5 beste aquariumfilters: binnenfilters versus buitenfilters - TechGeek (2023)

FAQs

Which type of aquarium filter is best? ›

Low maintenance filters, like sponge filters or power filters, work well for tanks that aren't overstocked or overfed. External canister filters are more effective for a tank with fish that produce more waste, as they are more powerful, but they also need more regular maintenance.

Chem-Pure Elite is suitable for all aquarium types, including freshwater, brackish, and reef tanks. If you're looking to finally get rid of stubborn algae (or simply want to reduce the number of water changes that you have to do), Chemi-Pure Elite is a great choice.

Canister filters provide superior mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration for larger aquariums or aquariums with a lot of fish. The body or "canister" portion of the filter is significantly larger than most power filters - imagine how much media canister filters are able to hold!

The Aquarium uses three main types of filtration: mechanical, chemical, and biological. Mechanical filtration is the removal or straining of solid particles from the water.

Q: Which filter removes the most contaminants? A reverse osmosis system is the most effective type of filter for drinking water.

Reverse osmosis systems are some of the best options for your water. The Reverse osmosis system in the 4 stage design is a design that will help you remove the maximum number of contaminants from your water.

Not only is barley straw a natural pond algae killer, but it won't harm your fish or plants – and it's cheap to buy too. In fact, I've read that barley straw is a more effective pond algae remover, and it works better to clear pond water than expensive chemicals.

No filters or treatment systems are 100% effective in removing all contaminants from water, and you need to know what you want your filter to do before you go shopping (see Step 1). Not all filters of a particular type use the same technology, so you should read the label carefully.

Not necessarily. Some types of filters – such as hang-on-back and canister filters – use an electric motor to move water and do not work with an air filter. However, air-driven filtration devices – such as sponge and undergravel filters – use air to move the water and therefore require an air pump.

In fact, I'd say a hang-on-back filter is even better at mechanical filtration than a sponge filter because you can add a fine filter pad to really polish the water. The device is very simple to service since most of the media is outside of the aquarium, allowing you to easily remove the media for gentle washing.

Are canister filters worth the money? ›

Canister filters are a good choice for freshwater aquariums and saltwater fish-only aquariums over 50 gallons. They can be troublesome, but they will get your water clean. For those with reef aquariums you're better off with a protein skimmer. We highly recommend getting a drilled through the bottom tank.

It's generally recommended that your filter has a GPH equal to four times the volume of your tank. So, for a 20 gallon (76 liter) tank, you would want a filter with a GPH of at least 80.

Keep an eye on how much water is in your aquarium—most filters need the water level to be about one inch from the lip of the filter. Make sure your bubble walls and/or air stones are not directly under the intake tube. If bubbles go up the main tube, it will cause a rattling sound and may stop your filter from working.

The two most common types of filtration systems for residential use are systems using reverse osmosis or activated carbon filters. Both of these systems are effective at removing contaminants, but the exact type of contaminants they remove are different.

Explanation: The rate of filtration is highest in pressure filter and its filtration rate lies between 6000 to 15000 litres per hour per m² of filter area while in rapid sand and roughing filter, it is between 6000 to 8000 litres per hour per m² of filter area. 2.

Surface filtration (also known as barrier filtration) is the most common type of filtration in the food industry. In surface filtration, a porous surface retains the particles solely on grounds of particle size.

Today, UV is the most widely commonly used filter, but now its role is different.

Activated carbon and ceramic filters don't remove essential minerals from tap water. That's because the healthy minerals are not attracted to carbon. Reverse Osmosis (RO) removes everything, including the healthy minerals.

Activated charcoal can take up impurities, certain heavy metals, and organic contaminants like pesticides, but it isn't very effective at removing germs. Physical filters, whether store-bought and portable or homemade from layers of sediment, are your best bet for removing debris from water.

Chlorine is still one of the most effective killers of algae so doing a super-chlorination of 10-20 ppm of chlorine can go a long way towards wiping out the algae. Liquid chlorine is an ideal shock for algae because it is fast acting and does not add cyanuric acid (CYA) or calcium to the water.

What kills algae permanently? ›

Bleach is great for killing algae (and other organisms that may lurk in your tanks) and for keeping it from coming back. Scientific research shows that using bleach that is made from a solution with 5.25% hypochlorite. Never mix bleach and chlorine together.

You can get rid of algae quickly by vacuuming and brushing your pool, balancing your pool's water chemistry, and then shocking and filtering your pool water. Just be thorough as you clean your pool surfaces. If you leave behind even a small number of algae spores, it won't be long before they regrow and bloom again.

An easy way to remove algae from your glass is an aquarium scraper and some elbow grease. The scraper will remove large algae deposits, as well as daily film algae, leaving you with a clear view of your fish. But make sure to get into every nook and cranny!

Zooplankton, tadpoles, and crustaceans eat algae. Many aquatic consumers such as zooplankton, tadpoles, algae eater (algivore), small fish, crustaceans, and water-dwelling insects eat algae as their primary food source.

This is normal when an aquarium is first set up. It is referred to as a bacteria bloom. The cloudiness should be gone within anywhere from two days to a couple of weeks. You can do a 10 to 15 percent partial water change and gravel vacuuming after a week to speed it up.

