External Aquarium Filter

Maintaining a clean aquarium is important to ensure that your pets, whether they are fishes or turtles or any other marine life, live long and healthy. This is why it is important to connect the aquariums to filters such as an external aquarium filter.

There are several types of aquarium filters. Specifically, there is an external aquarium filter type, an internal filter category, submersible filter types, and marine-specific systems.

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How does the external aquarium filter work? Basically, it removes contaminated water from and returns clean water into the aquarium. The contaminated water is pushed or pulled depending on the direction of the force, through a series filter materials, each media a different level from the other. Because of its structure, an external aquarium filter is generally more effective and a tad easier to maintain compared to internal filters.

There are four types of external filters available. Particularly, there are canister filters, diatom filters, trickle filters, and baffle filters.

A canister-style external filter contains more filter materials compared to those that are hung on the back part of the aquarium. It also offers a greater degree of flexibility on the choice of filter material. In a canister filter, the contaminated water goes through the container, which is filled with the filter material of your choice. The water enters through an intake pipe, which is found at the bottom of the canister. The water passes through the filter material before it is pumped back into the aquarium by an electric pump, which is located on the top part of the canister.

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Diatom external aquarium filters are used for occasional cleaning. They are not operated on aquariums regularly. This kind of filter uses diatomaceous earth as a filter material. This creates a filter that is extremely fine up to 1 µm, which ensures that particulate matter is removed from the water column.

Trickle or trickling filters are also commonly known as wet/dry filters. This type of water filtration system for aquariums comes in two configurations. The more common trickle filter arrangement is the one wherein the filter is placed below the aquarium. The trickle filter can also be placed on top, but it is rarely seen.

A baffle filter is an external aquarium filter that consists of a succession of baffles that the contaminated water must pass through before it can reach the pump that returns it to the aquarium. The baffles act much like canister filters, which can be filled with varying filter materials for a number of purposes. It is also similar to the trickle filters, which are generally placed below the aquarium.