How to Run a Self Sufficient Intensive Aquarium

8/17/2019 How to Run a Self Sufficient Intensive Aquarium

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How to Run a Self Sucient Intensive Aquarium (Aquaculture)If you eagerly want to rear freshwater sh for food, whether in your backyard or as starting aserious aquaculture career, then this is the guide you are looking for. However, the designsin this page can be applied for saltwater sh farming. This wiki does not teach you how tomake sh reproduce, however to grow sh from fry.

Ecient aquaculture requires the followings:• Fish security

• ater aeration !also maintains proper pH"

• #itrogen removal

• $olid ltration !to decrease irritation to sh"

• ater circulation !to aid o%ygenation and avoid temperature stratication"

Know your shFreshwater, omnivorous fast&growing sh 'genus(family !species") are*

• Tilapia !e.g. +. niloticus, Taiwan ed, #-/, +. mossambiccus, etc"

• 0atsh !e.g. 1angasius 0atsh, 0hannel 0atsh"

•

0arp !e.g. 2ampan !Tinfoil barb", 3elawat !4ad barb", $ilver 0arp, 5rass carp"• 0haracidae !e.g. 1acu"

• 6el !e.g. 7nguilla anguilla"

• 4acrobrachium rosenbergii !giant river prawn"

Ste!s

"ater: 8ou can grow marine sh using freshwater by tweaking 1olyvalent 0ation $ensingeceptor !190" modulators in the water. pH, temperature, hardness, electrical conductivity,dissolved o%ygen, nitrates, phosphates, biological o%ygen demand, carbon dio%ide, turbidity,coliform bacteria and macroinvertebrates are the properties of water that have to bemonitored as tight as according to sh sensitivity to them.

#oo$ for sh: $ome people prefer live glass shrimps for highly intensive aquaculturingbecause glass shrimps are very high in protein !:;< proteins in wet weight" and they moveslow enough to be easily caught by sh. ell, some uses sh pellets which can be fed usingan automatic timer feeder. $ome folks use duckweed !can be grown in all my designs below"which provides about =< & :< crude proteins in dry weight basis. 7mong these food, youhave to take into consideration the feed your sh may prefer, as some carnivorous shrequires at least :;< protein&based diet. esearch also show that low carbohydrate protein&based diet yields better than a high carbohydrate&to&protein ratio feed.

-aily feeding rates are highly dependent on sh. If say the feeding rate is :uctuate with the amount of crude protein contained in the feed, but is %ed as thepreferably ma%imum mass of feed that can be consumed by an individual sh per day. Thus,the higher percentage of crude proteins the better the feed. 7n e%ample of feeding regimen

for grouper is as follows and use the following formula* Feed quantity ? !number of sh incage @ average body weight of sh" @ < daily feeding rate.

%ou can try to grow your own glass shrim! an$ $uc&wee$' Ay being intensive meansyou culture the sh fast, but not necessarily in large quantities. Thus for given the limitedcover area of a sh tank, you can control the amount of sh with limited food availability inorder to compromise for the speed of growth. For shrimp, feed them with sh pellets andaerate the water which is very crucial. 1ut glass shrimps together with sh and replenishglass shrimp as needed. For there are many kinds of duckweed, the smaller they are thebetter !olBa globosa vs 2emna minor". The optimum growth rate under sunlight is an area

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doubled in ;.CD= days. If your growth rate is lower than this, optimise the growth conditionby fertilising the water, increase water temperature, etc. 7side from fertilising the water, youmay use lthy water from sh vessel. 7lways harvest duckweed as long as vegetation isdense, and must leave spaces in between duckweed.

itrogen Removal: Fish e%cretes ammonia as waste. #evertheless, sh slime and

pelletised feed can introduce considerable amount of crude proteins, which foul the water asthey decompose into nitrogenous wastes. In freshwater designs, water&>oating plant is usedto promptly absorb nitrogenous wastes which are ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. In saltwaterenvironments, you may use 0aulerpa sp. to scrub nitrogenous waste and 0aulerpa itselfprovides food for sh as they multiply. However, most aquarists popularly use mechanicalprotein skimmer which as its name applies, scrub crude matri%&structured proteins but notnitrogenous wastes as proteins are broken down by microorganisms in the water. 8ou canalso use protein skimmer in combination with water&>oating plants !water plants forsaltwater" for more eBcient waste removal depending on the intensity of your proEect.+btain water lettuce from your local ponds for your sh tank, if you do not grow duckweedbut provide sh pellets. ater lettuce has high nitrogen assimilation !ammonia, nitrite,nitrate etc", has small individual sies but dense roots.

0ommonly, aquarists love to apply biolter which resides o%idising bacteria that convertammonia to nitrite and nitrate. hen ammonia is depleted, these bacteria also scrub nitrite,but they are not the big users of nitrogenous wastes, rather they e%tract metabolic energyfrom turning the to%ic ammonia into decreasingly potent o%idised forms, i.e. nitrite thennitrate. That is why plants are preferred than bacteria as they are high users of nitrogenouswaste and much cleanly assimilate nitrogenous waste from water. In plants, especiallywater&>oating plants, leaf is a maEor part of the organs that absorbs nutrients and followedby the root system. 1lants preferably assimilate ammonia than nitrite, and nitrite thannitrate as additional energy is required to reduce the o%idised forms to form immediatesubstrates in amino acid biosynthesis. $ince only a fraction of protein consumed is e%creted,nitrogen levels in the tank can be managed easily with water&>oating plants. Inversely, dueto the photosynthetic limitation of plants and the large cover area of water&>oating plantneeded, a self&suBcient system without putting additional sh feed will incur very muchlonger period of time for sh to grow into mature sies. Thus the maEor purpose of water&>oating plant is to assimilate nitrogenous waste, than to supplement a meagre amount ofcrude proteins as to the ratio of illuminated area of a tank.

