Fluval BioLife Manuel De L'utilisateur page 2

USER'S MANUAL:
FLUVAL BIOLIFE FOR FRESH OR SALT WATER
POWERFUL, SPACE-SAVING WATER MANAGEMENT
BioLife is a fully integrated multi-stage filter system that contains the first complete internal "trickle" filter with superb
mechanical pre-filtering. As water flows through BioLife, solids are captured in the pre-filtering stage, leaving it free of
particulates. The water then "trickles" into the "dry" chamber where colonies of beneficial bacteria, which thrive on powerful
BioMAX biological rings, effectively remove harmful toxins. BioLife is a powerful filtering system that mechanically and bio-
logically cleans aquarium water.
BioLife is ideal for:
• fresh or salt water
• small or medium aquariums
BioLife does not require unsightly hoses or tubes, making it the perfect choice for installation where standard filtration
cannot be used. BioLife is the first true multi-stage filter that can be installed easily anywhere along the inside perimeter of
an aquarium. Its advanced design makes installing filter media fast and simple.
Understanding Trickle Filtration
Trickle filtration is a powerful form of biological filtration that provides the correct environment for beneficial bacteria to cul-
tivate populations large enough to remove all ammonia and nitrite from water. Traditionally, biological filtration is performed
in a submerged media, either in an undergravel filter or as water passes through the media of a power filter. Beneficial bac-
teria also grow on all exposed hard surfaces in the aquarium, such as glass aquarium sides and back.
Bacteria that remove ammonia and nitrite are aerobic, which means they require oxygen to survive. Water flowing through
the "dry" area not only brings ammonia and nitrite, but also carries vital oxygen to the bacterial colonies. By comparison,
water passing through the gravel in undergravel filtration loses most of its oxygen to the bacteria in the gravel. This limits the
depth of the living biological bed. As water is expelled in an undergravel filter or through biologically active media in a power
filter, it often contains less oxygen than when it entered.
A trickle filter does not deprive bacteria of essential oxygen. Water trickling through the "dry" chamber gets oxygen from the
surrounding atmosphere, which has a much higher concentration than the passing water. With no oxygen-limiting factor, the
population of beneficial bacteria expands to fill the entire available surface area. The trickle filter method increases the effi-
ciency of ammonia and nitrite reduction well beyond oxygen-limiting systems.
Trickle filtration also vastly improves water quality since beneficial bacteria do not draw oxygen from the passing water.
Oxygen quality is actually improved since the water stream is broken into small droplets as it falls, increasing the exposure to
atmospheric oxygen. Oxygen is added to the passing droplets and carbon dioxide is stripped.
Therefore, since outgoing water contains more oxygen than incoming water, there is more
oxygen available for fish and plant life.
True Multi-Stage Internal Filtration
BioLife separates filtration tasks into distinct areas to ensure high efficiency and superb
overall water purity. Each filtering stage is performed in a segregated area of the filter case.
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Stage 1: Heater Chamber (Heater sold separately)
The first part of the filter case has a large number of slots for water to enter. Water gently flows into the system through the
slotted surface area. There is little danger for small or weakened fish to be pulled into the filter by accident. In addition, the
gentle water flow through the chamber allows efficient heating if a heater (optional - sold separately) is installed in the
supplied bracket. If a heater is installed in the first chamber, the "dry" biological chamber receives warm water, increasing
bacterial efficiency during the removal of ammonia and nitrite. Warm water ultimately flows back into the filter and provides
major benefits to the entire aquarium.
Stage 2: Mechanical Filtration Chamber
Standard "wet/dry" systems normaly provide very weak solid removal. Organic waste particles entering the trickle chamber
often get lodged and rot. This reduces the efficiency of the beneficial bacteria. BioLife employs a double layer of foam in front
of the passing water flow to effectively remove large, medium and many fine particles from the water flow. The foam is re-
usable and has a large capture capacity. As the water passes through the foam, it loses a large percentage of suspended solids.
After most of the solids are removed, water then passes through the very fine mesh of a carbon-impregnated polyester pad,
which removes any remaining solid particles and many dissolved liquefied impurities.
Stage 3: Trickle Chamber
After stage 2, water flow is directed to the pump chamber where it returns to the aquarium or is directed by the biological
input diverter back to the biological chamber—a mainly dry, air-filled area. Water flows onto the final mechanical strainer,
the drip tray screen, which is the last defense for the elimination of any remaining solid particles before water enters the
BioMAX rings.
Water dripping through the drip tray falls into the BioMAX rings, an inert ceramic bacterial substrate that provides maximum
surface area and breeding sites for beneficial bacteria to colonize. The extremely porous rings have ideal diameter tunnels and
crevices that enable powerful bacterial populations to grow. These beneficial bacteria remove harmful ammonia and nitrite.
As it drips through the "dry" chamber, water is oxygenated by the
surrounding air. When the water finally falls into the running channel
below, it joins the rest of the water flow returning to the aquarium.
Stage 4: Pump Chamber
The final chamber of the unit houses the pump, which outputs the
majority of water back to the aquarium. However, a significant amount,
about .55 gallons (2.1 L) per minute is diverted by the biological input
diverter back to the biological chamber for the removal of ammonia and
nitrite and vital oxygenation (as described in Stage 3 above).
INSTRUCTIONS
Read thoroughly prior to installation and operation
IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS
To guard against injury, basic safety precautions should be observed
when handling the BioLife unit, including the following:
1. READ AND FOLLOW ALL SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS and
all important notices on the appliance before using for the complete
enjoyment, use and understanding of this product. Failure to do so may
result in damage to the unit.
Stage 3
Stage 4
Stage 2
2
Stage 1