Salt Water Aquariums

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Salt Water Aquariums
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Salt water aquariums
Introduction and equipment
Set up and run time
Disease Prevention
Maintenance
Filtration
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Introduction

• Oceans represent the most stable environment
  found on this planet
• At any given location, all parameters (temp.,
  chemical ions, pH, alkalinity,) are constant.
• Marine fish are extremely sensitive to a
  fluctuating environment
• A salt water or marine aquarium is NOT a
  miniature ocean!
• It is a closed system.

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Basic Equipment

• Aquarium tank 20 gallon
• Air Pump/External Filter
• help with mechanical and chemical filtration
• helps to aerate water
• Provides water circulation
• Filtrant Crushed coral (calcium carbonate) acts
  as buffer, maintaining pH levels

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Basic Equipment cont.

• Hydrometer used to measure specific gravity
• Thermometer used to measure temperature

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Basic Equipment cont.

• Synthetic Sea salts has a carefully defined
  chemical composition and is free from pollutants
• Food health and longevity of marine fish depend
  upon the quality and quantity of food.
• Feed an eye worth of food daily for maximum
  nutrition and minimum waste
• Live foods, fresh and frozen foods, and prepared
  dried foods are all suitable

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Set Up

• Aquarium Set Up (detailed instruction will be
  provided the day of set up)
• Four parts
• Clean aquarium
• Prepare filtrant (gravel)
• Set up filter/pump
• Mix salt and water then add to the tank

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Run In Time Background

• Before mid-1960s marine animals in aquariums
  died within a few weeks or months
• Japanese researchers discovered that after
  organisms were introduced into a closed system,
  the water chemistry changes
• Changes were due to nitrogen cycle products
• Biological filtration

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Run In Time

• To establish nitrogen cycle in aquarium, a
  hardy marine organism must be added
• The biological filter should stabilize after 2-3
  weeks.
• Nitrifiers firmly established
• Oxidation of ammonia through nitrate will be well
  functioning

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Disease Prevention

• Most disease in the marine aquariums can be
  related to deteriorated water quality
• Disease causing organisms are always present in
  aquariums
• Alterations in the environment will cause a
  stress on the animals
• Ex additional organisms added
• Cures bought over the counter can cause more
  damage than good
• Can kill nitrifying bacteria
• Add copper which further stresses organisms

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Maintenance

• Feeding
• DO NOT OVERFEED
• Invertebrates need only be fed twice (2X) a week
• Marine fish should be feed an eye worth of food
  daily
• Remove food that has not been consumed in 5-10
  minutes
• Gelbstoff Dissolved organic material which
  causes tint in old aquarium water

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Maintenance cont.

• Partial water changes
• 25 water change every 4-6 weeks
• Removes excess nitrate
• Replenish lost trace elements
• Maintain pH
• Addition of filtrant
• Maintain pH
• Replenish lost trace elements

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Filtration

• Three types
• Biological
• Mechanical
• Chemical

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Biological Filtration

• Detoxifies waste products that accumulate in the
  water
• Nitrosomonas bacteria utilizes ammonia (NH4) and
  converts it
• Nitrobacter bacteria that converts nitrite to
  nitrate

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Chemical Filtration

• Process by which dissolved organic compounds are
  removed from the water
• Uses specialized chemical filter media
• ACTIVATED CARBON
• Prevents GELBSTOFF
• Prevents clogged filters

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Mechanical Filtration

• Process by which particulate matter is removed
  from the water
• Wonderfilter prevents Nemo escape and bigger
  particles from clogging the pump
• Foam pads removes finer particles from the water

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pH and Alkalinity

• Ocean ph range 7.5-8.4 (slightly basic)
• Values between 8.2 to 8.4 are typical
• In the aquarium there is a continual decline in
  pH
• pH can be maintained by carbonates
• Crushed coral is an ideal source
• Specific Gravity Range is 1.021 to 1.025