A selfsucient aquarium setu!: It needs no additional water, and food theoretically, butonly requires electricity, sunlight and air. It is wise not to place subtanks higher or lower thanmain water tanks in any designs for continuous pumping as e%tra energy is required topump water uphill. Thus continuous >ow within the water level is recommended. Indesigning an aquarium, you can save energy and costs by using apparatus that servesdouble functions, such as using the water >ow&out from o%ygenator to facilitate watercirculation in a tank. Tanks with big openings are recommended in order to increasephotosynthetic activity in the tank. Ay the way, Eust do not forget that sh cannot eat if theycannot see the food. $elf&suBciency requires the following equipments*

o automatic food feedero solid lter(removero o%ygenator(air pump

Setu! of Automatic *uc&wee$ #ee$er +ou!le$ with Soli$ Remover: The automaticduckweed feeder is characterised by = compartments. The maEor and minor compartmentsboth have surface areas of C< and =< respectively !=< is counted from ;.GGG(.GGGstarting from .;;; in day =, since duckweed completely double in G days !each day gives a;.GGG increase"". -uckweed is bred in the compartment(tray where it is e%posed to sunlight.

The tray must be immersed slightly below water to transfer heat away because strong solar


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irradiation can overheat the tray water. =< of the duckweed is pumped out every time andyou can adEust the minor area to suit your daily feeding times. hen water is pumped intothe feeder, water level rises in both compartments. +n the right compartment, watercontinues to rise which also bring duckweed trapped in the compartment to eventuallyover>ow and being released from the outlet. The rise in water level is rst preceded byswirling of water to stir up stagnant duckweed and to improve distribution of duckweed

before they are trapped in the maEor and minor column. The receding of water level in thetray is aided by a semi&>ow damming structure which allows water to rise abruptly but alsoleak water out gradually and allow water level to recede to the normal level. 0oupled to thefeeder is a ne solid remover, which slows down water speed and allow insoluble residues tosettle to the bottom of the container. The precipitation is moved to the outside of the vesselthrough a small diameter pipe, in which any increase of water level in the vessel can causethe >ow and together clearing the collected residue out of the container. #ormally whenwater is put into the sh tank, rising water level forces the solids to be refused to thee%ternal of the tank. 7nother one great design which is not shown is using whiskered belt torake duckweed from a duckweed&breeding tank into the sh tank. In this way, it allows forseparate tanks in order to fertilise the water with plant nutrients for duckweed breedingwhile not disturbing the optimal aqueous environment in the tank specied for sh breedingbecause both tanks are disconnected. In both designs, pellet feeder is used in conEunctionwith duckweed feeder to supplement feeding. 7 timer is setup for the operation of theduckweed feeder such that an equilibrium between optimal duckweed output of a tank andthe duckweed cover area is achieved, and such that no adEustment is required for at least afortnight to bench self&suBciency.

Setu! of o,ygenator-tan& circulator: There should always be more than one o%ygenator!aerator" in an aquarium system because break down of this important device can cause shfatality in short moments. $ince the air bubble sies of the o%ygenator can produce are verysmall but crucial, they tend to saturate the water. This can damage sh gills and cause shsick, Eust like sh cramming the surface to grasp for air when the water has low dissolvedo%ygen !-+". To prevent this, avoid using this device in very small aquarium(vessels. To buildit, place the air tube at the water inlet of water pump, adEust the end of tube until it getsclose enough to the turbine and eventually air is sucked in automatically. Turbine bladescrush air pockets into very small bubbles which can be way smaller than that of 9enturipumps !9enturi o%ygenator requires a powerful water pump, as it has a high water speed tobubble sie eBciency ratio", and hence energy is not wasted in water dynamics but rathercreating smaller air bubbles. 7s for this particular design of o%ygenator, it has been provento be very eective at creating the smallest bubbles with high energy eBcacy. For setup, thesie of bubbles produced is dependent on the depth of pump in water. $o adEust it by thedepth from the water surface until gas bubbles are continually spurted out but small. Fordetachable parts of the pump, try to use glue to % them up permanently.


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Setu! of water tray (!lants an$ coral .ones inserte$): In cases where your tankproduces e%tra nitrogenous wastes, you need additional water tray that contains water&>oating plants which absorb such waste that can be harmful to sh in high concentrations. If you purely feed your sh with pellets, water lettuce is highly needed to assimilatenitrogenous wastesJ in semi&intensive systems, duckweed is raised rather than water lettucefor food and nitrogen assimilation but duckweed is G.G times less eBcient at absorbingnitrogen, thus requiring more surface cover area for a certain amount of nitrogenous waste.

The following designs portrays the position of water trays* 1lace enough water lettuce orduckweed until the illuminated area of the water tray is lled with non&overlapping plants. If

you feed using sh pellets, water lettuce should be introduced. -uckweed is put to growmore of itself, by absorbing nutrients(waste in the vessel, which forms a nutrient&recyclingself&suBcient loop. The main purpose of putting plants inside water tray is to prevent theplants being overeaten or roots of water lettuce being eaten by sh. These plants wouldquickly absorb harmful ammonia from the water. +ften when ammonia lacks, this plantswitches to nitrite assimilation, and then nitrate. 1lace coral bones or calcium shells aroundthe tray which in saltwater terminology act as calcium reactor as o%ygenator is used incombination. 7s o%ygenator introduces carbon dio%ide that decrease water pH gets incontact with calcium shells, this hardens the water by producing soluble calcium bicarbonate!carbonic acid K calcium carbonate &L calcium bicarbonate". 4ost importantly, neutral pMaof calcium bicarbonate maintains proper pH of water, reducing the formation of unionisedform of ammonia !#HG" which is harmful to sh.

#ertilise water with /K fertiliser an$ salt (sea salt)' #1M is needed to grow algaewhich feed lter&feeding sh such as Tilapia, and also blur the water so as to provide bettersense of security for sh. This is advised because sh grows faster and healthier in murkywaters. -o not add fertiliser further when water is overblown with algae as sh pelletintroduces too much nitrogenous by&products !pellet is a form of fertiliser too". $alt providesthe most eective bath treatment, and is used to eliminate ciliated protooan parasites,including ich. $alt is used to curb the absorption of nitrite which causes gill diseases, and tomediate the osmotic pressure e%erted by freshwater on wounds in the skin and gill. Toproduce a ;.G< salt solution !a treatment dosage against most protooan parasites", tablespoon of salt is used per gallon of waterJ to produce a ;./< salt solution !a treatment


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dosage against Trichodina", = tablespoons of salt for every one gallon of waterJ and toproduce a ;.N< salt solution, G tablespoons of salt for every one gallon of water.

