Tropical fish filter setup

If you have a litre tank for example, you would select the next heater model up, which is watts, as heaters only come in a few sizes, and typically only up to watts. If you have a large, litre aquarium, you will need two heaters — a watt, and a watt. A filter is considered essential hardware for all aquariums, as they are life support systems for fish. No aquarium should be set up without one, and they need to operate 24 hours per day, from day one.

Just like with aquariums, filters come in many shapes and sizes to suit those aquariums, and can range in price and performance. If you are just starting out, internal filters are popular as they are simple to use and install, and offer good results. If you are starting out, but with a large aquarium and you want the best for your fish, an external power filter is the one to go for. Like with heaters, choose the next size up if your tank is an inbetween size, like litres for example.

And if you choose to keep messy fish like cichlids or goldfish, you may actually need twice the recommended filtration, which could mean two units. Many aquariums come with lighting built in, but bulbs can often be swapped for others which will enhance plant growth, or fish colour, or upgraded entirely for brighter lighting.

Open topped tanks will need separate lighting and tank mounts, and some lighting can also be controlled either by a separate inline controller, or an app on a smartphone or tablet. Air pumps are an optional extra when setting up a tropical aquarium, but they do have a major benefit.

By way of airline and an airstone, airpumps blow air into the water, where bubbles diffuse oxygen, essential for fish. Filters that agitate the water surface also create oxygen, but air pumps do it in a more dedicated way, and are especially useful for overstocked tanks and those containing large fish. If you run an airpump and a separate filter, if the filter stops working, the fish will still have access to oxygen, saving their lives in the short term, until you notice and remedy the filter problem.

Aeration is advised when using medications, when there is ammonia and nitrite present in the water, and beneficial filter bacteria are aerobic, meaning they use and consume oxygen. Air bubbles rising up through aquarium water can be relaxing to watch, and some ornaments can be air operated, animating them and providing fun viewing for children. When placed in a cabinet below the aquarium, if there is a power cut, airpumps can suck aquarium water instead of blowing air, so a non-return valve prevents that from happening, stopping puddles and damage to the airpump too.

Decoration makes fish feel at home in their bare glass boxes, and allows the owner some artistic interpretation at the same time. The first thing to go down in any new tank, after the aquarium, is gravel. Aim for a layer 5cm deep at the front, and 7. Gravel can come in natural or bright, artificial colours, and can vary in grade from coarse to fine sand. Gravel should be washed thoroughly by hand in a clean bucket, before adding it to the tank. Popular decoration includes rocks, ornaments and bogwood, but ensure that any wood you use is suitable for aquarium use, as some floats, and can release chemicals into the tank water which are dangerous to fish.

Bogwood does release brown tannins into tank water for the first few months after being added. Rocks, wood and ornaments are the next to be added after the gravel.

It comes with a perforated filter which is placed in the empty aquarium. Once placed, you cover it with gravel. The plate is connected to uplift tubes and each of the tubes have an air diffuser. Fill the aquarium with water. The air pump is connected to each of the diffusers, which results in bubbles rising in the tubes.

This pulls the water into the gravel and out of the tubes. An extra tip would be to use a unidirectional valve as in the previous circumstance or place the water pump above the aquarium.

This will prevent the water from flowing back. The hang-on-the-back filter is yet another popular type of fish tank filter. They are placed on the back rim of the fish tank, and they can come in different sizes, suitable for all types and capacities of fish tanks. Despite varying sizes, their design principles are approximately the same.

The HOB filter is placed entirely outside the tank, which is a good option as it leaves more space for fish and plants in the fish tank. Their main advantage is that they use different types of materials to filter the water, such as activated carbon but also mechanical filtration.

Thus, they are more efficient than our previous fish tank filters. Water is sucked from the fish tank and sent to the filter. Remember: good aquarium filter placement is the key to enjoying the benefits of more efficient tank water filtration. This is the only time you can proceed with the aquarium filter installation proper. Be sure to submerge all parts that need to be placed underwater, especially if you are using filter systems that take up aquarium space.

On the other hand, if you are using filters that stay out of the aquarium, make sure you have properly positioned all of its components , such as input and output hoses and filter media trays.

Test out your filter system by letting it run for a few hours. Use simple water testing kits to monitor water parameters and identify any drastic changes that might occur due to faulty installation. At this point, you can adjust the tank heater or any other devices you have installed in your aquarium.

Allow your newly installed filter to run for at least 24 hours before introducing fish and live plants. We certainly covered a lot of topics on aquarium filters and how to properly install them in your home aquarium.

With these key concepts in mind, you should be able to choose the best type of filter for you and your aquarium. Then, with patience and dedication, you should be able to install your chosen filter with ease and confidence. We focus on making the lives of aquarists and fish keepers easier. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website.

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