that have died in the tank. These waste products get collected in the tanks and thereby make the tank water contaminated. Filtration is a common method used to maintain a healthy aquarium.

The activated carbon that is present in the water produces odors which is a negative. However modifications to the carbon that is present may inhibit the growth of beneficial bacteria. For everyday use one should use activated carbon in their filters.

The best way you can remove carbon from fish tanks is by removing heavy metals and other toxic chemicals out of the water. It is also great to remove meds out of the water so that the water remains carbon free. One of the drawbacks to carbon is the need to replace it monthly. However if the tap water is already clear of most things you don't really require carbon that much.

A number of materials are suitable for fish tank filtration. This includes synthetic wools or foams which are made of nylon or polyethylene terephthalate. The materials which have a greater surface area provide both biological and mechanical filtration.

Some simple fish tank filters will generally have activated carbon and filter wool. The filter wool traps large debris and particles which thereby activates smaller impurities. However these type of filters must be changed frequently at regular intervals. This is very important due to the activated carbon filters which can re-release their absorbed materials in large if left to saturate.

The pros of external tank filters are that they are generally more useful and easy to maintain compared to internal tank filters. The external tank filters are Canister filters, Diatom filters, Trickle filters and Baffle filters. Internal filters are Airlift filters, Under Gravel filters, Submersible pumps/filters, Marine specific systems, Protein Skimmers, Deep sand beds and Berlin method.

All these filters are beneficial in degrading many components into gaseous form like nitrate to gaseous nitrogen. Filtration can also be done in a mechanical way just like the removal of solid waste can be removed by simple physical hand netting of the debris. All removal of solid waste involves filtering water through some form of mesh in a process known as mechanical filtration. However mechanical filtration is ineffective if the solid wastes are not removed from the filter and are allowed to decay and dissolve in the water.