Elmer's Aquarium Filtration Tips

A good filter system is the best way to assure low maintenance and healthy fish.

Why Filter?

Filtration plays a major role in maintaining healthy fish. A good filter system will perform the following functions:
a. Provide oxygen and release carbon dioxide.
b. Provide a home for beneficial bacteria which decompose organic wastes.
c. Remove solid fish waste from the water.
d. Adsorb dissolved organic wastes from the water.
e. Circulate water to provide even temperature distribution and beneficial water currents.

It makes your maintenance easier, and it keeps the water healthy for fish.

Mechanical Filtration

This is the removal of solid waste products such as extra food and fish wastes from the water. An outside power filter is a good example of a mechanical filters. It circulates water through a layer of filter material and mechanically removes any solid wastes. When the filter material gets dirty it is simply replaced.

Chemical Filtration

Chemical filtration is the adsorption of dissolved organic impurities from the water. Activated carbon is used for this purpose. You can utilize carbon by putting it in your outside power filter or inside box filter. Activated carbon can remove discolorations, odors, and other impurities from the water. A small amount of a quality grade carbon in the filter can keep the water looking sparkling clear.
Carbon becomes saturated and is no longer effective after a period of time. For the average aquarium we recommend that the carbon be changed once a month. Carbon can be replaced more frequently if the water is cloudy or an odor is present.

Biological Filtration

This is a natural process by which bacteria living in the tank biologically decompose waste products and convert them to harmless compounds. Biological filtration is the process that keeps streams and lakes clear, and it can do the same thing in your aquarium.

How Biological Filtration Occurs:
1. Ammonia is a fish waste products that is released directly into the water through the fishes gills. Ammonia is also produced in the aquarium through the decomposition of fish wastes, and excess fish food. Ammonia is toxic to fish even at low levels, therefore it is important to maintain a filter that can neutralize ammonia as quickly as it is produced.

2. A special type of bacteria which grow in the aquarium (called nitrifying bacteria) utilize ammonia as a food source and convert it to harmless products such as nitrates, and carbon dioxide.

3. Nitrifying bacteria will grow on every surface where oxygen is present in an established aquarium. This includes the gravel, and filter material. An undergravel filter will maximize biological filtration by drawing oxygenated water through the gravel and enabling a colony of the proper bacteria to live on the gravel surfaces. Newer model power filters also employ biological filtration. The "Emperor" power filter provides a "Bio-Wheel for biological filtration. The "Millennium" power filter has a separate chamber for biological filtration. With proper biological filtration wastes do not accumulate. They are simply broken down biologically. Tanks with an effective biological filter require very little maintenance, and can go several years without being taken apart for cleaning.

Biological Filtration in Newly Set-up Tanks

An important point to remember is that it will take a few weeks for the bacteria to develop in a new tank, so the tank must be stocked gradually during the first three weeks.

 How to Prevent High Ammonia Levels in New Tanks
 1. Add only 8-10 fish during the first week
 2. Add Fritz-Zyme Water Conditioner to help establish biological filtration
 3. Monitor Ammonia levels during the first 2 weeks of operation. Add Ammo-Rid cartridge to your power filter, and do a partial water change if traces of ammonia are detected with your test kit.
 4. Add a few live plants to your tank during the first few days.
Careful: Adding fish too quickly to a new tank risks creating an ammonia build-up. Also remember that if you completely dismantle the tank to clean it, it will take a few weeks for biological filtration to become fully functional again.

Types of Filter Systems:

Our Recommended Filter Systems for Freshwater Tanks

A filter system that combines mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration provides the most stable environment for the fish. Therefore we recommend an undergravel filter combined with an outside power filter as the most effective system. The undergravel filter will provide biological filtration and the outside power filter will provide mechanical filtration and chemical filtration in the form of activated carbon. Both filters will also circulate and aerate the water.

If your budget will not allow you to purchase the above system then we suggest that you start with an undergravel filter. You can add the power filter at a later time.

Can I filter my aquarium with only an outside power filter?

Yes- but you will have to keep your fish population limited. You will also have to do more frequent partial water changes. You should also purchase an air pump and airstone to work along with your power filter.

It has been our experience that if you are a beginner you will have much better success, and will spend less time on maintenance if you purchase both and undergravel filter and a power filter.