"ater steriliser' 8ou may install oone steriliser in your tank in order to decrease the levelof phytoplanktons and the likelihood of water&borne sh diseases such as the common ichand to prevent water fouling. The reason oone is superior over O9&=:nm is that oone is

able to completely break down organic matter into carbon dio%ide, while O9 light would onlydisrupt functioning of living organisms. 7lthough, water&borne algae and probiotic bacteria!found in sh health products" can be easily killed with oonated water, the asepticenvironment provides an overall healthier water condition for sh. Ay using oone steriliser,you would also have to compromise shP sense of security as algae is wiped out. -uring theday in poorly&aerated water, as the level of carbonic acid decreases, pH can reach as high asN.; in the afternoon while at night, respiration releases carbon dio%ide into the watercausing the pH to fall. The dying o of phytoplankton bloom can cause ammonia spikeswhich harm sh gills.

Thus, this can be solved by intense aeration of water, killing phytoplankton diversities or inemergency cases by adding dolomite and gypsum at dierent times of the day can shift thepH of water to neutrality. In this design, both air and water are pumped to ensure proper>ow through the oone generator machine, although the pumps are not drawn. The drynessof air at input determines the eBciency of any corona discharge oone generator. Thus airmust be treated with desiccants before being pumped into oone&producing chamber.$onicator !ultrasound generator" functions both as water atomiser and water degasser.ater is atomised in order to increase surface contact area between soluble organic matterand oone. $ince oone is harmful to all forms of life, degasser is used to remove minute gasbubbles that contain oone gas or dissolved oone. $onicator is one of the most eBcientmethod to degas, as with eBciencies within as few as ve seconds. 7lthough not drawn, thelast stage of this oone steriliser is a column consisting of porous iron o%ide which frequentreplenishes are needed. The iron o%ides remove oone remnants in the water. ith thesemeasure, the e%posure haard of sh to oone is minimal. The air in the mi%ing chamber isforced through a tube into the degassing chamber by feeding through an airstone. Aubblingof gas aids to return atomised water in the gas into the water. The water steriliser can becou!le$ with soli$ remover for continuous operation.

/lace a$equate sh' -epending on your vessel sie, put enough sh !determined by thevolume of eventual matured sh". The rule of thumb is the lower sh stocking density, thefaster sh grow. The ma%imum stocking density for any sh is ;kg adult sie per unitcubic meter, which is e%tremely not recommended. It is better to mi% dierent species ofsh !polyculture" as this reduces sh ght. 8ou should also put sh of same sies andprevent ornamental items in sh tanks to avoid territorial ghts as much as possible.

#ish !rotection an$ mosquito control: 0overing your tank is crucial as you do not wantevery visit greeted by dead sh on the >oor.1ut also some mosquito sh in shless watertrays to devour mosquito larva !mosquito only breed in still tanks without sh"as this proEectcan breed tons of mosquito.Instead of using opaque tank cover like polystyrene board,youcan use wire gaues to allow both sunlight and air in.

Scaleu! The information above is a good precursor to initiation of large&scale aquaculture. Thefollowing is a summary diagram of a standard design.

• $lanting waterbed designs allow eBcient collection of precipitated solids intotreatment plants

• 0entrifuge lter(backwash lter & in intermittent manner to remove large solids, cleanwater is released and eQuent is sent to settling basin. 8ou can also apply !roteins&immers in this section.


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• $ettling basin & further separate minute immiscible solids from eQuent, sludge isdispatched at times, clean water is recycled back into system

• Aiolter & natural&living microorganisms are bred in biolters to disintegrate solublewaste in the water. Together with biolter, it is also recommended to add arrays of waterplants or hy$ro!onics to sequester water&soluble nitrogenous wastes from the water.

• Auering tank & buers water from lters and settling basin.

• pH adEuster & double&sensor&controlled to act against out&of&range pH of water, twosensors at inlet and outlet to detect pH, and thus controlling amount of pH %er to beapplied, or control volume of water mi%ing

• +one(O9 disinfector & to kill disruptive waterborne microorganisms

• +%ygenator & to saturate the water with o%ygen and increase dissolved o%ygen !-+"before water is released into pond. In large&scale aquaculture, it is not recommended to runaerators intermittently, but to trickle the >ow until the water output is constantly saturatedwith ne air bubbles, so as to reduce waterborne diseases and increase sh metabolism.


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0i!s

"hat is antici!ate$:

5rowth of algae that makes water murky, this is to provide sense of security for thesh. If the sh feels safe, they grow faster as stress hormones in their body are low.1rovide as much o%ygen as possible. High dissolved o%ygen !-+" is needed to carry

out metabolism and digestion in the sh. The higher the -+, the more the sh eat,the faster they grow.=: hours full light blast. It depends on your Eudgement. 8ou can e%periment on theamount of hours.#o food waste !food pellets" unless you use duckweed and shrimps as feed. If youfeed sh pellets using an automatic feeder, adEust properly until no feed is wasted asit pollutes the tank with ammonia. 6.g. :&hour intervals.5row at their highest optimal temperature. -o research on what temperature is thebest for the fastest growth. For instance, tilapia is at G; -egree 0. 6lectric heater isneeded in cold climates.

8ou may double the equipments for your sh tank design so as to avoid downtimethat can cause sh fatality.

0hings %ou1ll ee$

R a big round water vessel !avoid corners that induce territorial ght of sh"R water tray !sies subEect to you, necessities subEect to design S ="R 0oral bonesR a normal submersible water pumpR hoses of right sies !bigger diameters give less clog"R automatic food feeder !subEect to your feed"R large area of wire gauesR ater lettuce or duckweedR 1lant fertilisers !#1M" and salt

7quarium equipment can sometimes seem a bit daunting, theres so many dierent thingsavailable and it can be diBcult to know what are the most suitable items for the set up you

are aiming for. $ome things are essential to all set ups, some are optional depending on the

sort of set up you wish to achieve. This article focusses on the things you are likely to need

for a freshwater set up. e are working on putting together a similar guide for aquarium

equipment for marine aquariums and set ups.

