About two centuries have passed since aquariums appeared in Europe. But attention to exotic fish is not diminishing. A large, beautifully designed aquarium is a prestigious decoration element in any home and a great cure for stress.
Aquarium is an unnatural closed water world with its complex ecological balance. To maintain a comfortable life of fish and algae, the water in the aquarium must be filtered out qualitatively, and its regular replacement should be carried out at intervals of about once a week. The stability and quality of filtration in a domestic pond is ensured by a special cleaning filter consisting of a pump and a container with material for filtration. In this article, we will consider the selection criteria, care and answer the question of whether it is possible to turn off the filter in the aquarium at night.
Filter selection for cleaning
Before buying a water purification device, you should determine the number of future residents of the aquarium, which plants will be present there and whether the filter can cope with water purification and the removal of sewage.
The optimal filter criteria are minimum size, reliability, ease of maintenance, maximum efficiency. The price of the product and the manufacturing company are also of great importance when choosing.
According to pricing, such products are divided into three classes: premium, medium and cheap. Elite compressors of famous brands are highly reliable during operation.
Usually after buying such a filter you don’t think about the quality of water purification from sewage and mechanical impurities.But because of their price, such devices are of little relevance.
The middle price segment is represented by a large number of models. These are almost all European brands: Aquael, Ferplast, Sera and many others. Such filters are more accessible and will last quite a long time.
Unknown and inexpensive manufacturers mainly from China. How they will work, how much water they can filter out - nothing definite can be said about them. Typically, such devices are bought as temporary or spare to replace failed ones.
Work principles
Filters come in various types, they are divided into bottom, external, mounted and internal. The filter material and design are also different. In turn, the efficiency, noise is of great importance.
Indoor models are usually installed inside home ponds, are small in size, have little performance and have a low noise floor. Maintenance is simple and convenient.
Outdoor cleaning units are located next to the aquarium. Due to the larger size of the filter element, water purification is much better.
The main purpose of the hydraulic filter is the circulation of water in the aquarium and purification from the vital products of fish, turbidity. No matter how the devices differ in appearance and design, the principle of their work is common:
- water with impurities is drawn in by a water pump;
- it is cleared mechanically or chemically;
- treated water enters the tank again;
- forcibly and evenly mixes water layers.
All these parameters affect the usability of the unit, the speed and quality of cleaning the aquarium fluid.
Turn off the filter at night
In addition to cleaning from unnecessary impurities, the unit has another important function - this is the saturation of air in the aquarium with air. In the confined space of the aquarium, in addition to fish, beneficial bacteria grow that positively affect the ecological balance. In the absence of oxygen, they begin to die and decompose, releasing chemical compounds that are harmful to the population of the aquarium.
therefore It is absolutely forbidden to turn off the pump at night - the device must work continuously. Short-term shutdown of the filter pump for maintenance is allowed.
If the pump always works (around the clock), then the biological balance in the aquarium is maintained in a stable condition. The water remains clean for a long time, and the fish are healthy.
In the event of a power outage due to emergency reasons, for example, a pump breakdown or a power outage, aquariums with a volume of more than 50 liters will endure this situation without special problems. For smaller aquariums, this can be a huge danger. With a single shutdown, large-volume aquariums will cope with the problem, but if you turn it off often, then fish diseases or even death can happen in the near future.
Cleaning
Colonies of beneficial bacteria live in the filter container, so cleaning should be handled with great care. It is undesirable to use detergents when washing the pump, as well as the filter.
The frequency of such filter maintenance is affected by the number of fish living in the aquarium.
The easiest way to determine if the filter needs cleaning is to pay attention to the pressure of the air leaving the socket. If he's weak, then it's time to do it.
To flush, unplug it from the mains and carefully remove it so that sewage as well as residual food does not fall to the bottom of the aquarium. Then disassemble the pump, rinse the internal parts and the filter element. Then reassemble everything in reverse order and reinstall the unit.
Malfunctions
The reasons for the malfunctioning of the filter complex can be different. Consider the main ones, as well as ways to fix problems.
- Aquarium filter clogged with waste. The operating time of the device is unlimited and very much depends on the location in the aquarium and the quality of the water. A sure sign is a drop in air pressure at the pump outlet. Corrected by regular cleaning or by replacing the filter when worn. The installation location is important. The unit must be completely immersed in water, but not touch the bottom so that soil or other elements do not get into it.
- Low voltage. The pump operates with power fluctuations. It is eliminated by installing a device that stabilizes the voltage in front of the consumer.
- Pump breakdown. Water stops circulating even with a clean or new filter. The solution is to replace the pump. In no case should you try to repair yourself. It is recommended to return to the workshop for repair or purchase a new one.
Safety precautions
- It is dangerous to leave the water treatment element permanently in the aquarium inoperative. If this happens, then take it out and wash it thoroughly.
- It is strictly forbidden to carry out any work in the aquarium with the pump or any other electrical equipment turned on.
- To maintain the compressor in working condition, it must not be allowed to work outdoors - the motor may overheat and fail.
- A new filter cannot be immediately placed in the aquarium. First, it must be washed thoroughly to prevent bacteria that could harm the microflora and fish.
For an overview of the internal filter, see below.
