New to Your Home · Aquatic
Filtration Mechanics & Flow Dynamics
How Aquarium Filters Work and How to Choose One
Every aquarium filter does three jobs, and knowing them makes choosing one simple. 10 lessons on mechanical, biological and chemical filtration, hang-on-back filters, canister filters, sponge filters for fry and shrimp, working out flow rate in gallons per hour, replacing disposable cartridges with reusable media, when to use and remove activated carbon, surface skimmers for oily film, powerheads and wavemakers for dead spots, and cleaning filter media without losing your bacteria.
About this course
A filter is not one thing doing one job. This course starts with the three kinds of filtration: mechanical media that catches debris, biological media where your nitrifying bacteria live, and chemical media that pulls out dissolved impurities. From there you'll look at the three filters most keepers use. Hang-on-back filters are easy to reach and can be upgraded with better media. Canister filters hold a lot of media and run quietly, but need careful O-ring and priming habits. Sponge filters run on an air pump and are the safe choice for fry and dwarf shrimp. Lesson 5 shows you how to size a filter by gallons per hour and match the flow to your fish, since danios like current and bettas do not. Lesson 6 explains why throwing out cartridges every month can set off a mini-cycle, and what to use instead. You'll learn when carbon helps and when to take it out, how surface skimmers clear oily film, and how powerheads and wavemakers fix dead spots. The last lesson shows you how to clean media without killing your bacteria.
What you'll learn
- The three jobs of filtration: mechanical, biological and chemical media
- How hang-on-back and canister filters work, and how to maintain each one
- Why sponge filters protect fry and shrimp, and how to size flow in GPH
- Replacing disposable cartridges with reusable foam, ceramic rings and filter floss
- When to use and remove activated carbon, and how surface skimmers clear film
- Fixing dead spots with powerheads, and rinsing media without losing your bacteria
Who this is for
Beginners standing in the filter aisle unsure what to buy; keepers who have been replacing cartridges every month and want to stop; and shrimp or fry keepers looking for gentle filtration that will not suck in their smallest animals.
Course outline (10 modules)
Quiz & Certificate
Knowledge quiz
After completing all lessons, take a short quiz to test your understanding.
Go to quiz →Completion certificate
Pass the quiz and earn a shareable certificate of completion.
View certificate →Frequently asked questions
Ready to get started?
$9.99 · Lifetime access · 10 lessons