An un$erstan$ing of the nitrogen cycle2 the shless cycle2 an$ the nee$s of the

sh you wish to &ee!' The most important thing you need for all set ups is an understanding of the nitrogen cycle,

and basic water chemistry. #e%t you need a good understanding of the needs of the sh you

wish to keep. The sh you want to keep will in>uence the set up you need to provide. +n

the other hand, the set up you are able to provide may determine the sh you are able to

keep. For e%ample, if you are unable to provide a large aquarium then you will not be able

to keep very large species. $ome sh have specic requirements regarding dUcor for

e%ample so you will need to make sure youre prepared for what they need, while others are

less fussy.

7quariums

http://injaf.org/beginners-guides/the-nitrogen-cycle-and-the-fishless-cycle-getting-your-aquarium-ready-for-fish/http://injaf.org/beginners-guides/the-nitrogen-cycle-and-the-fishless-cycle-getting-your-aquarium-ready-for-fish/


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There are numerous options available on the market from Vplug n play aquariums to

bespoke ones. hether you buy new or nd a second hand bargain you must be sure that

the aquarium will be suitable for the ma%imum adult sie of the sh you want to keep.

$ome people start small and upgrade as the sh grow but this is very diBcult to do in

reality. 4any people nd it hard to Eudge when a larger aquarium is needed and

inadvertently risk the health of their pets by not providing them with the correctly sied

aquarium when they need it. Its far easier, cheaper and a lot less work to buy the right

sied aquarium in the rst place. Take a moment to think about the work needed to move

an entire set up from one aquarium to another with all the opportunities for chaos this

involves and hopefully youll agree that its better to get it right from the startW 8ou should

also consider that your circumstances might change. hile you may have every intention of

upgrading to a bigger aquarium when you rst get your sh, unforeseen circumstances may

prevent this. This is why we recommend that you buy the right sied aquarium from the

outset.

Aquariums come in many sha!es an$ si3es' 7 traditional rectangular glass aquarium is

usually the best option for most people. These provide a good surface area for gas

e%change which is benecial to the health of the sh as it means plenty of o%ygen is able toget into the water. Fish generally prefer to swim side to side. 7 rectangular

aquarium provides a good length for them to swim along. 0orner aquariums can give a

reasonable volume of water in a convenient space, and the swimming length is often quite

good too. 0ircular or bowl shaped aquariums make it harder for sh to enEoy a good length

of water for swimming. These aquariums can work for certain species but the shape of

aquarium you choose must be suitable for the species you wish to keep so make sure youve

researched properly beforehand. emember that the shes requirements always take

priority over the aesthetics of any particular style of aquarium. +nce you know the volume

of your aquarium you should subtract appro%imately ;< for dUcor. -Ucor displaces water

so will slightly reduce the amount of water your aquarium can hold.

7quarium stands

7quariums weigh a substantial amount when full so you need to be sure that anything you

use as a stand is capable of bearing the weight. 4any aquariums have stands available to

go with them and these are guaranteed to support them properly. If you buy a new tank you

should check the guarantee carefully in case it is invalidated if you dont use a certain

stand. If you choose to use something else, or make your own, you should work out how

much the whole aquarium will weigh when full of water and substrate before choosing or

making a stand. 6ven a smallish aquarium of seventy litres will weigh close to ninety&ve

kilogrammes or fourteen stone when full of water and with gravel substrate.

7quarium hood(lid

4ost aquariums need hoods or lids. $ome sh can be VEumpers by nature so you dont want

to nd your beloved pet has made a leap and ended up down the back of the aquariumW

Hoods also prevent cats from having a sh around in the aquarium so are essential if you

have pet cats too. Hoods help prevent e%cess water evaporation and are often used to hold

lights, and sometimes ltration. It is possible to do without a hood if you want an open

topped aquarium but you must be certain your sh will not Eump out and nothing else will

Eump inW


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7quarim Filters

There are a few dierent types of lter available. Filters work by drawing water in one side

and sending it through a series of ltration methods before pouring it back into the

aquarium. hichever type you choose you will need to be sure that it is rated for the sie of

aquarium you have. Filters come in dierent sies and dierent >ow rates. They are usually

Vrated for certain sies of aquarium and this will be specied in the manufacturers details. The type of lter you choose will depend on what sort of set up you are aiming for and what

sh you want to keep. Aelow are the most commonly used types of lter, there are others

but weve chosen to focus on these for the purpose of this article.Internal lters sit inside the aquarium. These are sometimes included in the purchase of

an aquarium and if so are often attached in place already so you dont need to worry about

installing it yourself. $ome are able to be removed though if you prefer to change it for an

alternative lter. There are plenty of dierent shapes and sies available, most are attached

by means of suction pads on the back which stick to the glass. They operate on mains

power. -ierent lters require dierent media, some use sponges, some use ceramics and

some a mi% of both. These are suitable for smaller set ups, or for lightly stocked aquariums.

Their smaller sie makes them unsuitable for larger communities or big, messy sh as they

cant hold enough media to grow a big enough colony of bacteria to cope with the waste.

An internal lter in a tro!ical aquarium An e,ternal canister lter

E,ternal lters sit outside the aquarium, usually underneath in a cabinet or stand and alsorun on mains power. 1lastic hose runs from the inside of the aquarium to the lter and back

again. They need to be below the level of the aquarium to operate eectively as they use

gravity and the siphon eect to help the pump(powerhead. The lter houses a

pump(powerhead which draws water out of the aquarium, through the hose and into the

lter. The water is then pumped back into the aquarium through another hose. 6%ternal

lters can be quite simple, or fairly all&singing all&dancing. 6heims range includes e%ternal

thermolters which have a heating element built into the lter itself meaning no separate


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heater is required to go in the aquarium. There are also lters with electronic controls which

allow you to control >ow rates etc. and even link your lter to your 10 to monitor itW

6%ternal lters are popular for larger aquariums as the larger sie of lter needed makes it

diBcult to accommodate a suitably sied internal lter. They are also popular for messy sh

which produce a lot of waste as the larger volume of media they can hold provides a larger

surface area for lter bacteria to live on. They tend to use a mi% of ceramic and spongemedia.

