FILTRATION

FILTRATION

Filtration occurs on two levels. The first is mechanical, the removal of visible impurities and particles by a mechanical baffle or screen. The second level of filtration is the chemical reduction of nitrogenous waste in the water. The nitrogenous waste products come from the proteins that the fish ingest. They are released into the water in the form of ammonia, which is reduced by bacteria living on the surfaces of the filter media. We will discuss this again, in more detail, in the section on the nitrogen cycle.
A wide variety of filters that are suspended from the aquarium, under gravel filters, canister filters, wet-dry filters bead filters, sponge filters, sand filters, and even algae filters.
Filtration also creates water current and oxygenates the aquarium water.