Filters

Filters work in a variety of different ways; Mechanical Filtration - the physical removal of debris, Chemical Filtration - the removal of toxins and other chemicals from the water, and Biological Filtration - the natural process of breaking down wastes into less harmful substances by way of bacterial means. ALL THREE of these are needed if an aquarium is to be properly maintained. It is possible, although unlikely for the ordinary aquarist to OVER FILTER the water and remove the beneficial elements from the water and thus cause imbalances that lead to poor fish and plant health.

Below you will find a brief listing of some of the filters that are in use in aquaria and ponds in  this part of Newfoundland. I have tried to get good photos of each of these and add my thoughts as to their efficiency and whether I would buy them or not.

 

Aqua Clear 150

Aqua Clear 200

Aqua Clear 300

Aqua Clear 500

Fluval 404  

 

Rena Filstar
Rena Filstar

 

Protein Skimmer
Protein Skimmer

 

Diatom  A good filter for mechanical Filtration, excellent at removing suspended particles from the water making it crystal clear.
   

 

Biowheel  in my opinion this filter is utter garbage, not worth the recycled plastic is is made of !
  This filter does nothing for the aquarium at all. the biowheel merely tumbles the water, maybe oxygenating it a little, but certainly not allowing any time for the water to come into contact with the bacteria on the filter surface that are so necessary for the changes needed to convert the toxic ammonia and toxic nitrite into less harmful nitrate.

Also the combined carbon and filter pad means that the water is always being filtered by the carbon which removes too many of the elements required by any living plant that may be in the aquarium for them to grow in a healthy manner.

All bacterial filters take a minimum of three weeks before the bacterial colony reaches the numbers required to "fix" the ammonia and nitrite into less harmful nitrate. as the filter in this unit will clog before then and will be pulled out completely and discarded and then replaced with a new sterile filter pad, it is obvious that this product has a serious flaw in its very design and will never be able to properly filter the aquarium water in a safe manner with bacteria, hence my claim that is is utter garbage. ( one more thing of note.....the price of replacement filter cartridges for a period of ten months is more than the cost of a brand new aqua-clear filter unit ! )

 

Whisper in my opinion this filter is utter garbage, not worth the recycled plastic is is made of !
  The combined carbon and filter pad in this filter means that the water is always being filtered by the carbon which removes too many of the elements required by any living plant that may be in the aquarium for them to grow in a healthy manner.

All bacterial filters take a minimum of three weeks before the bacterial colony reaches the numbers required to "fix" the ammonia and nitrite into less harmful nitrate. as the filter in this unit will clog before then and will be pulled out completely and discarded and then replaced with a new sterile filter pad, it is obvious that this product has a serious flaw in its very design and will never be able to properly filter the aquarium water in a safe manner with bacteria, hence my claim that is is utter garbage. ( one more thing of note.....the price of replacement filter cartridges for a period of ten months is more than the cost of a brand new aqua-clear filter unit ! )

 

 

Regent  
  The combined carbon and filter pad in this filter means that the water is always being filtered by the carbon which removes too many of the elements required by any living plant that may be in the aquarium for them to grow in a healthy manner.

All bacterial filters take a minimum of three weeks before the bacterial colony reaches the numbers required to "fix" the ammonia and nitrite into less harmful nitrate. as the filter in this unit will clog before then and will be pulled out completely and discarded and then replaced with a new sterile filter pad, it is obvious that this product has a serious flaw in its very design and will never be able to properly filter the aquarium water in a safe manner with bacteria, hence my claim that is is utter garbage. ( one more thing of note.....the price of replacement filter cartridges for a period of ten months is more than the cost of a brand new aqua-clear filter unit ! )