1. Aquarium

2. Factors to Consider Biotic (Living) Type of Fish, newt, turtle etc.
Beneficial Bacteria
Live Plants
Harmful microorganisms and multicellular organisms
Abiotic (Nonliving)
Substrate (gravel, crushed coral)
Plastic Plants
Decorative rocks, caves, or toys
Equipment (filters, lights, heaters, etc.)
Wastes (EX.Ammonia)

3. Equipment Determine what equipment is needed Size and shape of tank
Heater or Heat Lamp
Lighting
Filtration System
Stand
Substrate (gravel, crushed coral, sand, dolomite)
Plants, Rocks, Shells etc.

4. Tank Placement Away from windows, radiators, and air conditioners.
Placed in a manner that all equipment should be available for maintenance, cleaning and care of fish

5. Tank Placement
Place tank on a steady surface that can support the weight.
Fresh water =8.8 lbs a gallon, saltwater ways more.
Calculate the approx weight of the tank?

6. Filtration Install a filtration system.
To maintain optimal fish health, 3 types of filtration are necessary.
Mechanical/physical – eg. ?
Biological - eg. ?
Chemical - eg. ?

7. Mechanical/Physical Filtration
Pads, sponges, floss, sand or other media that remove solid particles from the water.
Removes
Excess food
Wastes
Pieces of fin, scale
Plant matter

8. Biological Filtration
A biowheel, prefilter media, biosponge, gravel, or sand for beneficial bacteria to grow on.
These bacteria break down deadly nitrogenous wastes from living organisms and decaying food.
Bacteria break down
Ammonia (deadly) to Nitrite to Nitrate

9. Chemical Filtration
Activated Carbon removes harmful gases dissolved in water.

10. Heating
Most fish can only survive within an environment with narrow range of temperature change.
Approx. between 72 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
To maintain optimal temperature, install a submersible heater

11. Heating You need 5 watts per gallon 10 gallon – 50 watts

12. Decorations
Organisms need to be in an environment as similar to their natural environment as possible.
rocks, live plants, caves, shells plastic plants, plastic pipes etc.

13. Cover and lighting A cover is needed to:
Prevent fish from jumping out of the tank
Slow evaporation
Keep dust out of the tank

14. Care of Fish Water Chemistry
Test and Record pH
Ammonia level
Nitrite level
Maintain ideal levels for optimal health

15. pH
pH is a chemical component of a solution that determines how Acidic or Basic it is.
Neutral pH is 7.0
pH above 7.0 is Basic and below 7.0 is Acidic
Ideal pH of a freshwater aquarium is

16. Ammonia (NH3)
Ammonia is a chemical that is created as a waste product by living organisms.
Animals urinate which is converted into ammonia
Ammonia is the most toxic chemical tested for in Aquarium water tests
Ideal ammonia concentrations should be less than .25 ppm. Amounts over this can stress fish and even cause death.

17. Nitrite (NO2-)
Ammonia is converted into nitrite by Nitrifying bacteria.
Toxic to fish but less toxic than ammonia.
Ideal concentrations should be less than 1 ppm (Parts per million) once the aquarium is established.
New aquariums may spike to concentrations of 10 ppm until the bacteria concentration reaches equilibrium and convert nitrite to nitrate.
Too much Nitrite can indicate over-feeding, too many fish or inadequate biological filtration.

18. Nitrate (NO3-) Converted from Nitrite by nitrifying bacteria.
Not considered toxic to animals in lower amounts but can cause algae blooms in excess.
Ideal concentrations should be less than 40 ppm.
Partial water changes will lower concentrations of Nitrate in aquariums.

19. Care of Fish Maintenance
In order to prevent disease, regular maintenance is critical
The single most important maintenance procedure is a water change
Clean gravel at least once a month
Change 20% a month to remove harmful wastes and replace trace elements
Clean filter pad every month, replace every 3 months