8 Reasons Why You Should Choose an Undergravel Fish Tank Filter

The one thing that with guarantee healthy and vibrant fish above everything else is crystal clear water in your aquarium. And the only pierce of equipment capable of producing the pristine environment is the fish tank filter. The fish tank filter is the most important tool in an aquarium and along with a fish tank heater, recreates the environment from where the fish originated.

The undergravel filter has been a popular filter for a while now. Though it is considered a beginner’s filtration system, it is able to provide water filtration that is reliable and efficient equal to any other filter. In this filter, water is drawn through a gravel layer which sits on an elevated platform, away from the bottom of the aquarium. This divides the unclean water which the fish swim in from a layer of filtered water below the gravel, all the while with the gravel acting as the filter.

Mechanical filtration is performed when large debris, excess food and fish waste is trapped by the gravel. Biological filtration is done by beneficial bacteria that colonizes the gravel.

Here are 8 reasons why I consider the undergravel filter to be among the best types of filters on sale today.

Reason #1: It Regulates Temperature

Water is sucked from the bottom of the fish tank and then pumped back in from the top. This will mix the water up continuously, as long as you do not turn off the filter. This circulation of water causes every area of the fish tank to experience the same temperature. Because of this water circulation, every part of the aquarium maintains the same temperature. Ideally, if you keep your fish tank heater closer to the lift tubes, it regulates the water temperature even better.

Reason #2: It Aerates The Water

As the filtered water rises from the bottom through the lift tubes, it will come in contact with outside air. This aerates the water even better than the bubbles in the tank could.

Reason #3: A Good Mechanical Filter

The gravel is the filter media in this filtration system and they do an excellent job in trapping debris, food excess and fish waste.

Reason #4: Excellent Biological Filtration

Once the gravel has been given time to age, usually within six weeks without help, beneficial bacteria will colonizes the gravel. These microscopic helpers break down organic matter into nitrate which can simply be discarded each time you change the tank water. The nitrate is also a substance consumed by aquatic plant life.

Reason #5: Chemical Filtration Capable

This is one factor ignored by most people, that undergravel filters are capable of being fit with cartridges that perform chemical filtration. These cartridges usually contain activated carbon that removes heavy metal, complex proteins, odor, color and even chemical treatment.

Reason #6: A Bigger Capacity For Waste

Because it is the entire area of gravel at the base of the tank that actually filters the water, undergravel filters can hold the most waste before it needs to be cleaned.

Reason #7: Simple To Upkeep

Over time, the gravel will begin to accumulate a layer of muck that needs to be cleaned. if it isn’t then it will begin to choke the filtration system by not allowing water to pass through. How do you clean it? Just by vacuuming the dirt from the gravel. One easy way to do this is to use a rubber tube as a siphon when you want to do a water change and simply let it suck up the muck from the top layer of the gravel.

Reason #8: Inexpensive

Isn’t that really the main draw for most of us? The entire undergravel filter set is generally cheap compared to other filtration system. The filter media is the gravel and never needs to be replaced. The parts are quite sturdy and even if you need to replace a part, they are cheap.

There you go.  8 reasons why I think undergravel filter [http://fish-tank-filters.org/what-are-undergravel-fish-tank-filters/] are great.  If you’d like to know more of the options available for you and to capitalize on some great discounts, visit Fish Tank Filters [http://fish-tank-filters.org] now.

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