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.

Planted freshwater aquarium

Live plants perform two essential roles in the freshwater aquarium. First, live plants enhance the appearance of your aquarium in a way that artificial plants cannot. Fake aquarium plants often look rigid and unrealistic whereas live plants bloom and grow, filling your aquarium with natural beauty. Second, live aquarium plants improve the water quality in your tank by removing nitrates and by oxygenating the water. Some aquarium plants even help to reduce algae growth.

Before you begin cultivating a planted aquarium, make sure you have adequate tank space to accommodate the growth of live aquarium plants. A tank height between 12 and 18 inches is sufficient along with a volume between 15 and 50 gallons. In addition to providing your live plants with plenty of space to grow, adequate filtration is necessary in order to circulate the water and to remove toxins and waste. Undergravel filters may hamper the spread of plant roots and are not recommended for planted tanks. The best filter for a planted aquarium is a power filter that provides both mechanical and chemical filtration.

Lighting is one of the most important aspects in keeping live aquarium plants healthy. Aquarium plants require at least 2 watts of fluorescent lighting per gallon of tank capacity in order to grow properly. Special plant-friendly fluorescent lights are available at most pet supply stores but regular full spectrum and daylight varieties work just as well and are much less expensive. Leave the lights on in your tank for 10 to 12 hours a day to maximize plant growth and replace the bulbs every few months to ensure the maximum efficacy.

Though many aquarium plants do well in regular gravel or sand, substrates designed with aquarium plants in mind are best for optimal plant growth. Plants need a supply of iron in order to grow properly so substrates like Fluorite and Eco-Complete which provide plants with this nutrient are recommended for planted tanks. If you do not want to purchase a planting substrate, consider at least putting down a 1-inch layer of peat moss or laterite under your gravel to fertilize your plants. Providing your plants with the right substrate will enhance their growth, ensuring that they will be able to do the work of improving the water quality in your tank.

To maximize the water quality-enhancing effects of live aquarium plants, pot one or two of them in an EcoBio-Planter. The EcoBio-Planter is made from natural zeolite and crushed stone, making it the perfect environment to cultivate the microbes and beneficial bacteria that help aquarium plants to thrive. If you choose to use the planter, place a fertilizer tablet in the planter before adding your plant because it will not have access to any fertilizer you add to the substrate in your tank. EcoBio-Block products help to improve water quality by establishing a colony of nitrifying bacteria that clear cloudy water, making it a healthier environment for live plants.

Cultivating a planted freshwater tank is not as difficult as it may seem to the novice aquarium hobbyist. Aside from providing the right substrate, lighting and nutrients there is little else that must be done on a day to day basis to keep your aquarium plants thriving. In order to ensure the success of your planted aquarium, purchase an aquarium water test kit to check the CO2 and nitrogen levels in your tank on a weekly basis and make adjustments when necessary. If you provide your plants with the right environment they will grow well and repay you by keeping your freshwater aquarium clear and healthy.

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.