Aquarium and Pond Care with EcoBio-Block

Filtration is the key to keeping your aquarium a clean and healthy environment for your fish. When it comes to choosing a filter, however, it is easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of options available. Before selecting a filter for your aquarium you need to understand the basics of aquarium filtration which includes understanding the three types of filtration. Different types of filters offer different types of filtration and, unless you understand the basics, you will not be equipped to select the right piece of equipment for your tank.

Mechanical Filtration

The most basic, and perhaps the most important, type of aquarium filtration is mechanical filtration. Mechanical filtration simply involves the physical removal of solid waste products from tank water. Generally, solid waste takes the shape of uneaten fish food, decaying plant matter and organic waste like feces. Aquarium filters that offer mechanical filtration usually operate by sucking the aquarium water up through an intake tube. The water is then filtered through some kind of sponge and released back into the aquarium. As the water passes through the sponge, solid waste products become lodged in the pores and are thus removed from the aquarium water. This type of filtration is essential in the home aquarium because, as solid waste accumulates along the bottom of the tank, it breaks down in a process that produces ammonia. Ammonia is a substance toxic to fish and if the ammonia levels in your tank become too high, your fish could become stressed, fall ill or even die.

Chemical Filtration

Chemical filtration is often combined with mechanical filtration as a means of removing dissolved wastes in addition to solid wastes from aquarium water. This type of filtration helps to remove a variety of wastes including proteins, hormones and metabolic waste as well as organic acids and compounds. As the filter takes tank water up through the intake tube, it passes through the sponge along with some type of filter media which removes the dissolved wastes. The most common type of filter media is activated carbon. Most modern filters which incorporate chemical filtration utilize filter cartridges that combine the mechanical filtration of a sponge with the chemical filtration of activated carbon. In order to maximize the effectiveness of these filters, the filter cartridge must be replaced every three to four weeks.

Biological Filtration

The third type of filtration, biological filtration, does not necessarily require any special equipment. Biological filtration is a term used to describe the process by which nitrifying bacteria break down wastes in your tank, converting harmful toxins like ammonia into less harmful nitrates. While mechanical filters work to remove solid wastes, there is likely to still be some build-up in your substrate. As these substances decompose, ammonia is produced. The nitrifying bacteria in your tank work to convert ammonia into nitrites then into nitrates, a process called the Nitrogen Cycle. While some filters incorporate a Bio-wheel designed to provide beneficial bacteria a place to grow, the most common places these bacteria grow is in tank substrate and on in-tank surfaces.

Tips for Aquarium Filtration

Regardless what type of filter you choose for your aquarium, you will be required to perform some basic maintenance tasks. It is wise to rinse your filter once in a while to remove any build-up of slime algae. It is also necessary to replace your filter media every three to four weeks to ensure that your filter will keep your aquarium water clean. In addition to these simple maintenance tasks, you can increase the effectiveness of your aquarium filter by adding an EcoBio-Stone to your tank. EcoBio-Block products are composed of porous volcanic sand and infused with beneficial bacteria. Once introduced into your tank, these bacteria multiply to form a colony of nitrifying bacteria which will help your filter to convert harmful toxins like ammonia into less harmful nitrates. EcoBio-Stones are easy to use and they are a great way to help keep your aquarium water clean and clear.

Variety of aquarium filters

Many people are choosing to have aquariums with many different types of fish in them. Certainly, they are beautiful and relaxing to look at, but it takes some knowledge and work to ensure that your fish remain healthy and that your aquarium looks as good as you envision it will. One of the ways to ensure that it does is by choosing the best aquarium filter for your fish.

Even before deciding upon the filter, you need to decide what type of aquarium you will have. If this will be your first aquarium, it’s advisable that you start with a small aquarium first, as they are a little easier to maintain. Plus, you can always upgrade to a larger aquarium if the need and desire arise later.

Second, you need to carefully consider what filter will work best with your chosen aquarium. The filter is vital equipment, as it removes impurities from the water of your aquarium either via fine physical obstacles or via chemical processes. Choosing the right type of filter now can save you from hours of backbreaking maintenance work later on.

You should consider all three types of filters: biological, chemical, and mechanical.

