| Setting Up a Marine Aquarium |
From "Pet Care"
episode PCW-105 |
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To have a successful aquarium, you should start with a tank whose capacity is no less than 40 gallons. Bacteria are necessary because they purify the water. It's important that an aquarium have several filtration systems so that if one should break down, the others will be able to keep filtering the water. Nosratpour shows the components that make up the aquarium filtration systems: - Bio-wheel filter (figure A) -- the water spins it; it provides plenty of surface for the bacteria to live on
- Carbon filter (figure B)-- chemical filtration system
- Floss (figure C)-- mechanical filtration system; pulls particulate matter from the water
- Canister filter (figure D)-- has a pump inside; draws water from the bottom and chemically filters it in different chambers
- Protein skimmer (figure E)-- aerates tank and removes organic matter; tube and air bubbler churn up the water and protein skimmer filters out debris, which is collected in cup that is emptied regularly
- Start with a layer of medium to coarse gravel, which helps buffer the tank, makes it look neat and provides an area for bacteria to live in. Nosratpour recommends using crushed coral. Don't use fine gravel -- it will settle and pack and become anarobic if not stirred up frequently.
- Pour the gravel in slowly (it's very heavy) and spread around evenly.
- At Scripps, Nosratpour has an "instant ocean" -- natural seawater pumped up from the ocean. Since this luxury is unavailable to the home aquarist, you will need to prep the water with synthetic salt and dechlorinated tapwater. You must put in the correct amount of synthetic salt -- it can't be adjusted later.
- To fill the tank for the first time, place a bucket in the bottom of the tank and add water to the bucket, letting it overflow until the tank is full. This keeps the water from disturbing the gravel.
- The water's salinity must be kept at a constant level. Because the water will evaporate, top it off after about a week with dechlorinated water. (Make a mark on the tank to show the proper level and fill to the mark as needed.) Use a hydrometer (figure F) to check the salinity weekly or whenever you make up a new batch of water or add any water to the tank. (A good reading is 1.024 to 1.025, or about 32 parts per thousand.)
Keep the water temperature at 75 degrees by means of an aquarium heater. - Fill the filters with water to prime them. Never let the pump run dry -- it will ruin the mechanism.
Remember, the water's pH and alkalinity must be kept in check; they may drop because of waste products in the water. Use buffer to stabilize them. - Add bacteria culture from an aquarium store or from a tank that you know to be healthy.
To help get the bacteria growing, add either a hardy fish such as damsel fish (one per 10 gallons of water), ammonia chips or fish food. Test the water weekly; when the nitrites and ammonia have come down, the tank will be ready for the addition of fish. - Quarantine fish for about a month before adding them to the tank; then acclimate them slowly. The quarantine tank doesn't have to be elaborate -- just a 10- or 20-gallon tank with an under-gravel filtration system and a few hiding spots.
When they're placed in their new home, the fish will go straight to the bottom and hide in the corners. Don't worry: it's just their way of dealing with the stress of being in new surroundings. Wait a few hours and then feed them. - Don't overcrowd the fish, and buy tank-raised fish whenever possible. Do your homework when choosing fish, however, keeping in mind that some species, such as sharks, grow too big to live in aquariums, and others may not coexist peacefully.
Guest: Fernando Nosratpour
Senior Aquarist
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
University of California, San Diego
9500 Gillman Dr.
La Jolla, CA 92093-0207
Phone: 858-534-3624
Fax: 858-534-5306
E-mail: siocomm@ucsd.edu Web site sources for Setting Up a Marine Aquarium:
Aquarium Maintenance at Algone.com Saltwater Aquariums at About.com Fish Facts at A2Zofpets.com Books: The Saltwater Aquarium Handbook: Everything About Setting Up a Marine Aquarium, Aquarium Conditioning and Maintenance, Selecting Fish and Invertebrates
By George C. Blasiola and Matthew M. Vriends
ISBN: 0764112414
Barron's Educational Series Inc. (2000)
Available at bookstores nationwide and online.
Simon and Schuster's Complete Guide to Freshwater and Marine Aquarium Fishes
By Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 0671228099
Simon & Schuster Trade (1988)
Available at bookstores nationwide and online.
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