1. Your Aquarium’s Life Support
Aquarium Filtration
Your Aquarium’s Life Support

2. A Filter… … is an aquarium’s life support system.
Protists are unicellular, carry on life processes via diffusion; require no filtration.
Plants are autotrophic, produce O2 as a waste product. Hence, they require no filtration.
Animals are heterotrophic, produce CO2, ammonia, and feces as waste products. These become toxic in large amounts when dissolved in water. Hence animals require a FILTER.

3. Types of Filtration
Biological – a culture of beneficial bacteria consumes the solid waste and much of the ammonia.
Chemical – a bed of carbon or sand removes toxins such as ammonia from the water.
Mechanical – water is agitated to promote interface between the water and the air. This pumps more oxygen into the water, which benefits animals.

4. The Balanced Aquarium
Can work in nature, but difficult to accomplish in a tank!
Requires too many plants!

5. Types of Filters Undergravel Filter
B – bacteria contained under the filter.
M – Bubbles as water comes back through the output tubes.
C – Charcoal cartridge is optional.

6. Undergravel Filter – Pros & Cons
Cheap
Requires little maintenance in a large tank.
No need for floss or carbon.
Cons:
cleaning requires entire breakdown of tank!
requires lots of gravel – and ONLY gravel!

7. Box Filter B – Bacteria inhabit the floss M – bubbling action
C – Charcoal in the box

8. Box Filter – Pros & Cons Pros: Cheap Extremely versatile
You can place any kind of substrate in the box!
great for health and reproduction tanks
Cons:
requires outside pump
increased noise
Regular maintenance required

9. Power Filter B – Bacteria inhabit the floss pad M – water flow
C – Charcoal pad

10. Power Filter – Pros & Cons
Extremely versatile
You can place any kind of substrate in the box!
Cons:
motor prone to breakdown
can be noisy.

11. Powerhead Attaches to an undergravel system OR can be stand alone.
Pros:
Extremely versatile
“Revs up” tank by increasing oxygen flow
Cons:
motor prone to breakdown
can be noisy.
Not suitable for smaller tanks.

12. What filter for you? What kind of aquarium are you constructing?
What kind of water will they demand?
Soft water – peat
Hard water – crushed coral
Medicine – mechanical function ONLY
Reproduction – Biological & Chemical ONLY

13. Build it yourself! http://www.sydneycichlid.com/simple-filter.htm
Construct a filter either featured on this page or along the sidebar.
Bring in materials by Friday.
Set up in tank and explain how it affects the water, and for what it may be used for.