Power Fish Tank Filters

This is a follow up from a previous post titled “Power Fish Tank Filters Defined“.

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When first starting out on their first fish tank, most beginners focus on ease, reliability and convenience especially in the realm of maintaining the aquatic life in their aquarium. And all this while keeping their budget to the barest minimum. Taking all this into account, this article will focus on the one of the fish tank filters that has stood the test of time as the fish enthusiasts’ Ole Faithful, no other than Power Fish Tank Filters.

First off, let me just point out that no matter how great is the filtration system that you’ve set up and how much money you’ve spent on it, nothing will maintain the aquarium in an ideal living condition more than regular water changes. There really are no quick fixes when in comes to creating a healthy environment for fish.

When it comes to Power Fish Tank Filters, there are three brands that are the most well known and have earned the reputation as being the longest lasting in the market today. They are the Tetra Whisper, Marineland Emperor and Penguin, and Hagen Aquaclear. These models have been in the market for quite some time now and are known to be easy to use and easy to maintain. If you are justing starting out with Power Fish Tank Filters, I recommend you consider any of these three. Let’s look at each in more detail.

Tetra’s Whisper Power Fish Tank Filters

The Tetra Whisper Power Fish Tank Filters are designed with only one impeller, drawing in water from the aquarium into its filter, flowing through its filter media before flowing back into the aquarium. The filter media cartridge is easy to use and easy to replace. It utilizes activated carbon for chemical filtration and floss for mechanical filtration, while a bio-sponge additionally provides biological filtration. Having only one moving part makes the Whisper easy to repair and maintain. Just like its name explain, it is almost silent.

The only downside to it is that the filter media comes in fixed cartridges that cannot be customized, for example if you plan to also filter out ammonia or phosphate which in this case you can’t.

Marineland’s Penguin and Emperor Power Fish Tank Filters

Marineland’s Penguin and Emperor are well known for their Bio-Wheel, a unique design which allows beneficial bacteria to gain more oxygen by being exposed to the atmosphere. This makes the biological function of this filter among the best there is in the market today. These fish tank filters also uses a fixed cartridge for their filter media. The Penguin models have fixed cartridges that cannot be customized but the Emperor fish tank filters have an extra cartridge space for your to add on additional filter medias if you choose to do extra chemical filtration. They are pretty quiet except for the sound of flowing water through the Bio-Wheel which if you ask me is actually quite hypnotic.

Hagen’s Aquaclear Power Fish Tank Filters

Hagen’s Aquaclear Power Fish Tank Filters are favored by fish enthusiasts who prefer to customize the filter media on their own. You have a choice of buying the filter media ready in pre-measured packets from Hagen or you can simply add your own using a filter media bag. But this might not be such a good idea it all you want is a quick filter media change because this model does not have simple cartridges.

There you go, three of the most popular choices of power fish tank filters on sale today. Whether you’re a newbie just venturing on your first aquarium or a seasoned breeder looking for a change, these models will give you what you are looking for: reliability, efficiency and ease of use.

This will give you a good idea on how to select the right fish tank filters for your aquarium.

But Aren’t All Fish Tank Filters The Same?

This is a follow up from an earlier post titled “Ideal Fish Tank Filters For A Small Aquarium“.

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Well, I hate to say it but not all fish tank filters are created equal. It is true that some perform better than others while there are also fish tank filters that are suited for specific conditions and perform specific tasks. The also differ according to price and how often they need to be maintained. In this article I will expose you to the various choices of fish tank filters that you have and what you can do to select the ideal fish tank filters for your aquarium.

How Important Are Fish Tank Filters?

Fish tank filters are the most important equipment for any aquarium. Along with fish tank heaters, fish tank filters form a system that ensure the living conditions in a tank is just right for healthy and vibrant fish.  Choosing the right fish tank filters for you is also a matter of personal choice. Even though different fish tank filters work differently, they all have the same basic purpose which is to filter out debris and externals from the water which would otherwise contaminate it .

How Do Fish Tank Filters Work?

Fish tank filters generally perform one or more of the following filtration tasks: chemical, mechanical and biological.

Chemical filtration involves the removal of toxins and dissolved matter usually through activated carbon. The porous carbon filter traps phosphates and waste in its pore. It is also able to remove ammonia and odor from the water. While it really isn’t all that important to perform chemical filtration, it can be useful especially in a tank meant for quarantine to filter out the excess chemicals used for treatment.

Mechanical filtration removes large waste and sediments from the aquarium. All fish tank filters perform this basic but important function.  Biological filtration is a very important filtration task.