Air$riven s!onge lters are suitable for small and lightly stocked aquariums. They are

popular for fry aquariums and shrimp aquariums as the tiny creatures cant get sucked

inside as they might with an internal or e%ternal canister lter. The lters consist of a plastic

tube with a sponge attached to one end which sits inside the aquarium. The plastic tube is

attached to an airline powered by an air pump. The movement of the air through the tube

makes the water circulate through the tube as well. The water is drawn into the tube

through the sponge, it is the sponge that catches debris and houses the lter bacteria.

An air$riven s!onge lter on a fry tan&

4n$ergravel lters are often considered slightly old&fashioned, but as with most things

they have their place if used correctly. They work by means of a grid that sits on the bottom

of the aquarium, with a layer of gravel over the top. Oplift tubes, like those on air&driven

sponge lters, are attached to the grid. The lters are powered by air pumps, or

powerheads, and draw water down through the gravel and into the uplift tubes to be

returned to the aquarium. The gravel acts as the lter media and this is where the bacterial

colony lives. These can be reasonably eBcient lters but you do need to keep an eye on

debris and waste accumulation in the gravel. They are not suitable for planted aquariums as

the plant roots prevent water from moving freely across the plate. They are also not

suitable for sh that like to dig.

Filter accessories


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6%ternal lters need tu.ing to connect them to the inlet and outlets in the aquarium.

Tubing is usually provided with new purchases but you may need longer lengths depending

on your set up, or need to buy new if youve bought a second hand lter. Tubing comes in a

variety of diameters depending on the sie of your lter so make sure you know what sie

you need when you go shopping. 4ost aquatic stores will cut you the length you need from

a large reel, so check the length you need beforehand. Its better to buy slightly more than

you think you need than nd out youve slightly underestimated.

S!ray .ars are popular additions to the outlet of a lter. The outlet is the bit that returns

water to the aquarium. 7 spray bar is a rigid tube with holes along it, the water comes out

through the holes and distributes across the aquarium. These are not essential however.

They are often supplied as part of a lter kit.

#ilter me$ia refers to the sponges, ceramics and other ltration items that sit inside the

lter body. $ponges and ceramics remove debris mechanically by trapping bits and pieces

and preventing them returning to the aquarium. They also operate biologically by providing

a home to the lter bacteria which process the sh waste from to%ic to non to%ic. $ome

types of media are for specic purposes e.g. phosphate removal and these types of media

also need to be housed inside the lter body. #ewly purchased lters usually come with

media provided, but you may wish to swap it for a dierent type, or add additional media

depending on your requirements. If youve bought a second hand lter you should consider

replacing all the old media for new.

5enturi valves t to internal lters !depending on the model" and allow the lter to suck in

air as well as water so that when the water is returned to the aquarium it returns a >ow of

bubbles. This can be helpful in keeping the water well o%ygenated. 0ertain models of lter

come with them when you buy them from new but you dont have to use them if your sh

dont need them.

45 sterilisers are not crucial but they can be useful for delicate species to help keep

pathogens at bay. They have a mi%ed reception in the online community, some keepers nd

them to be eective but others dont nd they make much of a dierence. The type

pictured below t to an e%ternal lter inline with the lter hosing on the output side, but

could be powered by a small pump. The water >ows past an Oltra 9iolet light as it goes

through, the O9 light kills various pathogens and algae spores.


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45 steriliser for an aquarium

7quarium 2ighting

$ome aquariums come with lighting, some dont. 2ighting is not essential for all set ups but

it is certainly benecial for most. 2ighting on the aquarium isnt needed for the sh

themselves, as long as there is some light somehow for a number of hours to ensure a

dierence between day and night, such as from a window. If you want live plants for

e%ample, you will need suitable lights to help them grow. #octurnal sh can benet from

moonlighting which is a blue light mimicking the light of the moon on a dark night.

4oonlighting should be set to come on at twilight to encourage your nocturnal sh to

venture out so you can see them. There are several dierent lighting systems available.

The most commonly available type of lighting is >uorescent tubes. These come in dierentsies, T and TX. This refers to the diameter of the tubeJ T tubes are ve eighths of an inch

in diameter, TX tubes are eight eighths !or one inchW" in diameter. The metric equivalent of

these is /mm and =mm respectively. If you need to buy replacement tubes for your set

up make sure you know what diameter and length you need. Tubes come in many dierent

lengths, in most cases the lengths do not correspond to the length of the aquarium. For

e%ample, for a four foot long aquarium you will not need a four foot long light tube, you are

more likely to need a three foot one. 7s with the diameter, make sure you know what length

you need when you go shopping for replacements.For TX, the length for a given wattage is always the same, but for T there are two types,

YHigh +utputZ and Y#ormal +utputZ tubes. These are usually not interchangeable, but they

do come in the same sies for both types. 7quarium lighting is nearly always high output.

Fluorescent tubes come in dierent light spectrums, some are specically aimed at

encouraging good plant growth while others are designed to enhance the colours of the sh.

hichever you choose will depend on what sort of set up you are aiming for. Its worth

mentioning that tubes are available from other sources than sh shops, and a Y-aylightZ

/;;;&/;;M TX or T tube works Eust ne as a generic aquarium light and is often cheaper to

buy.

7ir pumps, bubbles and all that Ea


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7ir pumps are Eust that, pumps which pump air into the aquarium. This helps provide

aeration by increasing the surface area of the water for gas e%change. 6ach tiny bubble has

its own little surface area which helps o%ygen get into the water. 7ir pumps help increase

turbulence at the water surface, further enabling o%ygen to be taken into the water. The

position of the air stone in the aquarium can help avoid dead spots and improve circulation

as the movement of the air through the water eectively Vdrags water up from the bottom

of the aquarium.

