How does the MariSys Filtration System work?

Water enters the system through the Pre Filter at the front of the Overflow Box where any large clumps of waste are removed. It then travels over the water Bridge and into the Silencer. The Silencer is a specially designed device which reduces the "gurgle" commonly associated with overflow boxes. From here the water travels over the Water Level Adjuster and down through the Inlet Hose where it enters the MariSys. The water then splits path, some travels across to the Drip Tray while the remaining water is fed into the Protein Skimmer. The fine bubbles produced by the Wooden Airstone at the base of the Skimmer move up and contact with the water. As the fine air bubbles and water mix, dissolved organics and proteins are "skimmed" from the water. There molecules attract themselves to the fine bubbles and as more of them are skimmed they accumulate at the top of the Skimmer where they over flow into the Collection Cup. The clean water then exits the Skimmer and is returned to the aquarium.

The water which does not flow into the Protein Skimmer moves across the Drip Tray where it is then channelled down through the various layers of filter media. Three layers of filter wool remove the larger particles of waste before the water is filtered through a tightly woven Activated Carbon Pad, where finer particles are trapped along with any dissolved organics like smells or discolourations. The water then travels through the Bio Balls where the beneficial bacteria colonise and break down the Ammonia and Nitrite into Nitrate which is less toxic and easily removed with regular aquarium maintenance.

The activated Carbon Pillow then removes any remaining dissolved organic waste, while polishing the water before it passes over the CeramiSub. CeramiSub is an Advanced Sintered Glass media which is extremely porous enabling more beneficial bacteria to grow both on and deep within it. Nitrifying bacteria are aerobic, it is important that they are provided with as much oxygen enriched water as possible. Just about all of the biological media in the MariSys is sitting out of the water, and oxygen enriched water is splashing through the system constantly. This is the ideal environment for the bacteria, as a result they are more stable and capable of reproducing faster which in turn allows them to break down toxic waste faster and more efficiently. The filtered water is then drawn itno the Power Head and returned to the aquarium.