External filters for the aquarium: device, selection and installation

The success of breeding aquarium fish largely depends on the quality of the equipment used. An obligatory attribute of a professional aquarium nowadays is an external or internal filter, which is responsible for the biological and mechanical purification of water. This article will discuss the correct choice of one specific treatment device, namely: an external (external) filter.

An external filter (another name is canister) for an aquarium is one of the most productive filtering devices. Through it you can operate aquariums with a capacity of 40-1500 liters.

From the name it is already clear that the device is not located inside the aquarium, but outside its borders - near the bedside table or directly in it. Only intake and discharge tubes are lowered into the aquarium with water.

Almost always, in their own main focus, external filters are composite. They have several departments:

• mechanical cleaning compartment, where is the sponge or synthetic winterizer that stops the particles of dirt;
• department with biological material - microorganisms involved in the processing of organic substances to a state that is harmless to the inhabitants of the aquatic environment;
• chemical treatment compartment with hygroscopic material, which can be quartz, activated carbon or zeolite.

Based on your needs, you are able to make changes to the basic filling of the external cleaning system.

The basis of the filter apparatus is stably a pump, which brings the water located in the system into activity. Typically, the pumps are located in the upper area of ​​the external filters, and the filter materials for chemical, mechanical and biological treatment are located in a large tank, called a “bulb”, underneath.

Several tubes are allotted from the flask (mainly two, in samples for large containers - 3), mating with the intake and supply tubes. At the tip of the fence tube is either a pre-filter or a safety net.

Consider the principle of operation of an external filter device.

Through the intake pipe, the liquid medium from the aquarium passes through the pipe into the filter, through the pump it is pumped into the reservoir (canister), several layers of different cleaning material are passed and again through the hose, already clean, it flows back into the aquarium. The structure of the canister cleaning device based on the brand and manufacturer's modification can be different - the liquid medium can flow from top to bottom or back.

The difference of external filtering devices from internal is as follows:

• a huge amount of filter materials, when compared with internal devices;
• usually higher bandwidth than internal filters;
• as mentioned above, multi-level filtration - in particular, fillers for biological (bio-fillers), mechanical (sponges) and chemical (zeolite or activated carbon) purification are included in the filter package;
• as a result of the above, significantly finer water treatment;
• the external device needs attention much less often than the internal device - basically no more than 1 time in 2-3 months.

Experienced aquarists recommend purchasing external filter, since in terms of the totality of its properties it is significantly ahead of its internal companion.

The canister filter, thanks to its own structure, makes it possible to form a multi-stage water purification in the aquarium.

For the mechanical method of purification of liquids in the apparatus are practiced sponges of different density and cellularity. A finely porous sponge can stop the smallest particles of dirt. And they also use a synthetic winterizer to purify water from the smallest particles of dirt.

For biofiltration there is a huge amount of filtering materials - these are rings, and ceramic balls, and similar materials. Sometimes in artisanal outdoor units, expanded clay is practiced as a filter material. They usually have a porous structure, their main goal is to provide cleaning microorganisms with a space for settlement, this requirement is necessary for the effective functioning of the external filter.

There are also ceramic rings with a smooth surface without pores, the purpose of such a material is to separate the water flow entering the apparatus in order to create conditions for optimal, measured distribution over the entire surface of the cleaning material.

Chemical purification is carried out by means of fillers such as zeolites, activated carbon (active) and synthetic organic ion exchangers. Activated carbon has a very porous microstructure, due to which it perfectly adsorbs (absorbs) acids, toxic substances and trace elements. For the most part, activated carbon is used in filtering devices after treating fish in an aquarium with the task of removing traces of medications from the water.

Consider the most popular filter models for outdoor aquariums.

Tetra EX600 Plus is designed for small aquariums of 60-120 liters. One of the most popular filtering devices in the domestic market. It functions stably (manufacturer's warranty - 3 years) and is almost inaudible. Each of the five fillers is in an individual tray. For cleaning, it is instantly disconnected via a specialized adapter.

JBL CristalProfi e401 (up to 120 l) is a convenient and moderately inexpensive greenline device. Water is cleaned, slowly passing from the bottom up through the fillers. The upgraded impeller of the pump ensures absolute silent operation and a long service life (the manufacturer guarantees 4 years). The device is completely ready for use, equipped with all fillers.

Eheim 2215 Classic-350 for tanks with a capacity of 120-350 liters. Eheim Classic Series the most affordable Eheim product line. With the apparent simplicity of installation, it provides high-quality cleaning, which is inherent in all models. In a complete set there are fillers: substrates, sponges and the like. Warranty period - 2 years.

Tetra EX800 Plus is suitable for tanks of 100-300 liters. Durable and affordable external device, powerful and incredibly silent. Equipped with everything necessary for the assembly, installation and commissioning of the system.

JBL CristalProfi e1501 (up to 600 l) - a highly productive and moderately inexpensive device category greenline. Suitable for aquariums with both fresh and sea water. The convenient location of the fillers greatly simplifies maintenance. The equipment is absolutely ready to use, all fillers are included in the kit.