Air !um!s sit outside the aquarium and feed air into the water through an airline. 7n

airline is a thin plastic tube which is attached to the air pump outside the aquarium and

takes the air from the pump into the aquarium. 7irline is a standard diameter, you simply

buy as much as you need for the arrangement you want. If you choose the blue silicone

airline be warned that over time it contracts where it is in the water, so make sure you leave

enough Vslack to account for this inside the aquarium. 7irline tends to go sti with age so

you may need to replace it if you decide to alter your layout at any point.

An air!um! for an aquarium

7irline is usually attached to the aquarium sides with suction cu!s. 8ou can buy these inpacks and they are usually quite cheap to buy. 7s with the blue airline, these change

slightly over time when in water and the plastic can become stier and less able to stick to

the glass. 8ou can simply replace with new as needed, or sometimes a few minutes in a

mug of freshly boiled water will reEuvenate them for a time. If you are condent you wont

want to move your airline you can use aquarium silicone to stick the suckers to the glass

before you ll the aquarium with water.

It is important that you have a nonreturn valve in the airline between the pump and the

water. These are sometimes included with air pump kits but often you have to buy them

yourself. In the event of a power cut they prevent water siphoning from the

aquarium through the airline and into the pump.

7ir pumps can power a variety of ornaments or air stones. hatever you choose youmust make sure that it is suitable for the sh you will be keeping. $ome sh like a lot of

bubbles, some like a few and some dont like them at all. There are all manner of decorative

items available from gnashing sharks to treasure chests but there are also plenty of more

subtle options such as plain air stones or bubble curtains. Have a good browse around your

local shop, or look online to nd one that you and your sh will like.


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An aquarium air!um! tte$ with airline2 nonreturn valve an$ a small airstone

7quarium heaters

Heaters are important for tropical set ups where the water temperature often needs to be

higher than the ambient temperature of the room the aquarium is in. 4any keepers of

temperate(coldwater sh also keep heaters in their aquariums to ensure steady

temperatures during winter when temperatures in the home can drop during the night when

central heating is o. There are various dierent types of heater and dierent sies

available for dierent sied aquariums. The general rule of thumb is one watt per litre of

water. For larger set ups it can be better to have two smaller heaters at either end of the

aquarium to ensure even distribution of warmth.

60ra$itional7 style heaters are glass tubes with a heating element and thermostat. These

go inside the aquarium and should be attached to the rear glass. They should be in an area

of good >ow to prevent Vhot spots forming and creating uneven water temperatures.

/lastic heater guar$s are recommended to prevent any curious sh inEuring themselves if

they get stuck. Rena Smartheaters work by replacing the inlet for the lter with a heater,

the water gets drawn through the heater on the way to the lter. The $martheater is on the

left, the traditional style heater on the right in the photo shown below.


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0wo $i8erent styles of aquarium heaters

Inline heaters t in the lter tubing between the lter and the aquarium and warm the

water as it passes through them. $ome lters have heating elements incorporated, for

e%ample the 6heim Thermolter range. These have a heating element in the lter canister

and provide a constant temperature.

7 thermometer is useful to help keep a check on water temperature. 7 good quality digital

thermometer is recommended. These will help you make sure that the thermostat on your

heater is accurate !some can be a little o, its wise to check" and to check that your heater

is optimally positioned for an even water temperature. It will also be useful when you are

trying to temperature match fresh water for a water change with the temperature of the

water in the aquarium.

-Ucor and accessories

Su.strate is simply the term for whatever you use to cover the bottom of your aquarium. It

is important that you know what sort of sh you will be keeping before you choose your

substrate. 0ertain species have specic requirements which you will need to cater for in

order to keep them healthy. It is no mean feat to change your substrate if you decide you

made the wrong decision so take some time to think it through and choose something that

you will like for many years to come and that your sh will also like. San$ is popular,

especially with sh that like to dig or burrow. 4any species of loach and catsh do well with

sand as larger particle substrate can damage their barbels. 8ou can buy specic aquarium

sand but many people prefer to use childrens play sand as it serves the same purpose and

is often cheaper. 8ou should ensure that the sand you choose is inert, that is to say it will

not aect the water chemistry by changing the hardness or pH. 7 quick test is to drip some

vinegar on a sample, if it es it is not inert.

9ravel is also popular. There are a wide range of gravel colours and sies. hen choosingyour colour be sure to consider the preferences of the sh over your own personal

preferences. Fish wont naturally encounter neon pink gravel and bright colours can stress

them leading to illness and possibly death, it might sound melodramatic but stress can have

a serious aect on sh and can be caused by things you might not e%pect. e recommend

natural colours, these are preferable for the sh as they mimic the colours the sh would

naturally encounter.

Soil an$ !lanting me$iums can be used either as standalone substrates depending on the

product, or capped with a layer of sand or gravel. These are suitable for aquariums where a

planted set up is required. 4any plants do Eust ne without them though so you can still

achieve a nice planted set up without them. If you are aiming for a heavily planted set up

you may wish to consider a specialist planting substrate.

*cor is often dictated by the requirements of the sh but in many cases you can add

ornaments and plants as you choose. hatever you choose be sure it is suitable for the sh

you are keeping and wont stress or upset them as this can damage their health. "oo$ is a

popular choice for many set ups. Aogwood, mangrove root, mopani wood etc. as sold in

aquatics stores are all suitable for aquarium use. -ont be tempted to add any wood youve

collected yourself as it might be unsuitable and leach to%ins into the water. 4ost aquatics


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stores sell roc&s which are suitable for use in aquariums. If you collect rocks from a beach

or other area you must be absolutely sure that you are legally allowed to remove them from

the collection area !check your local bylaws or ask your local council for advice", that they

are completely clean and free of contaminants, and that they are inert and will not aect

your water chemistry. 4any species of sh like caves or other similar hiding places. ;ive

!lants are a great addition to the maEority of aquariums. 8our choices may be limited if you

have large, boisterous sh or sh that enEoy eating plants but dont let this put you o live

plants. /lastic or sil& !lants can also be used to add shape and movement to an

aquarium, although we think that once youve tried live plants you wont want plastic ones.

