When and Why to Replace Mechanical, Biological and Chemical Filter Media used in Fluval Bio Max / Bio Foam?
Filter media is the medium
required for filtration of aquarium water and how well it cleans the fish waste,
uneaten food and other debris. If you have more media in your filter then your filter
will have higher filtration capacity. Put your filter in a jar for establishing
a convenient filter media. Changing & maintaining filtration media will
ensure continuous & efficient water flow through the filter media.
It is important to use your filter
to its utmost potential by making sure its outlet is highly disturbing the
water as it will add heaps of oxygen in the water & heaps of CO2 will
escape from the water surface.
Different types of filtration
media are available for a variety of purposes. If your water is smelly or you
want to clear it, then you will need activated carbon.
If you want to reduce pH & mimic
the natural water conditions for black water South American fish, then it is
recommended to use peat granules.
To keep fish healthy, you will need
a powerful bio filter, & it is recommended to use Fluval Bio Max & / or
Fluval Bio Foam filter.
For pristine water, it is important
to select porous media that provides heaps of surface area. It is highly
important to have aerobic bacteria that need oxygen to break down ammonia into
nitrites and nitrates. Aerobic bacteria grow over the surface of bio media.
Anaerobic bacteria grow within, and it is responsible for wiping out nitrates.
Filter Media – 3 Fundamental Types:
Mechanical Filter Media:
Mechanical filter media is
important for wiping out solid detritus from fish tanks. It has the job of
clearing water & cleaning your fish tank. Aquarium inhabitants pollute
water & it is important to trap the waste & other mess produced by
fish.
The primary & very common
mechanical filtration media is foam. The cell size determines what size of debris
it will trap. If cell size is smaller, then your foam will be able to trap very
fine particles of detritus. Foam is able to provide excellent capacity, that
will make it extremely handy for dealing with large bio loads. You can wash
& reuse foams many times to make sure it works effectively; however, it is
crucial to replace foam twice a year. When foam works for longer periods in
water, it is difficult to clean it thoroughly & it may start to wear &
break down.
Chemical Filter Media:
Chemical filter media starts
working when different types of toxins are surrounded by chemical filtration
media, & during this process an toxic ion is swapped for a harmless ion.
Activated carbon is the most
widely used chemical filtration media which is highly used in fish tanks. It
can efficiently collect gases & many other dissolved toxins inside its structures,
such as dangerous metals. It will ensure pristine water flows out of the filter
which provides excellent conditions for fish to thrive.
Activated carbon is made from a
very crucial raw material that has a direct effect on aquarium water filtration
capability. Fluval Carbon is manufactured from bituminous coal which is the excellent
material for carbon used for purifying water.
When you want to achieve the best
from carbon, it is crucial to exchange it with new carbon regularly because it
will be saturated overtime as debris will clog it, & as it is highly
saturated with toxins, there stands a risk of some toxins leaching out into the
aquarium water.
It is highly recommended to
replace carbon monthly or quickly after it has efficiently achieved a specific need,
like for trapping leftover medication, cleaning smelly water, cloudy water etc.
Biological Filter Media:
Biological filter media is
responsible for converting bio waste from aquarium inhabitants into a form that
bacteria use & wipe out from the water.
The bio waste from the fish &
other aquatic animals can be extremely toxic based on pH & concentration.
The aerobic bacteria grow over the surface of bio media which is responsible
for breaking down bio waste into nitrites & nitrates. Anaerobic bacteria develop
within the bio media which has the capability of wiping out nitrates, leaving
water crystal clear.
Biological media has the problem
of clogging overtime, & it is crucial to replace some bio media with new
media after 3 to 6 months. The partial media change will ensure the pores are
open & heaps of beneficial bacteria are growing inside these pores that are
needed for the removal of impurities. Frequent maintenance of foam & bio
media will ensure your media is in excellent condition. The filter will work
efficiently with proper maintenance. The filter is one of the extremely crucial
tools responsible for a healthy & happy fish tank.
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