NEW SURVEY BEGAN 2/10/12 

Did you know that there are 3 types of filtration for aquariums? Well if you didn't, let us explain to you what each kind of filtration is, and what it does.

1. Mechanical
2. Chemical
3. Bilogical

Mechanical filtration is how waste and debris is physically removed from the water. This type of filtration is the easiest for people to understand. There is a piece of fiber, or foam in most filters. Water passes through this fiber or foam device and the debris is captured by the fiber or foam. The only part that passes through is the water. This is the same idea of how a water filter that is attached to your faucet in your works.

Remember, mechanical filtration is how you physically remove waste from the water.

Chemical filtration actually has nothing to do with chemicals at all. Chemical filtration is what adsorbs the pollutants in your water. Such as the things that make your water smelly, or cloudy. The most common product that is used in chemical filtration is carbon. Carbon is made up of various types matter that is put in a furnace and subjected to extreme temperatures. When this matter reaches a high enough temperature, tiny pores are opened up. When the carbon is placed into an aquarium, the pollutants are adsorbed into the carbon and are locked into the matter for approximately 30 days. If the carbon remains in the aquarium past the 30 days, the carbon pores will start to open and the pollutants will slowly leach back into the aquarium causing potential illness to all creatures in the aquarium.

Remember, chemical filtration must be replaced every 21-30 days on average.

Biological filtration is the most difficult filtration for most people to understand. This is because generally, you cannot see this type of filtration. Biological filtration is all the good bacteria in an eco-system. The good bacteria breaks down the bad bacteria naturally. Biological filtration must be established and seeded in order to be efficient. Bacteria takes time to grown; imagine mold. Mold grows by moisture and bacteria. When bacteria is subjected to water, then to air repeatedly, good bacteria is formed. If you look at most fish aquariums, you will notice that there is a filter that somehow uses water and air to help filter the water. The old fashioned under gravel filters relied on only biological filtration. The bacteria was in the gravel, and then an air-pump would create bubbles and force the water up a riser tube. The combination of water-to-air contact with the bubbles created a very strong biological filtration system.

There are many products on the market today in which you can add live bacteria into your aquarium. With the proper use of these products, you can seed your biological filter and make it work very well. 

Nowadays, most filters include all three types of filtration. Some do better than others.

Undergravel filters - Chemical Filtration (poor), Mechanical (poor), Biological (good)

Hang on Back Filters - Chemical (fair), Mechanical (good), Biological (fair)

Canister - Chemical (good), Mechanical (excellent), Biological (good)

Wet/Dry - Chemical (fair), Mechanical (good), Biological (excellent)

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