Sucul Hayvan deneyleri Aquariums/Tanks

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 Aquatic experimental

Choose Your Aquarium Type The specific aquarium setup will depend upon the requirements of the species you choose.

Choose Your Aquarium Type

Choose Your Aquarium Type

Choose Your Aquarium Type

Basic Needs Appropriate enclosure/housing Nutrition Hygiene

Enclosure Components Tank Stand/Canopy Lights Temperature Control Filtration Location Water Quality

Enclosure Components: Tank Consider: Size Shape Materials Convenience Aesthetics

Enclosure Components: Tank

Enclosure Components: Lighting Why? Plant Growth Coral Growth Visualizing the Fish Fish health Considerations: Fixtures/ballast Photoperiod: Use timers 12hours Types of bulbs (size, wavelength): Mostly fluorescent full spectrum bulbs that simulate daylight at noon Reflectors

Enclosure Components: Lighting Considerations: Fixtures Ballast Wavelength Light Intensity Reflectors Photoperiod (12 hours)

Enclosure Components: Temperature Regulation How? Heaters Chillers Fans Ventilation Considerations: Position of heater Lighting

Enclosure Components: Environmental Enrichment Why? Evasion Breeding Quality of life Express Personality

Filtration Systems Mechanical Biological Chemical Filtration: Types: Wool, sponge Ceramics, sponges, rocks (SURFACE AREA!!) Charcoal, zeolite Purpose: Remove large particulate waste Removes fish waste products Removes odors, discoloration, toxins, and some waste products

Filtration Systems Considerations Tank size Stocking capacity Water flow Breeding Aeration Don’t use filtration systems on toxicology experiment.

Filtration Systems

Filtration Systems

Filtration Systems Protein Skimmer: Removes organic material from marine systems

Filtration Systems Underground filter: biological and mechanical

Enclosure Components: Location Avoid: windows/direct sunlight drafty doors or fireplaces vibrations/sharp noises

Water Composition: Water Testing

Water Composition: Stock Water Know what is in your stock water Test periodically Alternatives available Test for: Chlorines Copper pH Hardness

Water Composition: Testing Fresh Water: pH Ammonia Nitrite Nitrate Salt Water: Salinity Other: Phosphate Calcium Strontium

Auatic ecology

Water Quality: Nitrogen Cycle

Water Quality: Nitrogen Cycle

Water Changes Why? Dilutes waste products Corrects pH imbalances Can reduce algae growth Water Changes

Performing Water Changes Regular water changes 2% every 2 days 4% every week 20% a month

Adding Fish: Acclimation Temperature Water composition Environmental factors How: 15-30 min. for temperature 15 minutes for water composition

Nutrition Dry: Flakes Pellets Sticks Floating Sinking Wafers Seaweed Live/Frozen: Blood Worms Daphnia Brine Shrimp Feeder fish Plants

Picture from Jeremy Gay’s The Perfect Aquarium Nutrition Know your fish Observe mouth Use dry food as staple Supplement with fresh/frozen foods Do not overfeed Picture from Jeremy Gay’s The Perfect Aquarium

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

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

Gravel/Substrate

Gravel/Substrate PVC shavings! Activated Carbon

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

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

What really does the work?? Bacteria!!

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!

Aquarium room safety Electrical Safety Do not handle power cords with wet hands. Create drip loops on cords to prevent water from travelling to plug. Use outlets with GFCI’s that will “trip” to prevent electrocution. Do not overload outlets.

General Aquarium Safety Aquarium room safety General Aquarium Safety Spilt water is a slipping hazard. Never lift / carry aquariums by the rim or sides. Wash your hands after contact with your tank.   

Cleaning Do not use chemicals (soap, Windex) to clean the inside or outside of a tank. Residues can remain in scratches. Dedicate cleaning supplies (bucket, sponges, etc.) for aquarium use only. Rinse anything added to the tank (gravel, decorations). Only Use NHO3 for cleaning After cleaning the aquarium is filled full.

Maintaining Cleanliness Don’t overfeed your fish! (Food should be consumed and not sinking to the gravel.) Make a 50% water change once a week Vacuum gravel periodically.

Tank Set-up Situate tank where it will stay before adding anything! Make sure the stand can support the enormous weight of the water. Add in gravel, water, decor, then fish. Add water to within 1” of the top. ALWAYS add water conditioner to remove chlorine & chloramine from tap water.

Tank Set-up Always use gravel / décor designed for aquarium use! Rocks or wood from outside can be contaminated with pesticides, chemicals or microorganisms. Decorations not specifically for aquarium use can have paints / chemicals toxic to fish.

Light Natural lighting is best for fish. Florescent/UV/LED lights are also acceptable. Black lights can be harmful. Lights should not be left on 24 hours; it will encourage algae growth.

Hood/Cover Aquariums must be covered so that fish don’t leap out water doesn’t evaporate as quickly objects/other pets don’t fall in! A hood can also house the lighting. Be careful not to get the light in the water or water in the light…electrocution!!!

Air Aquatic organisms breathe dissolved oxygen. Air must be pumped in with a compressor or can be put in with a powered filter. Air stones increase surface area of bubbles & O2 content.

Temperature Most fish can live at a range of 72-80 °F (22-27 °C). An aquarium heater can be placed in tanks that need higher temperatures (tropicals).

