What is a canister filter/external filter?
A canister filter/external filter (let’s just call them canisters for clarity) is usually a plastic drum or container with a motor on the top of it. It is usually filled with various media via plastic baskets and sucks water, usually containing excessive nutrients, from the aquarium via a flexible pipe into the drum or container where the water is forced through various media (discussed later in the article) and returned to the aquarium after being cleaned, via the motor at the top. There are various types; usually it is a sealed system and a wide range is available from all aquarium stores. Typical makes would be Eheim, Fluval, Tetra and many others are available as well. What advantages are there, if any, in using one? There are 4 advantages of using a canister filter in aquaria in my personal experience: (1) for biological filtration (2) for mechanical filtration (3) for chemical filtration (4) for additional water volume and stability Biological filtration For removing waste from t
