Aquarium Filter Media

The material inside an aquarium filter, where contaminated water goes through to be cleaned of particles and impurities, is referred to as aquarium filter media. There are a number of aquarium filter media kinds and each performs an essential function. The kinds of aquarium filter media are biological, mechanical, and chemical.

Biological aquarium filter media remove ammonia, nitrates and nitrites from organic waste found in the aquarium. These kinds of filters give good bacteria a particular place where they can colonize. These beneficial bacteria will remove toxins, which are produced by organic waste. Since denitrifying bacteria are naturally aerobic, make sure that oxygen levels are kept healthy with the use of an air pump or an aerating water pump.

The removal of toxins from the water is considered the most important process in filtration to maintain the health of an aquarium. When choosing which biological filter media to use, take into consideration the type of filter being used and the surface area needed. For heavy bio-loads, the surface area should be maximized. When cleaning the biological media, remember that the bacteria has taken time to establish itself, hence removing the media all at once can lead to disastrous spikes in ammonia content and pH levels. Some filters are designed for partial media cleaning changes. If your filter is not designed so, rinse the material, which have been packed in multiple filter bags, one at a time using aquarium water.

Mechanical aquarium filter media removes solid particulates and debris. It is usually made from synthetic fibers, which vary in coarseness. The variation is designed to catch the contaminants as the water from the aquarium passes through the filter. A mechanical filter media is typically in sponge form or floss form. Since bacteria can live on the surface of sponges, these are beneficial media for the added capacity of biological filtration above its capacity as a mechanical filter media.

Mechanical filtration is the first stage in the filtration system, which is also called pre-filtering. The larger pores of a mechanical media will prevent any debris from clogging the more refined chemical and biological filtration media further up the filtration system. This, therefore, translates to regular cleaning.

Chemical aquarium filter media removes the pollutants and other organic compounds in the water that that the biological and mechanical filter media has failed to remove. These pollutants include those that come from fish medications and organic compounds that are produced by the biological processes occurring inside the aquarium’s ecosystem. For example, unpleasant odors and unsightly colors in the aquarium water are removed by chemical filter media. Activated carbon is a type of chemical filter media. Other types are made of synthetic resins.

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