Imprint Aquarium Making– Fishkeeping and Maintenance by Mundy Obilor Jim. Copyright © 2014 JimArts, Norway, Tel:+47-948-81-969 All rights reserved. eISBN 978-82-998906-5-6 No portion of this book may be used for further publication without the written permission of the publisher as it is protected under the copyright laws.
Contents Summary Preface From The Author Chapter 1. Aquarium Makeup Chapter 2. The Crucial Tips Chapter 3. Feeding And Breeding Hints Chapter 4. Common Problems And Diseases Chapter 5. Goldfish Wins Chapter 6. Aquarium Setup Glossary Bibliography
Preface centuries, fish have been found worthy of keeping as pets or in F orcaptivity by people and the interests have grown continually due to the many fun ways of making the aquarium and caring for the fish. Fish has become one of the most popular pets in many parts of the world. Fishkeeping has been advanced in recent decades with fancier and easier methods and even the breeding of fish for pets has improved greatly in terms of techniques. This book is for both experienced fishkeepers who have had aquariums for a considerable period of time and for new aquarium hobbyists alike. It is for those who want to build and set up their own aquariums and for those who wonder how they can dismantle the aquarium accessories and still be able to set up the aquarium to function appropriately. It also aims at teaching how to properly maintain the aquarium, feed the fish adequately, know when they are sick or need attention and take good care of them. A lot has been learnt about different types of fish that can be nicely kept as pets in aquariums. We now want to keep beautiful fish like the goldfish, those with striking colours like the zebra danios and even the odd-looking ones like the leaf-fish and longnose. We have come to know fish which can survive long in aquariums, types of environment that favour some particular fish, compatibility of fish, etc. The book will surely serve as an elaborate guideline which I believe will also enable anyone interested in the aquarium hobby to benefit from and even study further, especially on deeper areas like breeding. It starts with the make-up of an aquarium in chapter 1. Chapter 2 renders several crucial tips while chapter 3 dwells on feeding and gives some tips on breeding. No one will ignore the challenges or common problems and diseases associated with keeping an aquarium and these are treated in chapter 4. The most commonly kept aquarium pet, the goldfish gets chapter 5 and finally
in chapter 6, a step-by step approach in setting up an aquarium is outlined; and this will help those who just want to set up an aquarium right away.
From the Author
I
started my journey with aquariums in my early youth days. I had the privilege of working in an aquarium firm which deals with aquarium manufacturing, aquarium design, accessories sales, maintenance and service. I also worked with the team in charge of fish ponds and breeding. For me it was a combination of an interesting job for a high school graduate and a passionate hobby which I enjoyed so much that I built up many tricks and made notes for myself. I experimented extensively with customers' aquariums and with my own personal aquariums. When I started writing books, I recalled the practical experiences I have had in building aquariums, servicing them and caring for fish and I decided to share them in this book. I am quite sure that any one who likes aquariums and is practical-minded will benefit from my journey in aquarium making, fishkeeping and maintenance.
Chapter 1
Aquarium Makeup aquarium is usually made of a glass or transparent plastic tank A ncoupled with a variety of accessories and decorations in which fish or other water-related creatures live in captivity. There are bowlshaped aquariums simply regarded as fish bowls. They are not large enough to host a considerable number of fish and are mostly without filters which make them less popular than regular aquariums. In some communities keeping fish in bowls (especially the goldfish) has become illegal under 'domestic animal welfare legislation'[1] as there is a risk of stress and suffocation to the fish due to high de-oxygenation rate and poisoning by ammonia. In other words, goldfish have high oxygen needs and their high waste output makes these bowls inappropriate environment for them.
Figure 1.1 – A simple aquarium design containing three air-powered accessories.
Aquarium design A simple aquarium design is shown in Figure 1.1. A single airpump is meant to aerate three accessories: an external filter (1), a decoration (2) and a long airstone (3) via a cross-connector. A combination of stones, gravel and sand is part of the design. This aquarium has three artificial plants. The red thin lines from the crossconnector are a representation of the airhose. This is a basic design suitable for any aquarium within 36 inches in length, 12 inches wide and 15 inches high. A design of a tank greater than 36 inches in length will most likely require more accessories and extra connectors. We assume here that we already have the aquarium stand and a cover fitted with lighting.
Building the tank Aquarium tanks are usually built in such a way that the number of view sides are one or several. One-sided view could imply that the two other sides are backgrounds and the top and base views are triangular in shape. Figures 1.2 shows that we can achieve different tank shapes.
Figure 1.2 – Two basic tank shapes (four-sided and five-sided tanks).
The all-glass type is built by joining sheets of glasses with silicone sealant (Figure 1.3). The commonest way is to firmly hold the glass frame with masking tapes at the four corners of the tank frame (this coupling process may involve 2 persons). The glass must have been cut accurately to the required dimensions to avoid eventual cracks or sudden breakages of the built tank due to pressure or lack of symmetry. The sealant is applied with the gun within the gap from bottom to top and smoothed with the tip of a finger once or twice (also from bottom to top). Assume you are smoothing with the tip of your finger a sticky substance between two planes at right angle to each other. It is best to use a colourless sealant for joining the glass sheets.
