Before you spend any money on fish for your aquarium, you must find out all the aquarium equipment you will need to provide
and maintain the right environment that is essential for your fishes’ well-being. Investigate the various different methods of
heating, lightning, and cleaning your tank.
Aquarium Tank Shape.
You can have any shape of aquarium tank you like, bearing in mind that the number of fishes in the aquarium depends on the
surface area, not the depth, nor the overall volume of water. The “standard” tank shape is based on the double cube,
with the longest side being the horizontal.
Siting Your Aquarium Tank.
Make sure that you choose a suitable position for your aquarium on a very firm, level base, away from cold draughts
and direct sunlight.
* Avoid window locations; too much sunlight will cause overheating, and excessive algae growth will result.
* Site your aquarium tank near to an electrical socket point to provide power to run airpumps, heaters, and filters.
* Cushion the aquarium tank with a slab of expanded polystyrene to absorb any irregularities in surface below.
* Leave enough space around the tank for all hardware, and to allow access for aquarium maintenance.
* Never attempt to move a full tank not even reposition it slightly.
The importance Of Filtration.
It is absolutely essential that the water in the aquarium stays clean and fresh at all times if your fish are to
remain healthy. No matter how your aquarium appears when you first set it up, the water will quickly become contaminated
by dissolved waste products from the fishes. this dirt, whether visible or not, cab be removed using a aquarium filter.
However, remember that the filter itself needs to be properly maintained because a neglected filter becomes nothing more
than a box of concentrated dirt through which the aquarium water is continually passed. Water returning from the filters
help oxygenate the aquarium.
Choosing an Aquarium Filter System.
Filtration equipment varies from simple foam filters to sophisticated “total” filter system.
* An external, air-operated filter has several advantages: it is inexpensive, efficient, and easy to access and clean.
* Internal filters, although often simple and effective, have a major drawback - cleaning and maintenance is difficult,
and as the filter is removed, dirty water can spill back into the tank.
* There is another type of internal filter which is Biological Filtration, this filtration system, which has no filter
medium, introduces a colony of benefical bacteria into the gravel surface in order to neutralize toxic substances in the
water. It has several advantage over other types of filter. It is relatively unobtrusive, need no long hoses, and is quiet
in operation. Suitable for all aquariums, it is obligatory for marine systems.
The Importance Of Aeration.
Not only dose the water need to be clean; it must also contain a healthy amount of oxygen. This is especially important in
coldwater aquarium during the summer months, when the dissolve oxygen level falls as the water warms up. An airpump is an
artificial aid that introduces more oxygen into the water and, at the same time, disperses some of the harmful carbon dioxide.
Aeration has a further advantage in that it helps to equalize the temperature throughout the aquarium.
Aquarium Airpump.
The larger the pump, the more air it produces. However, even the smallest airpump will provide enough air for a standard-sized
aquarium tank. You will need a large airpump only if you intend to use it for purposes other than simple aeration, such as to
operate filters, airstones, or brine-shrimp hatchers.
Heating The Aquarium Tank.
Unlike other aquarium hardware, such as lights, airpumps, and filters, heaters are only necessary if you want to keep tropical
species. Use a thermostatically controlled heater to maintain the water temperature at around 25oC. Some are fitted with alarms
to alert to changes.
Choosing A Heater.
The heater you choose for your aquarium tank must be powerful enough to heat it properly. As a guide, allow 10 watts of power
per five liters of water for a tank that is in a normally heater room. For yanks over 90cm (36 inch), heat distribution is
more even if you spread the heater requirement over two separate units.
Water Supply.
It is the best policy to give your fishes water that is as close as possible in quality to that in which they are found
naturally. However, the majority of aquarium fishes adjust well to domestic water supplies, provided that precautions are
taken to neutralize the effects of any chemicals that may be added.
Using A Sea-Mix
If you live near the coast, you will have access to a ready supply of natural seawater for your marine aquarium. However,
it is usually better to use a synthetic substitute known as a “sea-mix” to avoid the risk of introducing disease. Mixes are
available in different-sized bags to suit different aquarium tank size.
Water Don’ts….
Don’t make any sudden changes to the water conditions.
* Do not change the water in the aquarium tank unless it is the correct composition and temperature.
* Don’t change fishes from tank to tank unless the water condition in each of the tanks is exactly the same.
* Don’t use saltwater to top up evaporation losses in marine aquarium tanks, use freshwater instead as salts are not lost during evaporation.
* If you use rainwater in your aquarium tank. Don’t collect it from a dirty roof or from metallic containers.
* Water and electricity do not mix.
Lighting For Your Aquarium.
As well as allowing you to see the contents of your aquarium properly, light acts as a stimulus for life, both for fishes
and plants. Plants require the right amount of light in order to photosynthesize. This action is beneficial to fishes as it
helps keep carbon dioxide levels down to a minimum. Use fluorescent rather than tungsten lighting, which produces uneven
illumination and excessive heat.
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