Biological fish tank filters utilize a colony of beneficial bacteria to filter out toxins and decay from the tank. If you wish to have healthy and thriving fish, then biological filtration is an absolute must.

Different Types Of Fish Tank Filters

The main filtration function performed by almost all fish tank filters are biological and mechanical. The more expensive ones add on chemical filtration as well. Your choice of aquarium filters to use should depend on the size of the tank, the quantity of fish, how sensitive the fish are, the budget you are willing to spend on the fish tank filters and finally how much time you are willing to set aside to clean it.

Here is a general look at the various types of fish tank filters being sold today:

1. Box Filters: Also known as Corner Filters, this is usually a clear box that contains filter floss and other media. Air is push through an air stone that in turn pumps water into the filter, through the floss and filter media which performs mechanical filtration. Over time, there will be a build up of bacterial colony providing biological filtration . Box filters are inexpensive but you should only consider them for small tanks as they are generally not that efficient. Most fish enthusiasts today also do not favor them because the box which is placed inside the tank tends does not compliment the decoration. They require weekly cleaning but are easily to clean.
2. Undergravel Filters: A layer of gravel sits on top of a plastic platform. By utilizing a pump, water is suck from under the gravel, forcing it to flow through the gravel which performs mechanical and eventually biological filtration . Undergravel filters usually comes together with a beginners tank that you buy in a complete set. During the weekly cleaning session, you would have to vacuum the layer of sediments that will accumulate just above the gravel.
3. Aquarium Sponge Filter: These fairly efficient filters are usually used as a secondary filter attached to a main filter to further increase the filtration process. Sponge filters are cheap but the maintenance can be a bit messy because you’d need to remove the sponge from the tank and clean it before replacing it back again.
4. Power Filters: Most fish enthusiasts use this type of filter. They are very efficient and provides a complete filtration process. Some the reasons why they are so famous is because of the mid range price, efficient filtering and simple maintenance. Just right for a mid size tank.
5. Canister Filters: Meant mainly for larger thanks that need a powerful filter. Though they are expensive, they do perform the best filtration process than any other filters. They require very little maintenance usually just a couple of times in a year. Also, the filter is totally out of the water so maintenance does not involve the water in the tank at all.

In Conclusion….

Think carefully about the fish tank filter that you wish to purchase because it should be an investment that is supposed to last you for many years. Selecting the right fish tank filters for you will ensure not only healthy and vibrant fish but a hobby that will be totally satisfying.

From selecting fish tank filters, let’s look into how to move fish between tanks safely.

This post is a follow up from my previous post “Advantages And Disadvantages Of Different Fish Tank Filters“.

What Are Power Fish Tank Filters?

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Power filters are a popular type of fish tank filters used today. One major advantage of power filters is that it is able to be used along with any filtration system. A power filter generally provides chemical, biological and even mechanical filtration. They run on electricity and comes with an internal motor. Power filters come in a number of sizes and another determining factor for the choice of filter to select is power consumption. Most power filters are equip with different built-in flow adjusters and multi-directional outlets that can be suited to meet the specific needs of various aquariums.

Usually these fish tank filters hang on the back of the aquarium and suck in water through an inlet tube which is placed inside the aquarium. The water then flows through a series of filtration pads and filter media. The filtration pads act as chemical filters, having contained within them charcoal that also traps debris. The filter media acts as biological filters. After passing through these two filters, the clean water is returned back into the fish tank.

How Do Power Fish Tank Filters Work?

Power fish tank filters are powered by a powerhead which is a piece of equipment located either inside or on top of the power filter. It consists of an electric motor which drive a pump and is sealed in hard plastic. It is this pump that sucks in the water, forces it through the fish tank filters and returns the clean water back into the tank. The speed and force of the water can be adjusted by regulating the airflow into the filter through adjustable valves. This is a very useful function especially when using power filters in small tanks or when there are small fish present, when having too strong currents into the tanks might be detremental to the fish’s health. Regulating the water flow will also allow its direction to be directed into a specific area of your fish tank.

More Fish Tank Filters Advantages

Another advantage of using a power filter is that it is able to draw water faster than most conventional air pumps. This allows a greater volume of water to be filtered in a shorter period of time. This function is very useful when you have a tank that is very cloudy and need to urgently clear up the water.

While it does need minimal cleaning, there is some maintenance that needs to be done. Generally, what needs regular cleaning every week of fortnight is the filtration pad that will get clogged from the excess food, fish waste and sediments that is sucked into the fish tank filters.

Continues in the next article:  What Are Undergravel Fish Tank Filters?