Figure 1.3 – Glass coupling for the application of silicone sealant.
Best alignment practice People may have different ways of coupling the glass sheets to get a tank. From experience, there are two simple configurations to join the glass sheets.
Figure 1.4 – Best glass alignment practice before they are joined with silicone sealant.
1. Alignment 1: This is suitable for the coupling of any tank of less than 70 litres, and it shows that the side glass sheets can be placed on top of the base glass sheet before the silicone sealant is applied (Figure 1.4). A 4 millimetre glass thickness will be sufficient for a tank within this volume. 2. Alignment 2: Surrounding the base glass with the side glass sheets is the best secure option for a tank that should hold more than 70 litres of water, i.e. the side glass sheets are placed not on top but around the base glass. The glass thickness should be at least 5 millimetres. After coupling the tanks, it is usually allowed to dry for about 48 hours before the actual setup depending on the quality or type of sealant used. Some sealant should be left for more than two days for effective strength. As soon as the tank is ready for use, the edges should be smoothed by any suitable coated abrasive such as glasspaper to avoid unnecessary cuts and injuries (sandpaper which are
less popular can also be used). Although various shapes of tanks are built today, the most common shape remains the four-sided tank (shown in figure 1.3). This shape is ideal and experienced aquarists prefer them to several other shapes as it is easier to build and it gives a wide area of view which is the key factor— that the environment should portray an ideal aquatic life. Before we go further, it is necessary to treat separately the vital kits that make up an aquarium, which may be part of the accessories or part of the decorations.
Sand and gravel As sand and stones are on the seabed or in any aquatic environment, so it should be inside an aquarium. In addition to their beauty, they are useful in forming a firm grip for the plants and other decorations to the aquarium bed, and they give the fish some great natural feelings. In some way, the gravels store all the waste for the plants and of course, without these gravels and in the absence of a filter the wastes will do a lot of harm to the fish. Activated charcoal is often used with the gravels in mechanical filters to remove odour by absorbing unwanted chemical substances (see filters in chapter 2).
Tip: Aquariums with natural plants stay a longer period than those with only artificial plants before a service is required and this is due to the presence of a natural biological process which is beneficial to the fish.
Aeration and connectors The airhose or rubber hose is of small diameter to fit the size of the connectors. It is through the hose that air is supplied to the filter, various aerators, decorations and other accessories. The connectors—
cross-connector, T-connector or other form of gang valves divert the air to two or more accessories through the hose. Another important accessory utilised at this stage is the air-control or clamp which is fixed on the airhose to regulate the air pressure required by each accessory.
Figure 1.5 – A clamp; airhose; cross-, direct- and T-connectors.
Airstones Most aquariums need a reasonable amount of air supply and circulation. Some fishkeepers will choose to use only filters but in addition to them it is often desirable to operate airstones or other aerators. Airstones come in different forms and shapes— round, cylindrical, long, etc. Their major function is to circulate the water system oxygen and carbon dioxide and of course, to add some sort of water turbulence beauty. Airstones are sometimes called diffusers and by their name or nature, they last for a long time. They get blocked after a long time due to excess waste but to clean them up and free the air pores, they can be boiled or held under a hot running water.
Figure 1.6 – A one-outlet airpump, long airstone and round airstone.
Airpump The airpump is the power house of the aquarium used in pushing air into the water. Airpumps are relatively cheap, efficient and are easy to use and maintain. They differ in sizes or power which just means that the more powerful the airpump is, the more air can be supplied into the aquarium. Ideally, the size of an airpump needed does not necessarily depend on the size of the available tank but depends on the number of installations in the tank. However, some airpumps have regulators which Keep the output low or high with the means of a knob. By switching the knob from high to low, one will notice less vibration indicating that the pump is operating at its minimal level. It is often noted on airpumps that they should be placed higher than the aquarium water level to avoid water siphoning back through the airhose and entering the airpump electrical coils when there is an
electrical switch-off or power failure. This may result to airpump damage. One good thing is that some airpumps are engineered to guard against this and it does not matter whether they are placed above or below the water level. The simple reason for this kind of pump failure is that when the coil (an electrical part of the airpump system) gets wet, the airpump will be damaged as soon as electricity is switched on again. Having said that, the airpump is an electrical piece of machinery which may get damaged at some point in time.
Tip: Some airpumps are constructed with special non-return valves which stop water from entering them through the airhose, in which case the airpump can be on the floor.
