Filter - Most Important Things for freshwater aquarium setup

In nature, regular flowing of freshwater makes it clean for fish to live in but in aquarium it doesn’t happen itself and water will become foul. That’s where Filter comes, although we can’t mimic everything as in nature we can make water clean for fish to live in our aquarium healthily. There are three different types of filtration that a filter can perform: mechanical, biological, chemical filtration. We can find different types of aquarium filter in market/fish store.

1.  Under gravel Filter (UGF) : Most of the people know about UGF because you are  given UGF along with fish bowls in fish store  while you buy your  first fish usually it is goldfish (it was same for me J and I ended up killing all of them due to lack of knowledge.) UGF has been around in aquarium hobby for a long time and some people still use it although many people now use other different types of filters which are far more efficient than UGF. UGF provides good mechanical and biological filtration.  UGF is cheaper than other types of filters but you have to buy gravel for it to sit in aquarium and filter your water. When you use UGF it can be hard for you to vacuum gravel thoroughly and harmful gas pockets can form under the gravel plates which will harm your fishes.  I personally don’t use it and I don’t recommend it to anyone although it’s personal preference of which type you want to choose.

   

   UGF

2. Corner Filter: Corner Filter sits in one corner of the aquarium from which it got its name. I have found that this filter can be used in small aquariums effectively and in breeding tanks effectively. It can be used for all three types of filtration mechanical, biological and chemical filtration. It uses three sponges and one tray in which ceramics, carbon and gravels can be kept.

   

   Corner Filter

3.  Sponge Filter : Sponge filter is mostly used in breeding and hospital tanks. Water is passed through a sponge which will make mechanical filtration possible and when colony of beneficial bacteria is established it will also do biological filtration.
   
4. Powerhead : Powerheads are the most common filters in Nepal. Powerheads are submersible water pumps that produce unidirectional current in aquarium. They are most affordable as well as very efficient filters, which is the reason why Nepalese aquarists use them.
   
   

   

   Powerhead

5. Canister Filter : Canister filter provides mechanical, chemical as well as biological filtration. The one I had seen in fish store cost Rs. 10000, which was very expensive for a hobbyist like me. It contains several media compartments that usually contain foam, carbon, ceramic,etc. The water is drawn from aquarium through hose which then passes through different medias and lastly filtered water goes back to the aquarium. Although it's very efficient type of filter due to it's cost as well as lack of availability in Nepal, it is not popular.

   

   Canister Filter

6. Wet/ Dry Filter : I haven't seen this type of filter below the tank but have seen one over the tank in fish store which was DO IT Yourself(DIY) filter. If over the tank, water is drawn with the help of powerhead to the sump which has different media compartments and water passes through it into the aquarium. 

Thanks for reading :D Comments, Questions and Suggestions are always warmly welcomed.