Two types of water filtration systems work to remove PFAS from drinking water in your home: granulated activated carbon filters and reverse osmosis filters.

Reverse osmosis filters: This process forces water at high pressure through semipermeable filters, removing a larger range of contaminants such as heavy metals, bacteria, and viruses.

Water filters that you attach to your faucet are known to be good for filtering out heavy metals like lead and disinfectants like chlorine. But they're not designed to filter out bacteria that can grow in the filter itself.

Too much oxygen in water can lead to the potentially lethal gas bubble disease, in which gas comes out of solution inside the fish, creating bubbles in its skin and around its eyes. (Excess nitrogen, however, is a far more common cause of this disease.)

Definitely, a canister filter is so much better for water flow, especially on a long tank like a 55 gallon.

Can you have too much filtration in a fish tank? ›

An aquarium can be over-filtered because large filters have large pumps that can move the water too quickly. When the water is cycled at an excessive rate, spread sediment all over the tank, push the fish around, and more. The water should pass through the filter four times an hour.

Cons of a Hang on Back Filter

It has a limited ability to move water. If your tanks are large or part of a community, you may require two or more HOB filters. HOB filters have limited space for media. You will only be able to fit a small amount of mechanical, bio, and chemical media.

Establish a Schedule

Some filters such as hang-on-the-back (HOB) require cleaning every few weeks while canister filters may go four months between service intervals. Sponge (biological) filters should be cleaned every two weeks.

Expensive air filters are made of better-quality materials than cheap air filters. They are often made of fiberglass, which is a porous material that can trap more dust and pollen than other materials like cardboard or paper. Fiberglass also resists moisture and does not tear as easily as other materials.

Cheap air filters typically have a low MERV rating of 6 or less, while expensive air filters can have a MERV rating of up to 13. This means that they can remove much smaller particles, like bacteria, viruses, and mold spores, from the air.

Remove the filter media and rinse them in old aquarium water or dechlorinated water to remove any accumulated waste. Coarse sponge pads are the dirtiest and can be vigorously wrung to clean it as much as possible. Bio media houses beneficial bacteria and should be gently agitated (not scrubbed) in the water.

Calculate Your Recommended Flow Rate

For example, for a 50-gallon tank look for a pump rated at least 250-500 GPH.

So for a 15,000-gallon pool, I suggest a 300 sq ft filter, for a 20,000-gallon pool a 400 sq ft filter and for a 30,000-gallon pool a 500 sq ft filter. You can use a smaller filter if you choose, just note that you will be cleaning it often and the water flow may not be as efficient as going with a larger filter.

Filter Size

A helpful rule of thumb is to choose a filter with at least 1 square foot per 10,000 gallons pool capacity.

Run two to four gallons of water through the new filter. This helps prevent your water dispenser from sputtering and clears impurities left over from manufacturing.

Do you have to soak a water filter before using? ›

It's extremely important to pre-soak your media for a minimum of 2 days before installing your whole house filtration system or water softener. Make sure your system is set on a level surface in an area where it can get wet around the tank.

Typically, you should wait at least 24 to 48 hours and even up to a week before adding fish to a new tank.

According to Angi and HomeAdvisor, a home water filtration system costs between $1,000 to $4,000, with a national average of $2,078.

The Aquarium uses three main types of filtration: mechanical, chemical, and biological.

If your goal is only to reduce the presence of harmful contaminants, a water filter is a better solution than a water softener. When your home's water is run through a quality whole house water filter, you are reducing harmful contaminants like chlorine, chloramines, harmful VOCs, and more.

External filters are larger and more powerful than most internal filters and can hold a lot more media, offering better cleaning and supporting more fish. The superior power of external filters makes them suitable for large aquaria; heavily stocked aquaria like African cichlid tanks; and large fish.

Activated carbon filters are most effective in removing organic contaminants from water (often responsible for taste, odour and colour problems).

The carbon air filter may cost more than the particulate filter which does not have carbon. If you drive in slow-moving traffic often or encounter strong odors on your drive, the investment in a carbon cabin air filter might be worth it.

Best Carbon Block Water Filters

This system has a long filter life of 2,500 gallons, eliminates offensive tastes and odors, and protects you from lead chlorine, cysts, algae, mold, THMs, VOCs, and more.

It not only aids in preventing rust stains in sinks, tubs, dishwashers, and toilets, but offers softer, brighter and longer lasting clothing. A carbon filter effectively removes chlorine, chloramines, and odor. The outcome is chemical free, clean, fresh drinking water for the whole household.

Are more expensive filters better? ›

Expensive Filters Are Made of Better-Quality Materials

Expensive air filters are made of better-quality materials than cheap air filters. They are often made of fiberglass, which is a porous material that can trap more dust and pollen than other materials like cardboard or paper.

More expensive air filters such as Pleated Residential filters will filter out dust mites, pollen, pet dander, mold, and even bacteria, which can be worth the extra money, especially for those with severe allergies.

The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioner Engineers (ASHARE) recommends a MERV 6 or higher. Most people go with a MERV 8 filter. Most residential areas can remove contaminants with MERV 8 to MERV 13, while most hospitals use MERV 14 to MERV 20.