The airpump gets its air supply from the surroundings or room atmosphere and if the room atmosphere is contaminated, the airpump should be switched off immediately. This could mean that one should avoid using insecticides or spraying any chemicals near the aquarium. If the use of sprays must be carried out, the airpump should be switched off immediately and the aquarium covered for a short period not only to avoid air intakes but also the dissolution of chemicals into the water. Experience has shown that fish have died when the above precautions have not been taken. Some airpumps vibrate with some noise when placed on strong or hard surfaces and often the noise can be reduced by placing them on a felt or foam. Good enough, some are constructed to vibrate almost noiselessly and some have been engineered with excellent rubber stands (or shock absorbers as it were). Moreover, most airpumps have loops in which they can be hung somewhere above the water level; which means that they are not in contact with a flat surface to warrant any sort of undesired noise due to vibration
Plants and vegetation Background pictures with colourful vegetation are great but the ultimate natural decoration in aquarium are the plants placed within and there is no reason aquariums should be without them, even in tanks that do not require air-powered decorations. In addition to artificial plants, live plants do not only add beauty to the display but also help to keep the water clear and clean, provide extra oxygen to the fish and absorb some carbon dioxide produced by the fish. Figure 1.7 shows two types of plants. A quick thing to take note of here is that the two plants have two different types of foliage (the cluster of leaves). Plant 'A' is denser in foliage than plant 'B' which is very suitable for fish like catfish which have the natural habit of hiding. Again plant A is by all means better for the sake of breeding as this will protect the eggs and the fry. They are also suitable for nocturnal fish.
Figure 1.7 – Plant A is by all means better for the sake of breeding as the rich foliage can protect the eggs and the fry in the case of breeding.
Tip: Avoid collecting live plants from rivers and ponds as they may harbour parasites and diseases. Suitable live plants are available at most aquarium stores.
Apart from the natural plants, we should not forget the artificial plants which have been designed to recreate the beauty and the true colours found in the natural environment. It is important to note here that all live plants require sufficient light to enable photosynthesis. A word of warning though is that: on no account should the aquarium be placed in such a position that the sun should shine intensely on it or into it as it may cause undesired heat and temperature changes for the fish. One may wonder how these natural plants live long inside some aquariums. Organic materials from uneaten fish foods, dead tissues and other fish wastes are converted into mineral forms by heterotrophic bacteria (obtaining carbon for growth and energy from complex organic compounds).
Problems with natural plants 1. They have difficulty in taking deep and firm roots in an aquarium setting. 2. They cannot flourish when lighting to enable photosynthesis is insufficient. 3. Some beautiful fragile plants with subtle vegetation are subject to attack (being broken or eaten up) by vegetarian or aggressive fish.
The importance of plants The relevance of plants in aquariums can be summarised below. 1. Both natural and artificial plants create shelter to make the
environment conducive for fish. 2. Natural plants can become part of the diet for vegetarian fish even though they have other food substitutes, a variety of which can be purchased from aquarium stores 3. Plants offer shelter to the newborn fry so they are free from the predatory habit of parents and other occupants. 4. Some plants can serve as egg depository for the fish as the eggs could be devoured by the fish before they are hatched.
Lightings Apart from the natural sunlight, there are at least two types of light usually fixed to the aquarium. It is either the tungsten light bulbs or the fluorescent lights. They are of different electrical power and brightness to suit any size of tank. The fluorescent day-light bulbs shine brighter than the normal bulbs. The tungsten light bulbs have some disadvantages even though they are pretty cheap, easily available and easy to install on the aquarium cover or the setup: Their lights produce much heating on the water surface and this can cause distortions of the nearby materials like a wood cover surface. It is advisable to use low power bulbs of about 10–20 Watts for medium size aquariums. However, lighting up the aquarium is a matter of choice as the electrical lightings technology never stops to evolve.
Grolux lights Apart from the ordinary fluorescent lights which produce lower heat than the bulbs, better fluorescent lights commonly called grolux are available. They are designed for horticultural uses. In a way, they stimulate natural light and encourage plant growth. The light spectrum in our regular lighting systems at the office, at home and in working environments like the factories are dominant in the green and yellow regions of the spectrum that are most sensitive to the human eye. On the contrary, studies have shown that plants
use mostly red and blue lights for growth and flowering. Grolux bulbs produce red and blue light wavelength, making them very suitable for natural plants in the aquarium. Grolux lights are wonderful even where natural plants are not used as they emphasize the colour of some fish[2]. They contain ultra-violet light which widen the light range in the aquarium and can kill certain bacteria. It is known that these glorux lights have proven beneficial effects of the prevention and the cure of certain fish diseases.
Effects of light on fish The intensity of light has its own effect on the habit of some particular fish. Some cichlids, knifefish and catfish will not do great as pets unless they hide in corners, in caves or under plant growth. It's no wonder that you can set up your aquarium with beautiful cavelike accessories! On another hand, tetra danios, barbs and goldfish tolerate strong lights and always seem to swim towards the lights. The colour of some fish alter with the strength and type of light shining on them, and that is why a particular fish will look its best in bright lights. Some other fish like the jewel fish are known to change colours and camouflage patterns with change of light intensity.