Filter Maintenance for Saltwater & Freshwater Aquariums

Video Transcript

"Hi! My name is Marc on behalf of expertvillage.com. Today we are going to talk a little bit more about maintenance specifically filter media and the frequency at which you have to change your filter media. There are basically two types of filters, there are, for all intents and purposes, just two types. Biological filtration again that keeps the fish healthy, and then mechanical/chemical filtration, which keeps the water polished and clear for the hobbyist. The basic breakdown in a mechanical filter is there is a pre-filter sponge or a filter medium that pulls particles out, somewhere also in that filter be it a filter or a canister filter there is a place for carbon or some other the type of chemical absorption resin, which takes out some of the chemical toxins that are in the water. There are a multitude different types of filters, may types for many different types of tanks, and for lots of different media that can work with these types of filters. Your best bet is to talk to an expert, when you are putting system together, or if you already have an aquarium and ask them what they recommend. My personal recommendation is always to get a filter that is slightly larger and more powerful than what your aquarium requires. And the reason for that is when you have a little bit more filtration, if you make mistakes by overfeeding or overstocking or putting too big a fish in your tank that larger filter will give you little bit of forgiveness. Now while mechanical filters generally are maintained, biological filters generally are not maintained, because good bacteria that live and make a biological filter function don’t want to be disturbed, that is the filter, so you don’t really clean a biological filter, you do clean a mechanical, be it a hang on filter or canister filter. And that is a lot of information for you. If you like us to elaborate further on that or help you out anymore filtration or anything else for your aquarium needs, please see us on our website at www.underwaterdepot.net. "