Transcript Aquarium Notes - West Branch Schools

Saltwater
Aquariums
The essential items for your tank
Gravel (Substrate)
Purposes:
• decoration
• biological filter
• sand is especially good
• provides hold for possible plants
• maintain pH level of water
•Crushed shells
Heaters
 Needed for tropical
organisms
 78º F is ideal.
Thermometers

Monitors the temperature
of the tank
Air Pumps
• simply bubbles air into the water
• provides dissolved oxygen for
animals to breath
• NOT necessary if your tank
maintains adequate water
movement together with surface
agitation (provided by the falling
water from the filter).
Hood
• prevents organisms from escaping
• keeps water from evaporating so
quickly and keeps salt spray inside
tank
Lights
• bring out the colors of your fish
• If you have plants, provides
necessary energy for growth
Biological Filtration (living)
 MANDATORY!
 Certain species of
bacteria break down
toxic nitrogen
compounds
 Synthetic bacteria occurs
naturally in:
 Substrate
 Bioballs
 Biowheel
Chemical Filtration (chemicals)
 Added to mechanical method
 activated carbon (charcoal)
 placed inside filters which
maintains clear water quality
 UV sterilizer
 Eliminates bacteria, algae and
protozoans in the water.
Mechanical Filtration (machine)
 Removes solids or
particulate matter before
they can be decomposed
 Examples:
 filter pads
 Sponges
 protein skimmer
 nets
What You’ll Need to KNoW
to take care of a tank
Water Chemistry
 Common Chemistry Tests
 pH: 7.5 – 8.4
 Temperature : 77 - 80
 Salinity – 1.020 – 1.023 or 27 ppt – 32ppt
 Nitrogen tests – 0 ppm
 Most important ways to fix salinity and
nitrogen problems:
 Filtration
 Water changes – dilution method
Salinity
 Define: total amount
of dissolved salts in
water
 Maintained by:
 Adding freshwater or
saltwater
 Measured by
 Hydrometer uses
specific gravity
Nitrogen Compounds
 Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate
 Should all be around 0 ppm
 Measured by paper or chemical tests
 Could be high if:
 Cycling of tank is not complete
 Too much food
 Too many fish
 BONUS: Predict the time period that would be best to
add fish to a tank. Explain why you pick that time period.
Use evidence from the graph.
 Write it at the bottom of your paper!