FRESH WATER FILTER

About Fresh Water Filter

Fresh water filters keep aquarium water free of toxic substances

The freshwater filters are used to keep the aquarium water clean and healthy for fishes. The most common among these filters are the corner filters. These are plastic boxes placed inside the aquarium. They use air bubbles to push water through a bed of filter floss or other media. These filters cost less than $3 a piece, but are now losing out to more technologically advanced filters.

Another cheap fresh water filter is the undergravel filter. It passes water through gravel placed on top of a perforated plate. The water is pumped either with an air lift or with submersible pumps, called powerheads. Like corner filters, these too foster growth of beneficial bacteria that neutralize ammonia released by fishes. However, they are unable to clear the fish waster that settles down on the gravel, clogging it up. That is why it is important to vacuum the gravel at regular intervals.

Another useful fresh water filter is the sponge filter. In this case, water is run through one or several sponges with the help of a powerhead or through an airlift tube. The sponges filter the water and also work as a bed for beneficial bacteria. These bacteria neutralize ammonia, keeping the water free of toxins. An advantage of sponge filters is that they can be removed from an existing aquarium and transferred to a new aquarium along with the beneficial bacteria.

The most advanced fresh water filter is the power filter. This filter, which is normally placed at the back of the fish tank, runs the water through a porous foam sponge. An internal pump then returns the filtered water into the aquarium. These filters are easier to maintain because the sponges can be removed and cleaned of fish waste. Some power filters now also use granular carbon to clean the water of chemicals.