7 good compromise for big, boisterous sh is to have a mi% of real and fake plants. -ont be

afraid of using live plants, there are plenty that are suitable for beginners or for fairly basic

set ups.

A mi, of live an$ fa&e !lants in a large gol$sh aquarium

;ea$ !lant weight is useful not only for weighing down bunches of stem plants but also for

wrapping round airline before burying it under the substrate. This helps keep it in place and

stops sh from digging it up.

ater and water test kits

"ater +on$itioner is used to treat tap water to make it safe for sh. 8ou might think if its

safe to drink it ought to be safe for sh but this is not the case. Tap water contains chlorine,

and often chloramines which are used by water companies to keep bacteria at bay.

Onfortunately these chemicals damage lter bacteria and can harm the sh too. ater

conditioners also remove heavy metals from the water which means these cannot beabsorbed by the sh and risk causing them health problems. 8ou should always use water

conditioner on tap water before adding the water to the aquarium. $ome water conditioners

can be used to deto%ify ammonia and nitrite in an emergency. +thers contain additives such

as aloe vera which is intended to help protect the shes slime coat. hen you choose your

water conditioner it is best to choose one which deals with chloramines as this is being used

more frequently by water boards.


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"ater test &its are your friend. 7 test kit is an essential piece of kit for every shkeeper.

egular testing helps spot any potential problems before they arise so you can take remedial

action if necessary. For freshwater systems you should be able to test for ammonia, nitrite,

nitrate, pH, 5H and MH as a minimum. There are various kits available on the market, the 71I

4aster Test Mit is a good choice as it covers most things you will need to test for. 5H(MH kits

are available separately to this.

7 well used aquarium water testing kit

7quarium 0leaning

9ravel vacuums are used to remove grot and debris from the substrate. $ome will remove

water at the same time so are great for water changes, others are battery powered and

circulate the water through a mesh to catch dirt and return water to the aquarium.

7 gravel vacuum is a useful piece of aquarium equipment


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good but do be careful when handling them as they are rather sharp !as one of us knows to

their costW".

A magnetic algae scra!er for an aquarium

=l$ cre$it car$s are popular alternatives to algae scrapers, you can use these as you

would use an ice scraper on a car windscreen. They do require you to get your arms in the

aquarium though so you may prefer a magnetic scraper if your sh like a nibbleW

#ish nets are useful for the obvious Eob of catching your sh should you need to move them

to a dierent aquarium or to e%amine them more closely in case of illness. Aut they are also

very useful for catching bits and pieces in the water, stirring up and catching surface grot onsand, and retrieving things like plant weights inadvertently dropped in the aquarium during

maintenance.

ater changes and cleaning can be made much easier with a few key items. 7 good quality

.uc&et is a must. 4ost hold about ; litres but its very useful to measure out the ; litre

mark with some water and a measuring Eug if your bucket is not marked already and then

mark on the outside with a permanent marker. 7 !lastic measuring >ug is useful for many

and various things during water changes, once you have one youll wonder how you did

without it. 7 large one and a small one are a good idea.

on stic& washing u! s!onges !make sure they dont come pre&soapedW" are good for

cleaning glass and ornaments. Take some aquarium water out and rinse the sponge well init before you use it for the rst time. V6co cloths or micro.re cloths are e%cellent for

cleaning the front of the glass without needing to use chemical cleaners.

If you have a large aquarium you may nd a large, foo$ safe $ust.in a helpful item for

storing fresh water in readiness for your water change. 7 normal $ust.in is good for

holding dirty water being siphoned out of the aquarium if you have a large aquarium.

+therwise .uc&ets or !lastic gar$en trugs are useful. /lastic sheeting2 or large


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!lastic .ags are very helpful in protecting the surrounding area from drips and splashes

during water changes. -epending on your choice of lter you may nd a !lastic funnel

useful for pouring water into the lter for priming it.

For large aquariums, you may nd a $irty water !um!, or rain .utt !um! and some

gar$en hose useful for pumping old water out of whatever container youve siphoned it

into. These pumps are also useful for pumping clean water out of a storage bin and into theaquarium.

A $irty water !um! can .e a great hel! for em!tying .ins of ol$ water

7 selection of .rushes is good to have at hand. 7 new washing up brush and bottle brush

are great for cleaning lter inlets and getting into corners. 7 lter tu.e cleaning .rush ona long wire is invaluable for cleaning the tubes on e%ternal lters as these can gather quite a

lot of dirt and slow the >ow on your lter over time.


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A variety of cleaning .rushes2 sh net an$ tur&ey .aster?

@attery !owere$ stic& on cu!.oar$ lights are great for helping you see whats plugged

in where when youre on hands and knees trying to nd the right switch in your cupboardW

Stic& on la.els are also very useful for labelling plugs so you know that youre unplugging

what you intended to.

@attery !owere$ stic& on cu!.oar$ lights are great for aquarium cu!.oar$s

;a.elle$ !lugs will sto! you un!lugging the wrong !iece of aquarium equi!ment


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e strongly recommend you have a good supply of ol$ towels an$ tea towels that you

keep near the aquarium. The number of times you need one when the nearest one is out of

reach is remarkableW

The Eoy of setting up and properly maintaining a freshwater aquarium is one that ise%perienced by an increasing number of people every year. 7 new aquarium owner might belulled into thinking that a small aquarium is ine%pensive, low maintenance, and requires verylittle time. hile you can certainly try to operate an aquarium under these assumptions, itprobably will not be successful, your sh will not thrive and may die, and you will not enEoy itnearly as much as you would if you did it correctly. hile you may be tempted to purchase a[NN.;; starter kit that includes Peverything you need,P you should be aware that there aremany more e%penses involved as well as a serious time commitment on your part.

