Once you have installed the water filter media in your aquarium, it doesn’t mean that you can just leave it there and not think about it anymore. If you are taking an aquarium hobby seriously, it is necessary to track the performance of your filtration system in order to assess its efficiency. If your fish tank cleaning system is not performing as expected despite using the right filters for your aquarium size, you might have to upgrade. You can avoid unnecessary upgrade expenses by examining your aquarium and checking for the causes of inefficient performance.

Different factors

One of the common factors that affect water filter media efficiency is your fish load. Obviously, more fish or larger fish will produce more waste. If the filter cannot keep up with the amount of waste produced, you will either be spending so much time in cleaning and maintenance instead of admiring your beautiful aquarium. The fish too will suffer, as they will live in an environment with poor water quality.

Fish species is also a factor. Some fish require simple filtration while others like the goldfish have greater mass and will therefore require a three-stage filtration installed in your fish tank.

Feeding frequency is another common factor. Overfeeding will result in uneaten food and more fish waste. These extra particles will require more work from your filtration system, leading to inefficiency in the long run. It will also shorten the life span of your water filter media. Feed fish only within the recommended amounts and remove promptly uneaten food after they are done eating.

Tips when when cleaning your aquarium

Include chemical filter media in your fish tank cleaning set up. Chemical filtration is often under-utilized since the waste it removes isn’t visible in the first place. Not seeing them however doesn’t mean that the toxic chemicals don’t exist in your aquarium water. If you are not sure what kind of chemical media to use, get one that is capable of removing multiple pollutants so all your bases are covered.