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Marine Aquarium Set Up
The earth's tropical oceans are the planet's most stable environment. A relatively short distance below the surface, and away from the shoreline, nothing changes from day tonight, from winter to summer or from year to year. The parameters of the fishes' surroundings are incredibly constant - the temperature, the salinity, the pH level, the oxygen content, the very composition of the water is never-changing. It follows, therefore, that a typical marine fish has no built-in mechanism for change and it is this that makes the hobby of keeping marine fishes such a challenge. If the Aquarius does not take care to create a similarly unchanging environment for his charges, then disaster looms. Unlike their freshwater counterparts, marine fishes do not adapt readily to life in an aquarium and rarely breed in captivity. As result, the vast majority of all captive marine fishes are wild-caught and must be treated with greater respect than even the most temperamental freshwater fishes. All this may make the prospect of keeping marine fishes sound rather daunting, but when housed in the right conditions, there is no reason why they should not thrive. Many of the same basic principles apply to setting up and maintaining a marine aquarium, but the important exceptions are carefully described and explained. With the wide range of specialist equipment available today, keeping marines is well within the scope of the enthusiastic and dedicated fish keeper. The type of tank you choose will depend on the location you have in mind, how you want it to look, and the amount of money you have to spend. As for freshwater tropical fishes,virtually every marine tank is made from glass panels sealed with silicone aquarium sealant, although there are models that incorporate plastic or wood-grain trimming to improve their final appearance. It is important to avoid metal trims and appendages because these will quickly corrode when exposed to salt water. The tank should have a tight-fitting sliding cover glass, which not only prevents fish escaping, but also reduces evaporation (which upsets the salt balance), prevents water splashing out, and keeps out unwelcome intruders, whether they be cats, children, or simply dust, fumes and aerosol sprays. As far as size is concerned, there is no absolute minimum size aquarium in which to keep marine fishes, but it is advisable to consider tank holding 104 liters (about 23 gallons) as the least allowable, an done holding 156 liters (34 gallons) or more as preferable. Transferred into sizes, this means that you should start off with a tank measuring no less than 90x30x38cm(36x12x15in) in length, width and depth,although one measuring 90x38x45cm (36x15x18in) would be better.The actual dimensions are irrelevant, however, because it is the finished volume of water that is the sole criterion for size considerations. Marine aquariums can be divided into two sorts: simple boxes, wi thor without adornment and hood arrangements; and complete systems,with all or much of the equipment included within the fabric of the tank. The step-by-step photographs show how to set up a basic all-glass marine aquarium. In many ways, the sequence follows the same basic steps involved in setting up the freshwater aquarium. The major differences are that the water will be salty and that the life-support' systems, such as lighting, heating and filtration,need to function more efficiently and within stricter tolerances to support the more sensitive marine creatures displayed in the finished aquarium. The captions to the setting up photographs reflect the practical steps involved, while the main text discusses more general points concerned with filtration, lighting, heating, salt balance and testing equipment.
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