Wet-dry filters actually employ all three types of filtration systems mentioned above, leading to less maintenance requirements than other types of filters. Wet-dry filters are more expensive, however, so they may not be the best choice for people who have an aquarium for the first time and/or are on a limited budget.

The three types of filters use different types of processes in order to eliminate the impurities in the water and to make the water cleaner and safer for your fish. Biological filters use bacteria to crack ammonia and nitrites.  Chemical filters use activated charcoal in order to eliminate unwanted dissolved wastes from the water. Mechanical filters use filtering particles and filter floss in order to remove impurities from the water.

If you choose to use a biological filter, it’s important to add the filter to the aquarium BEFORE you add the fish. You should also NOT add too many fish to the aquarium too soon, as the bacteria from the biological filter needs time to reduce the ammonia and nitrate levels. Too many fish in the water will cause the biological filter to work overtime, and the bacteria won’t be able to keep up with the increased demand, leading to high ammonia levels and the deaths of your fish.

You can help to make sure that there are enough bacteria in the water by using EcoBio-Block® products, which regularly adds nitrifying bacteria to new aquariums so that the water in your aquarium is safer and more beneficial for your fish. This will keep your water clear and healthy and reduce maintenance work.

One of the best choices of aquarium filters, especially for new and inexperienced aquarium owners, is an undergravel filter. This type of filter is inexpensive and totally keeps out debris from the aquarium. It also pulls water that is rich in oxygen through the gravel to help make the aquarium environment more livable for your fish.

One other type of filtration for you to consider is a sponge filter.  This filter is one that provides both mechanical and biological filtration. It has a large foam rubber (like a sponge) block that is connected to a lift tube or small power head. Water is drawn through the sponge to remove small particles from the water and to help grow bacteria that will keep your pond in great condition for your fish and plants.

Having your own aquarium tank can be a wonderful experience, as the beautiful fish can mesmerize you and your guests for hours. Maintaining the health of your aquarium does take some work, but by choosing the proper filter for your aquarium, you are well on your way to creating a hospitable and beneficial environment for your fish so that they can mesmerize you for hours on end.

Aquarium bio-filters

If you are new to the hobby of aquariums, you may have run across the term “biological filtration” quite a few times while you read about and researched your leisure pursuit choice. If that is so, you have probably wondered why biological filtration is important to the health of your freshwater fish. You may already have a biological filter on your freshwater tank. If you have chosen an under-gravel filter or a wet-dry filter, then guess what is filtering your aquarium water? That is right – a biological filter!

Aquarium filters all do the same thing. They have the job of removing any sort of decaying organic matter from the water. This could be leftover fish food, chemicals, live plants that have died, or waste products that are passed by the fish. There are two other types of filters that can be used along with a biological filter. These are mechanical filtration and chemical filtration. Mechanical filtration can be used to keep the water crystal clear. Chemical filtration can help to remove toxins that may be in your tap water, or any form of medication you may have placed in the tank.

Biological filtration can definitely help the aquarium lover keep a well-maintained tank without a lot of effort. With biological filtration, you are introducing bacteria into the tank water. These are friendly bacteria that help to change the waste products produced by the fish into substances that are not as toxic to the fish. Without this type of filtration, no one would be able to keep fish without very frequent water changes, which would be quite time consuming. The toxins would build up in the water otherwise, and your fish would die off, one by one.

One biological filtration product that is effective and easy-to-use is the EcoBio-Block. Simply place a block in your tank, sit back, and watch as your tank water clears up and stays clear. Marvel as you check your tank’s ammonia and nitrate/nitrite levels, and find the amounts are so low that that they are practically non-existent. You will find that the need to vacuum the gravel in the bottom of your tank has lessened considerably.

Your test results will reassure you that those frequent partial water changes are no longer needed for your aquarium. Cycling a new freshwater tank is a breeze with an EcoBio-Block product! This is possibly one of the easiest aquarium products you will ever use. There is no measuring, no mixing of chemicals. All you do is place an EcoBio-Block in your aquarium. They are made to be unobtrusive, and look like actual rocks while they are working for you. One EcoBio-Block can last up to two years before it needs to be replaced.

Instead of buying all sorts of things to clear the water and normalize the water chemistry of your tank, let biological filtration do its thing in your tank! Seeing is believing and once you see the difference in how your aquarium looks, you will understand why biological filtration is important.