Aquael Unimax 500 is used for vessels with a capacity of 250-500 liters. Unimax series is a combination of high productivity, a large number of fillers and competitive cost. The bypass system makes it possible to remove the canister for flushing without disconnecting the hoses. The device is provided with two inputs and two outputs, which contributes to uniform cleaning of the entire tank.

It is extremely quiet. It is possible to supplement the system with an ultraviolet sterilizer (a workstation is provided for it). Warranty period - 2 years.

An external filter is simply essential for large aquariums. When buying a model, one must take into account not only the quality of the apparatus and the capacity of the aquarium, but also the practicality of its use.

Selection instructions include several nuances.

1. Of course, that an external device is mounted outside the aquarium, so you need to plan ahead for it. Before purchasing, the first thing to know is how much power your device should have. It is directly dependent on the capacity of the aquarium.
2. If you have a small aquarium, then mainly pay attention to quality and noise indicators, since the power requirements of the filter device are not too great. Read the manufacturer’s tips in detail, the capacity of your tank should be slightly less than the recommended standards, otherwise the device may not cope with its work. If you have a very populated aquarium, then also consider how densely populated it is. It happens that there are a lot of inhabitants, then you need to buy a filter with a good power reserve.
3. For aquariums with a small capacity of 30 to 70 l, the external filter should have a capacity of 300 to 400 l / h.This should be enough when the aquarium is densely populated.
4. If we analyze a different category of aquariums, whose capacity is 60-100 l, the productivity of the apparatus should be higher. Tentatively for this category it is 500 l / h.
5. For larger aquariums, productivity should of course be greater. In particular, for a capacity of 100 to 200 liters, it is approximately 700 l / h. The choice of outdoor units is extensive, so it will not be a problem to choose a modification suitable for you.

Any manufacturer has its own installation features, but there is a universal method.

1. Prepare a soft stand and a few rags in case of leaks.
2. Carefully inspect the contents of the box: it should contain internal sponges, the apparatus itself, fillers, plastic water outlets.
3. Follow the manufacturer’s practical guidelines when assembling the filter. Valves on the lid open at the end of the process. The filler, according to the rules, is laid in this way: ceramics or bioballs to the very bottom, sponges on them, followed by a synthetic winterizer, the final upper layer is coal or peat.
4. Prepare elements for the intake and discharge of water: a long tube with a rounding sucks in water, a short curved tube throws it away, it is placed at the other end of the aquarium. Calculate the size of the hoses in advance so that they are enough.
5. Before starting the device, fill it with gravity with water from the aquarium (for this purpose, connect the hose for the fence with a threaded clamp). Water will flow, as soon as you open the faucet. See that water does not flow from another hole. After the device is completely filled, close the intake hose.
6. Connect the discharge hose to the device, close it, then pour water into the unoccupied end and connect it to the plastic outlet.
7. Final action: unscrew both taps on the device, and plug the system into a power outlet.

If everything is done correctly, it will be noticeable how the water begins to mix.

You must turn it on and off several times in a row. If this fails, drain the water and fill the hoses again.

The canister filter works according to a certain principle. Until beneficial microorganisms have populated the filter material, the device functions essentially exclusively as a mechanical one. It is getting dirty little by little, as a result of which the water pressure decreases. But there is an opposite process.

Dirt is food for microorganisms. They decompose the organic compounds that accumulate here and process them into nitrates, in other words, the biological self-cleaning of the device starts. Complex colonization of the substrate by groups of beneficial microorganisms takes 2-4 weeks.

And then everything depends on which of the processes wins - pollution or self-cleaning.

As soon as the bandwidth of the device drops below 30% of the largest, it needs to be cleaned and restarted, otherwise, “rollover” may occur. But if nevertheless self-cleaning prevails, then the apparatus, on the contrary, is gradually cleared of contaminants, and having dropped to 50-70% of the maximum productivity, it is reborn.

In theory, after such a filter should function indefinitely. In fact, productivity is not completely recreated, and stagnant areas still appear inside the filter. In this regard, it should be cleaned on occasion, even when the fluid pressure is strong.

Most aquarists believe that since the main purpose of the external filtering device is biofiltration, there is no need to overload this device with mechanical cleaning.

Is it possible and necessary to turn off the external device when feeding fish and in the process of replacing water? No. It is preferable that it functions continuously.

• Thus, it will last longer, since the maximum load on electricity and mechanisms happens during the start-up period (these are like bulbs that most often burn out just when the lights are turned on).
• There is a danger that the aquarist will be distracted by something, forget to start the device back at the end of the event, and that after that for a long time will stop working.

Therefore, the water intake must be located in the lower part of the aquarium, so that when pumping out 25-50% of the liquid volume when it is replaced, the apparatus remains operational. And under no circumstances can you turn off the device for a long time: at night, for the period of departure, and if this happened for some reason, it is necessary to wash the fillers and restart the device. As previously noted, for a decently contaminated filter device, sometimes 2-3 hours of inactivity can damage the inhabitants of the aquarium.

See below for how to choose an external filter for the aquarium.