The purpose of this article is not to discourage you from starting an aquarium, but to makeyou aware of the cost and commitment required in running a healthy and successfulaquarium. 7s a veterinarian, one of my pursuits is to ensure that every animal receivesadequate, humane care. This also includes sh. Aecause sh can not verbalie their needsand we are not able to PtouchP them, as well as the fact that many people consider sh aslower life forms, their welfare is often neglected. The old adage \if a sh dies wePll Eust get anew one\ has no business in the language of the modern sh keeper. $tudy after study hasshown that these creatures possess advanced nervous systems and feel pain and suering

Eust as much as their mammalian counterparts. If potential aquarium owners are not willingto acknowledge this and are not committed to the shPs well being rst and foremost, thenthey are not ready to keep sh. 7n aquarium should not be viewed as a decoration but as aliving, biological environment that provides a healthy, safe refuge for the sh that live there.7 well maintained, healthy aquarium becomes an obEect of beauty. 7 poorly maintainedaquarium is an eyesore and the cause of death for the unlucky sh inhabitants.

The cost of running an aquarium is important because if an aquarium owner is not willing toinvest the necessary money and time in doing it right, then the sh will suer and die as aresult. The following cost chart takes into account only the basic cost of a small to mediumsied freshwater tank. $alt&water tanks are for e%perts only and costs for freshwater tanksare a fraction of a salt&water setup. The cost of your time is not taken into considerationhere. $etting up and maintaining a tank is a hobby and a Eoy. If you look at tankmaintenance as an unpleasant chore, then you will not spend enough time maintaining itand therefore have an unhealthy tank, and should consider a dierent hobby. The pricelisted is for a =N&gallon tank, which is a great starter sie. Tanks smaller than = gallons are

not suitable for most freshwater set&ups and should be reserved for hospital or quarantinetanks. If you enEoy your aquarium, you will soon nd yourself PneedingP a larger tank and thecost will go up accordingly.


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Item +ost

Tank [;;.;;

$tand [X.;;

Fish [C;.;;

2ight(Hood [G.;;

5ravel [.;;

Food [;.;;

1lants !plastic(real" [G.;;

Heater [.;;

Filter [:;.;;

Filter 0artridges ! year" [:G.;;

0arbon [C.;;

0hlorine educer [.;;

1h(7mmonia Test Mit [X.;


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#et [/.;;

eplacement Aulbs ! year" [=;.;;

Thermometer [G.;;

4edication [.;;

-riftwood(ock [:.;;

7lgae $craper [/.;;

$iphon [X.;;

0otal: BCD'B

The list of items and their corresponding costs are accurate estimates for what it recentlycost me to set up a =N&gallon tank. I could have spent much more on sh and equipment,but not much less. 7 C&gallon tank, which is a popular medium sied tank, could easily costtwice the amount to purchase and set up. This price assumes that your sh and plants stayhealthy. If you need to treat and replace them, realie that your cost could go higher andthere are many little things that I will probably need throughout the year that I have notincluded in the cost.

7s this price chart shows, even a small, simple tank is a big investment and the sh onlyrepresent a small part of the initial cost. However, if you do not spend the time and moneyto buy quality equipment, your sh will do poorly and die. Fish tanks are often purchased asa hobby or novelty for children. Aut as you can see, the cost and e%pertise are way beyond a

childPs capability or interest and the tank must be primarily funded and maintained by aninterested adult. 0hildren love and can benet from a well&maintained tank and often enEoyparticipating in the care of the sh, but should never be solely responsible for themaintenance and care of these delicate creatures.

In summary, once you are aware of the cost and time commitment needed to properly carefor an aquarium you can begin researching the inhabitants of your future tank. -esign yourtank with the sh in mind. 1rovide lots of plants, hiding places, and the correct waterchemistry. $tart slowly and let your tank PageP for a couple of weeks before you add sh.


25/26

0hoose the right kind of sh that work well together and read everything you can get yourhands on. #ever accept the death of a sh as normal and strive for the healthiest, most wellmaintained tank possible. Then sit back and enEoy the real beauty of the special company ofthese happy, healthy living creatures.

It is frequently said that people sell fry to cover the cost of running their aquarium(s and that

the hobby of sh keeping can be an e%pensive one so we thought !and may regretW" it wouldbe a good idea to try and quantify this. e will go over we we consider to be a standard tank

with standard equipment as an e%ample however have put together a calculator which you

can nd at the end of this article to work out what the cost of running your aquarium is

!dont blame me if its higher than e%pectedW".

7s we see it, a typical aquarium is a =:; litre : foot tank with a G;; heater and =%

standard TX tubes and a Fluval G;/ lter. This is as you would buy it from the local sh store

and is all is required to get it up and running. There are of course other things to take in to

consideration such as how long the lighting is on for, ambient room temperature !this aects

how long the heater is on for" and other equipment you may add such as powerheads, e%tra

ltration and the like.$o if we take the basic set up we have the following equipment*

• Fluval G;/ Filter ] • 1ower&5lo Fluorescent 7quarium TX 2ight Tube ] :;

• 7qua&5lo Fluorescent 7quarium TX 2ight Tube ] :;

• Fish Tank Heater ] G;;

I have listed the wattage of the equipment in the above list, this is essential to working out

the cost of running, all equipment manufacturers will state the wattage of their equipment

so you will need to nd this out before you can work out the cost of running your sh tank.

http://www.tropicalfishsite.com/fluval-306-external-canister-filter-review/http://www.tropicalfishsite.com/fluval-306-external-canister-filter-review/http://www.tropicalfishsite.com/fluval-306-external-canister-filter-review/


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e now need to look at each piece of equipment and how long it is on for and therefore how

much it costs to run !we will work out the annual cost"*Fluval G;/ lter ] =: hours per day

! atts @ =: hours(day @ G/ days(year" ^ ;;; ? G.:kh2ight tubes %= ] : hours per day

!X; atts @ : hours(day @ G/ days(year" ^ ;;; ? :;X.Xkh

Heater ] =: hours per day !this is worst case scenario and will be very unlikely to be on for=: hours per day"

!G;; atts @ =: hours(day @ G/ days(year" ^ ;;; ? =/=Xkh$o the total kilo att hours !kh" to run our standard aquarium !worst case scenario" is

G/X.=kh7t the time of writing the cost of a kh is around = pence so the cost of running the

aquarium for a year is ;.= % G/X.= ? _GX;.X so roughly _ per day.

Documents

How to Run a Self Sufficient Intensive Aquarium