You are out on the market to build an aquarium, and a pair of African dwarf frogs are your first choice. There are some additional things besides the aquarium that you need to consider.
An essential item on the list of things to purchase is an aquarium filter. This small tool is pretty essential for specific tankmates, as it can be really helpful in order to maintain the quality and cleanliness of the water in your tank.
However, you might ask yourself: Is an aquarium filter an absolute must in an African dwarf frog tank? In this article, I will try to give you a better understanding of this question.
What Is An Aquarium Filter And Why Do You Need It?
First of all, I think you need to understand what an aquarium filter actually does and why it is good to have one.
An aquarium filter is, well, a filter that is considered to be a vital tool in building an aquarium consisting of both freshwater and saltwater animals. It runs to get rid of debris from the water and eliminate nitrate and ammonia buildup. The water quality is also significantly improved by regular filtration.
Most animals living in the aquarium live in an enclosure, which can be vastly different from their natural habitat. Due to this fact, having a filter installed in the tank is sometimes absolutely necessary, as it vastly supports all the creatures inhabiting it.
The filter will also aerate the water in the tank. This is why a filter is absolutely necessary for aquariums that have fish residing in them, since fish require air to breathe.
Also, in terms of saltwater creatures, the water temperature needs to be steady. As a result, it’s occasionally not possible to clean the tank without first removing the aquatic life. A filter performs extremely well in keeping the tank clean in such situations.
What kind of filters are there?
There are two main types of aquarium filters out there. These are:
- Power filter
- Internal filter
Power Filter
Power filters are normally installed outside of the tank. This type of filter uses impellers to move, pull, or push water through multiple layers of filters before returning it to the aquarium. This process is typically done with a long siphoning tube.
There are many different variations of power filters available, such as:
- Algae filter
- Trickle filter
- Diatom filter
- Canister filter
Power filters are the most common type of filter available on the market. They are more effective for larger tanks than other types.
However, they are not as good for tanks that have a smaller capacity. This is due to the fact that they have very high power, which can cause the water to overflow in smaller areas. That’s why smaller filters, such as sponge filters, do a better job in home aquariums.
Internal Filters
Internal filters are usually much smaller in size compared to power filters. They are installed inside the aquarium, and the filtration work is typically done by an electric pump.
There are various ways of placing these filters inside the tank. You can just leave them inside the tank or hang it next to a wall. There are some unique variations that can be installed beneath the substrate in the aquarium. This way, you can give the aquarium a more natural look, as there will be no visible machinery inside.
Do African Dwarf Frogs need a filter?
Now, let’s get back to the original question of whether or not an African dwarf frog tank requires a filter.
Well, in order for your African dwarf frogs to live a healthy and happy life, you must absolutely meet their requirements for water quality. This can be a really challenging thing to do. These frogs are intolerant to many things and require properly cycled water to live. There is more to this topic in my article about African dwarf frog water parameters.
An aquarium filter will make your life much easier in maintaining the water quality. It can provide different types of filtration, such as biological, chemical, and even mechanical. Biological filtration will reduce bacteria buildup, chemical filtration will get rid of chlorine, ammonia, and nitrite in the water, and mechanical filtration will filter out particles such as leftover food pellets and debris.
Additionally, it will significantly lessen how frequently you have to clean the tank on your own. African dwarf frogs are living creatures, just like any other aquarium creature, and they naturally produce waste. Cleaning the water without removing the frogs can be daunting, so the filter will help you maintain the cleanliness for longer.
Last but not least, the filter will aerate the water, which is always beneficial to all tankmates with lungs.
Can Aquarium Filters injure African Dwarf Frogs?
African dwarf frogs prefer to live in still water. They are not very good at swimming. Hence, a high-powered filter that induces rapid streams is not good for these frogs. Also, high-powered filters may suck these fragile frogs into them, which can cause serious injuries to them.
What kind of Filter is best for African Dwarf Frogs?
Filters that do not generate a lot of power, such as sponge filters, are the best option to include in an African dwarf frog tank. Do not forget to add a mesh cover to the intake to keep your frogs from entering the siphon.
Conclusion
No matter what aquatic life you choose to add to your aquarium, adding a filter has significant merits. It will make life easier and better both for you and your aquarium pets. They are quite cheap as well. So, this small purchase is something that you absolutely need to prioritize while setting up a tank for African dwarf frogs.
