Ways of getting the best filter for tropical fish aquariums. 

Filter system is the most important and most critical of all the parts in any aquarium. Those of you, who want to setup a tropical fish aquarium, should know about its great importance. Filters keep the aquarium, and thus the fish, free from toxins and other decaying or already decayed matter like leftover food. I will explain some basic things to be considered while choosing the best filter for your tank.

The filter you choose should essentially provide multiple levels of filtration. It should be appropriately sized for your tank i.e. neither too big, nor too small for your tropical fish aquarium.

Several of the good quality filters provide all biological, chemical and mechanical types of filtration.  Chemical filtration is necessary for the removal of chemical waste such as ammonia and excessive nitrates. Mechanical filters are necessary to remove physical and small particles e.g. excessive food, fish waste and dead plants. Biological filtration is performed by bacteria which have to be provided with suitable conditions to develop themselves in the aquarium. These bacteria help in completing the nitrogen cycle and thus converting fish waste into useful nitrates, to be used by plants.

When you have to buy a filter, keep in mind the dimensions of your tropical fish tank. Also, decide about the number and size of fish you are going to keep in your aquarium. There are several different types of filters available these days. You may choose one, according to its cost and properties. There are two further kinds of filters; under the gravel (internal power) filters and hanging over the back (external power) filters. The external power filters do not have any constraint of the aquarium size and can handle aquariums from 10 to 40 gallons so, they are better than the under gravel filters. The smallest and simplest of all are the sponge filters, and then come the internal power ones. Finally, the external power ones are the largest and can be scaled in accordance with the size of the aquarium.

Once the filter has been installed, it has to be cleaned regularly, after some time. You may use a brush to unclog it. Also, the water has to be changed very frequently. All this is done to ensure and promote healthy environment for the fish, to grow and develop.

tropical fish aquarium