A Primer On Aquarium Canister Filters

When shopping for aquarium filters, you should first consider the size of your aquarium.

If your fish tank falls between the 20- to 50-gallon capacity range, aquarium canister filters are your best bet.

These filters suck water out of the tank through tubes and into a series of chambers of filter media. Dirt is taken out in stages, starting from the largest to the smallest particles. Once cleaned, the water is pumped back into the aquarium. Advantages and disadvantagesBefore you buy, be sure to know the pros and cons of using aquarium canister filters.

The advantages of canister filters are mainly derived from their external location. First of all, the filter won't take up aquarium space.

It also won't affect the aesthetics of the tank.

The environment inside the aquarium will look as close as possible to underwater marine life. Lastly, cleaning and maintenance work on the filter will be less stressful and disruptive on the tank's occupants. However, you have to be aware of the disadvantages of using canister filters as well. For one, they cost more than the other types of filters and are also prone to leaking. A more serious concern though is that some owners have noted that canister filters are not to be used when you have newborn fish.

They tend to suck out the babies along with the water, killing them in the process.

The three filtration stepsFiltration typesIf you have decided on getting aquarium canister filters, be sure to get a model that has all types of filtration methods. To have a complete filtration system, the filter should support mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration.

In almost all filters, mechanical filtration is the first stage. Here, the largest dirt particles, such as fish waste and dead plant matter, are trapped. On the other hand, chemical filtration involves absorbing water impurities such as color and odor, usually with the use of carbon. For biological filtration, bacteria cultures housed in trays or rings are used to change elements such as nitrates that are toxic to the fish into less harmful substances. MaintenanceFor thorough cleaning of the whole filtration system, you should also include the pump and tubes and not just the main filter body. Refrain from cleaning the biological media.

If you do, the bacteria, which are the heart of your biological filtration, will be wiped out. Some tips when buyingWhen you buy aquarium canister filters, make sure to choose one that has flexible media trays. This will enable you to select the type of filtration media to use. Otherwise, you will get stuck with manufacturer-dictated media. For your future cleaning convenience, these media trays or baskets should be easy to remove and put back in. As the parts that carry out mechanical and chemical filtration require regular cleaning, these should be easy to reach.

The filter should also easily start up after being turned off when cleaning.

It should be quiet the whole time it is in operation and should have no water spills. To be sure, request for a demo when shopping.
Todd J. Nelson is a freelance writer who has been involved in the aquarium hobby for more than 15 years. Most of his aquarium knowledge comes from personal experience, although he is an active member in his local aquarium club, online message boards and industry events. To learn more about aquarium filters , and fish tank canister filters , visit MarineDepot.com.

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