Effects of Substituting Activated Carbon with Titanium-Dioxide-Coated Cenospheres in Conventional Aquarium Filters

Abstract

We investigated the effectiveness of TiO2 cenospheres in reducing the concentrations of three common harmful compounds, ammonium, nitrate, and nitrite, in fish aquariums. These cenospheres can contribute to more sustainable and eco-friendly aquarium filtration systems while also improving the health of fish. We designed a 30-day experiment with three treatment groups based on the filter type: (1) a control group with a conventional aquarium filter, (2) a group with a TiO2 cenosphere filter, and (3) a group with a dark TiO2 cenosphere filter. The water quality was the same baseline in all groups, and each tank was monitored daily for changes in temperature, pH, ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite concentrations. We found that the TiO2 cenosphere filter was effective in reducing the concentrations of all three pollutants. By the end of the experimental period, the average concentration of nitrite in the control group was 10.7 µM, while the average concentration in the TiO2 cenosphere filter group dropped 55% to 4.7 µM from the baseline. The average concentration of nitrate was reduced by 17% and ammonia by 28% in the cenosphere-treated group. Hence, the cenospheres were effective in reducing the concentrations of all three pollutants, with the greatest reduction seen for nitrite. These findings support further investigation for incorporating TiO2 cenospheres into aquarium filtration to help reduce the environmental burden of the aquarium industry.