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Aquariums/Tanks

Aquariums/Tanks. Dr. Craig Kasper. Many people have owned or will own a fish tank (it may even contain fish). As we will see, aquariums for fish take on many forms...some are simple. Some are a bit more complex. Aquariums: What are they?. An aquarium (plural aquariums or aquaria )

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Aquariums/Tanks

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  1. Aquariums/Tanks Dr. Craig Kasper

  2. Many people have owned or will own a fish tank (it may even contain fish)

  3. As we will see, aquariums for fish take on many forms...some are simple.

  4. Some are a bit more complex...

  5. Aquariums: What are they? • An aquarium (plural aquariums or aquaria) • Clear-sided container • Typically glass or high-strength plastic • Houses plants and animals, or both. • Private and public display

  6. Aquarium keeping is a popular hobby (>60 million hobbist globally) • Recognized as early as the1850s, when the predecessor of the modern aquarium was first developed as a novel curiosity, • Public aquaria reproduce the home aquarist's hobby on a grand scale — the Osaka Aquarium (seen here), boasts a tank of 1.4 million gallons and nearly 580 spp.

  7. Currently, huge variety exists! • A simple bowl housing a single fish to complex simulated ecosystems with carefully engineered support systems. • Fresh or salt water, tropical or cold water. • Wild collecting still an issue, esp. salt H20 (REM:ornamental fish?) The Florida Aquarium

  8. Must maintain a tank ecology that mimics natural habitat. • Controlling water quality! • managing the inflow and outflow of nutrients, • management of waste (nitrogenous) • beneficial bacteria populations.

  9. Aquarium Parts • Tank • Filter • Gravel/sustrate • Pump • Aerator • Reliable water supply

  10. Tanks • High quality glass -Plexiglass is expensive, but lighter Monteray Bay Aquarium

  11. Plexiglass offers unique design options! No one wants this much water on the carpet!! Courtesy: Perigrine Plastics

  12. Production Tanks • Production tanks can be made of fiberglass, wood, etc. • Volume necessary and strength, not aesthetics!

  13. St. Croix Waters Fishery

  14. Mote Marine Laboratory

  15. Mote Marine Laboratory

  16. Filters • Primary method of cleaning tank • Removes solids • -small solids called “suspended solids” • -larger ones called “flocs” • Provides substrate for nitrifiers • Many types depending on needs

  17. Gravel/Substrate • Material for nesting • Aesthetics • Nitrification • “Live sand” • Filtration

  18. Gravel/Substrate

  19. Gravel/Substrate PVC shavings! Activated Carbon

  20. Media Filters • Bead/Sand/Media filters all use water pressure to force water through some type of media. • Excellent filtering capacity, esp. for larger systems • More maintenance (media changing backwashing, etc.)

  21. Mixed media filters

  22. Gravity Filtration • Trickle filters/Settling Chamber/Swirl Separators • Most use gravity to accomplish filtering. • Better for nitrification and oxygenation. • Prone to clogging if primary filtration inefficient.

  23. Screen Filters (RDF) • Screen/Microscreen filters • A.k.a.—rotating drum filters • Utilize large particle size “flocculation” to remove solids. • Excessive flow can reduce efficiency!

  24. Best of Both Worlds?? • “Fluidized” bed?? • Actually more simple than it sounds. • Running a sandfilter backwards would give same effect. • Huge potential for nitrification. • Bed expansion by optimizing flow.

  25. Fluidized-Bed Filter • Media maintained ~ 50-100% expansion volume of original.

  26. Over 20 feet tall!

  27. Bead Filters • Another form of “fluidized” filter system (upwelling). • Media is usually plastic beads. • Good nitrification. • Performs poorly during heavy loading. -excessive stocking density -ad libitum feeding

  28. Aeration • Oxygen • Speeds up decomposition • Circulates water (air lift pump)

  29. DBC U-tube Aeration • Non-pressurized • Downflow bubble contactor (DBC) • Counter current diffusion column • U-tube diffusers

  30. Biofilters • Help to establish nitrogen cycle. • Break down toxic fish wastes.

  31. Liquid Oxygen • Facilitates higher densities • Cheaper than gas O2 • Increase O2 saturation • Can increase CO2 levels • False security? • -increased density • -increased solids • -may increase disease • Ozone • Increases flocculation • Reduces disease outbreak • -kills bateria, fungus, • viruses • Expensive!!

  32. Protein Skimmers/ Foam Fractionators • Removal of excessive organics • -decreases B.O.D. and C.O.D. • Increases flocculation • -decreases solids • -increases water clarity

  33. What really does the work?? Bacteria!!

  34. How Do I Condition a Biofilter? • Since nitrifying bacteria are ubiquitous (everywhere) and can be found easily in the water column, soil and sediments you can just add some pond water or a little dirt to the system. (Could introduce pathogens or other toxins though.) • A better way… • a. Use existing media from another filter as a starter colony (just like passing around grandma’s sour dough starters).

  35. Recipe for Nitrification Success! • Once you’ve achieved proper ph, hardness, and alkalinity for your target species; it’s time to add the bacteria before you stock out. • System start-up formulae: • a. Spike the system with ammonia. • -(NH4)SO4 3.3 ppm (mg/L) • -NH4Cl 3-6 ppm (mg/L) • b. Place several fish in the system and feed them. • Wait 4 weeks (if no starters present)…presto!

  36. Get ‘em yourself! (Sewage treatment inspectors get top pay!!)

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