Biological Filtration Created by bacteria in gravel, on fish & on bio wheel/bio scrubber Beneficial bacteria breaks down waste products in the nitrogen cycle Fish food (protein N) Ammonia from fish waste (NH3)Nitrite (NO2)Nitrate (NO3)H20 change Use an under gravel filter to facilitate bacterial growth

Mechanical Filtration Removes accumulated solids from aquarium Usually accomplished with mesh in an power filter Can also be manually removed with a gravel vacuum

Chemical Filtration Purifies water using activated carbon-dissolved impurities are absorbed by holes in carbon Activated carbon must be replaced Minimize use of chemical/medicines to rid tank of problems

Water tests - pH pH Measures acidity or alkalinity of water Range Freshwater 6.6-7.6 Saltwater 7.8-8.4 A buffer can be added in to maintain pH or make a 25% water change If pH is too high (basic) – lower pH using Peat moss pH decreasing chemical If pH is too low (acidic) – increase pH Baking soda

Water tests - Ammonia Ammonia Toxic; should be 0 ppm! Released from gills of fish and decaying wastes Toxic; should be 0 ppm! Change 25% of water or replace carbon to lower level Ammonia is converted to nitrite then nitrate by bacteria. Excess nitrate is removed by 25% water change

Conditioning period A conditioning (waiting) period of 1 week should be allowed for new tank to run until a natural bacteria population is established. If possible, seed the tank with gravel from an established aquarium. Add new fish slowly and monitor ammonia levels!

Aquarium Salt Freshwater- add 1 tsp / 5 gallons for health Saltwater can be obtained from the ocean or from a salt mix Concentration: 32 ppt Specific gravity = 1.021 - 1.024 ½ cup marine salt / gallon

Saltwater vs. Freshwater Freshwater Saltwater Cost $ $$$ (saltwater tanks need special lights & fish are more expensive) Work    (during water changes, saltwater must be mixed before adding) Color      (Saltwater has a wider array of colorful fish/corals) Equipment     (Saltwater requires more equipment to maintain)

How many? General rule- 1 gr of fish/ litern Ex: a 30 liter tank can have: 10- 3 gr fish 15- 2 igr fish 20- 0,5 gr fish Remember! Fish may grow!

What to get? Do I need friends? (schooling) Do I prefer warmer temperatures? community How big will I get? Do I play well with others or am I aggressive?

What to get? (Freshwater) Select fish that live in different parts of the tank. Bottom feeders (scavengers) Cory cat Loach Mid-water to upper level swimmers Platties Mollies Barbs Guppies Schooling Danios Neon tetras

What not to get… Semi-aggressive should not be mixed with community fish Cichlids, Gouramis and Angelfish (often because of size) Plecostamus (pleco, sucker fish) will get huge regardless of tank size! Don’t believe it? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sCDM3UYFsM Bettas are best solitary (alone)!

What to get? (Saltwater) Damsels Tangs Wrasse Puffers (brackish-low salt) Snow Flake Eels Crab Shrimp Helpful Websites http://freshaquarium.about.com/od/fishspecies/tp/fishprofiles.htm http://www.saltwaterfish.com/Saltwater-Fish_c_15.html http://fishprofiles.com/  

How do you add new fish? Dumping fish directly in your tank from a bag can shock them. Float the bag for 15-20 minutes to gradually adjust the temperature. Then, pour out half of the water in the bag and add in water from your tank. After 15-20 more minutes the fish should be acclimated to your tank. Also, feed the resident organisms in the tank as you are releasing new fish from a bag, to keep them preoccupied. This allows the new fish to enter gently, without being harassed by current resident “bullies.”

How much to feed? Feed fish only what they will consume in 5 minutes, twice a day (once for us)-cover food! Remove excess food, so as not to pollute the tank One day of fasting is recommended (feed 6 out of 7 days)

Sickness Signs Clamped fins, fins held close to the body Frayed fins Bloating Enlargement of the eyes Erratic swimming and shimmying Drifting close to the bottom or gasping for air at surface Loss of appetite White spots on fins or body Parasites on body Cottonlike patches on fins or body Fish that are normally active remaining still If an organism appears sick, it should be removed from the tank so as not to contaminate the rest of the organisms A separate “hospital” tank can be set up to help or medicate a fish

Plants Just like land plants, aquatic plant need natural light to survive, as well as minerals from a substrate Aquatic plants are often hard to maintain without adequate lighting and can deteriorate in your tank My advice……. Go plastic!

Substrates Fill tank ¼ inch Coral gravel Crushed coral; porous Easy to clean Inexpensive Bacteria growth Flourite Enhanced with nutrients to sustain plants Sand

Set Up Day 1 *Safety!!!!* Pull out all décor clean/rinse, and put on table Wash and rinse out the empty aquarium. Do not allow any gravel to go down the drain! Wipe off the lid. Plug it in and make sure the light works. Wash the filter. Remove as much algae as possible. Wash any gravel you want to use thoroughly before you put it in your aquarium. Do not allow any gravel to go down the drain! Put the gravel in the aquarium. Fill the aquarium with water. Attach the filter to the side of the aquarium. Prime it (put water in it). Plug it in to see if it works. Wash and rinse any and all toys you plan on putting in your aquarium. Place them in the aquarium. Remember, fish like “structure” so that they can hide and play! Get an air compressor, hose and air stone from me. Use only hose to allow you to put the air stone on the bottom where you want it. Plug in the air compressor. Put the lid on your aquarium and allow to set up. If you have a marine aquarium, add 2 boxes of salt and check the level daily. Use a hydrometer to measure the salt levels. The recommended specific gravity is 1.020 to 1.024.

Day 2 Drain 50% Refill Add water conditioner