THE JOB OF THE FILTER

There are many forms of filters available to today's fish hobbyist.  In this article we will discuss filtration as a whole, referring to a "hang on" type of filtration unit and why we use them.  In the next issue we will break these down to discuss the different kinds of filters, compare how they work, and discuss the different kinds of filtration each offers.

Following the diagram above, water is taken into the box of the filter through the intake tube, which hangs into the tank below the water level.  As it travels through the filter, it passes through a sponge or filter pad, through the carbon, and then back into the tank to be cycled again.  The "cleaning" process takes place inside the filter box, where it catches floating debris via the sponge or filter pad, then is detoxified by passing through the carbon, and is then released back into the tank.

In the day before artificial filtration was invented, biological filtration was the only type of filtration available to fish keepers.  This is "Mother Nature's Way" of keeping the environment clean and healthy.  Today we have hang on filters, which elaborates on this by adding chemical and mechanical filtration to our list of availability.  Why the change?  As we evolve, as we make what is called "progress" and live in this world of technology, we find we have less time to invest in the things we enjoy doing.  I would like to think that a true lover of the hobby invented the first filter so as to make time for his fish keeping amidst a growing schedule of things to do.  The "natural" aquarium is based on biological filtration set up to mimic Mother Nature's Way.  Much more attention to detail, less fish, more live plants, all are requirements of a natural aquarium.  Understanding of the nitrogen cycle and biological filtration is a must to be successful.  Which is the better way?  I suppose that depends on how much time and commitment each person has to give to fish keeping. 

Today, installing a filtration unit is standard on most aquariums.  For most, it is the "easy way to be successful".  To fully understand why the use for a filtration unit, we must first explore the 3 different types of filtration.