Saltwater Aquarium Filter Information
When it comes to saltwater aquariums and filters the majority of people only know about mechanical filters. However, there are actually 3 kinds of filters. Mechanical, of course, but then there are chemical and biological filters. Each filter has its own function but all three are pretty much necessary to keep your tank water clean and healthy.
Mechanical Filtration for Saltwater Tanks
Just as there are different categories of filters (mechanical, biological, and chemical), under each category are different types of filters. One example of a type of mechanical filter is a reverse osmosis filter (RO filter). You may be familiar with this type of filter because it is common in a lot of homes. It is designed to filter out tiny particulate matter that may be in your tap water. RO filters come in varying filtering levels all measured in microns. There are layers and layers of filtering sheets inside the RO container and these sheets have tiny holes. And if any substrate comes along that is bigger than the hole, guess what? You probably guessed that they get captured and are not allowed to pass on.
Another excellent example of a mechanical filter is a protein skimmer. The water in your aquarium will gradually become saturated with dangerous chemicals that can harm your tank mates. Some substances include nitrates and phosphates. It becomes like an oily substance and it will rise to the top of your aquarium water.
A protein skimmer can remove these organic compounds by means of a unique process. The filter utilizes microscopic bubbles. The more bubbles the better. What happens is the bubbles will carry the organic compound molecules up and out of the water. They are light enough that as the bubbles rise they ride along and end up overflowing into a tray as the bubbles pop. It's a really neat filter!
Chemical Filtration for Saltwater Aquariums
The second category of filters that we have already mentioned is called chemical filtration. An example of a common chemical filter is activated carbon. As water passes through and around the carbon, toxins and other dangerous elements are absorbed into it, much like a sponge. Carbon filtration can result in crystal clear water, eliminating any unwanted yellowish tint that can result from a build up of some these dangerous chemicals.
There is a draw back to using this type of chemical filter though. Not only does it take out bad chemicals and elements, but it also removes some that are necessary. So some, like myself, do not recommend using it. And as the carbon sucks up the surrounding elements it can become over-saturated rather quickly and so it needs to be replaced often. Because if you don't, it can cause more harm than good, by re-releasing those dangerous elements back into your aquarium, and that would not be good at all!
Like I said, I personally do not use this type of chemical filter in my aquarium except when I have to put in medicine. It is good in removing any excess medication, but I don't put it in too soon and I don't keep it in too long. And do remember, that if you are using carbon filtration, it is a good idea to remove it if you are needing to add medicine to your tank. It will act like a sponge and remove the medicine quickly, making your purchase of medicine a waste of money and time.
Another chemical filter that is very similar to activated carbon filtration is the use of resin media. It is great in removing the bad stuff and it is a little milder when it comes to taking out elements from your aquarium water that is needed. I highly recommend this type of filtration.
Biological Filtration for Saltwater Aquariums
This now brings us to the third type of filter system for your aquarium, biological filtration. This is the more natural kind of filtration which uses actual bacteria to remove unwanted wastes from your system. As your tank creatures release excreta into the water and as tiny creatures die, the bacteria feeds on this and it converts it to almost harmless nitrates. And if you have a protein skimmer running, the by-product of these bacteria will then be removed through the skimmer.
By adding live rock into your aquarium you can achieve this type of natural filtration. It is called 'live' rock because that is what it is, it is alive with all kinds of tiny creatures from the ocean that are waiting to clean up your tank.
Other types of filters that can act like multiple types of filters are undergravel filters and wet/dry filters. Both are good, but a wet/dry filter is probably the better of the two in my opinion.
A wet/dry filter is usually a separate tank that resides below your main show tank, so it does require additional space, but it works very well. A pump inside the W/D filter pumps water back into your main tank causing it to force water into an overflow reservoir which then overflows back into the tank below. As the water makes its way through the lower filter it passes into such things as live rock, sand that has billions of bacteria, and oftentimes there are other creatures living in there that are effective in removing disgusting stuff from your main tank.
Another popular filter is the use of the mangrove plant. This can be used for example in a wet/dry filter.
As this plant grows it removes organic compounds from the water because it uses these compounds to thrive. This type of filter is very effective and it can actually reduce the load that is often put on a protein skimmer.
What Type of Filter Is Right for My Saltwater Tank?
You may be asking yourself, 'what filter is best for me?' It all depends on what is in your aquarium and how serious you are in setting up a very balanced aquarium. As you consider your aquarium and the types of creatures you are going to put into it, talk with your local fish store and they should be able to help you in determining which filter(s) will be needed. Enjoy and good luck!
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