Setting up You抮e First Fish Tank - Part 2

The Filter is the most important single piece of equipment (after the tank and water). The filter has the role of cleaning the water of impurities and oxygenating the water. No tank should be deprived...

The Filter is the most important single piece of equipment (after the tank and water). The filter has the role of cleaning the water of impurities and oxygenating the water. No tank should be deprived of this device because it has an important role in maintaining a clan and healthy water for the fish. In stores you can find several types of filters, depending on the position or method if construction. Thus there are two main types of filters:

-牋?Internal filters, are mostly used by beginners, they are inserted completely in the tank. They consist of a pump that pulls water through a sponge, so that impurities remain trapped in the sponge mass, resulting in cleaner water. There not the most efficient filters because the sponge is quit small and the water doesn抰 get cleaned very well. But have the advantages of being very cheap (price starting from 5$) and east to install and use. One of the most popular brands on the market is: Resun, Aquael, Fluval etc. The options are many, you can choose according to you budget and needs.

-牋?External filters, are positioned outside the aquarium, have higher filtering surface, they are also more powerful and more efficient in every way over the internal filters. There only disadvantage is the price, they are the most expensive from all the filters, with an average starting price of 100$. They are indicated for larger aquariums, like 40 gallons or more, but these kinds of filters are available for smaller tank too.

The air pump is an electrically powered device that produces a stream of air which is streamed through a hose directly into the aquarium. At the aquarium end of the hose will be placed an air stone, which allows its output in the form of very fine bubbles that are designed to oxygenate the water. Most internal filters are equipped with a hose which introduces air in the form of fine bubbles in the tank, thus reduces the need for air pumps. Without a filter, the air pump is the only thing that would keep the fish alive longer without changing the water daily. If you don抰 have the resources to buy a mechanical filter, you can make a biological filter with an air pup and a sponge by inserting the air stone into the sponge. The bigger the sponge is the more efficient the biological filter will be. The main role of the sponge in aquariums is meant to be a 揾ouse?for bacteria that will transform harmful substances into less harmful ones, respectively nitrite into nitrate.