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Links to Educational
Saltwater Aquarium Websites:
http://aquarium.ucsd.edu/
http://www.spsnq.qc.ca/a-AN_accueil.html
http://www.reefhq.com.au/
http://waquarium.otted.hawaii.edu/
http://www.sydneyaquarium.com.au/
http://www.sealifeeurope.com/nl/scheveningen/home.htm
http://www.oceanario.pt/site/ol_home_00.asp?popup=1
http://www.underwaterworld.com.sg/
http://www.deepseaworld.com/DeepSeaWorld/HomePage.htm
There are basically
three types or divisions of tropical fish, freshwater,
saltwater and brackish. This page is devoted to
saltwater fish.
All fishes found in the big sea or oceans are saltwater
fish. The water is salty, thus we call it "saltwater".
Most of the fish you see in popular public national
aquariums are saltwater fish (marine fish). These
fishes are more colorful and varies greatly in colors
and shapes, making them interesting to watch and
observe. It is also a big challenge to keep marine fish
because of their fragility. If you succeed, there is a
great sense of accomplishment and of course visual
enjoyment.
Being used to living in oceans, marine fish have very
limited abilities to adapt to changing water
conditions. When the water volume is as huge as the
ocean, the chemical composition and water quality is
almost constant. With no need to adapt to changes,
marine fish are very sensitive fish.
Imagine adding a drop of fruit syrup in a cup of water-
you can detect a slight taste when you drink it. Now
add the same size drop of syrup into a large water
bottle- the taste is undetectable because it is
dispersed too much. In the same way, in a small fish
tank, the waste produced by the fish changes the water
quality easier. Contrasting to public wrong opinion,
therefore, it is easier to keep fish in larger fish
tanks than smaller ones. If you are a beginner fish
keeper, and especially if you really have to start with
saltwater fish, I highly recommend you to get as large a
tank as you can afford to. However,
I will strongly advise you to keep
freshwater fish before going marine, because
freshwater fish are more forgiving and will give you
more leeway in your learning foundations.
So, If you are looking into salt water aquariums as a
hobby, I am sure you have already heard the terms
specific gravity, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and more.
If you are like I was when I first started the hobby,
you have know idea what any of that stuff is or what it
means to your new aquarium. This simply gives you the
basics, if you feel compelled to seek more information
there are plenty of other websites and books that go
into more detail.
Temperature:
Ideal temperature for marine fish is between 72 & 78
degrees Fahrenheit. Temperature should not be allowed
to fluctuate rapidly, so it is important that you use an
aquarium heater to maintain a stable temperature.
Specific Gravity:
A specific gravity of 1.021 - 1.024 is generally
accepted by marine fish. Specific gravity indicates the
amount of salt that is in the water. If the specific
gravity is too low, you need to add more salt; if it is
too high, you need to add fresh water. Make changes
slowly, as most fish cannot tolerate a rapid change in
specific gravity.
Ammonia:
If you are setting up a new salt water aquarium, it is a
certainty that you will experience high ammonia levels.
Ammonia is a waste product of aquatic organisms, and
will be evident in new aquariums. Many fish are not
tolerant to high ammonia levels, so it is important to
wait until ammonia levels are under control before
adding many fish. As your aquarium cycles, you will
notice that the ammonia levels will drop and nitrite
levels will increase; this is a biological reaction that
is turning the ammonia into a less toxic form. If you
experience an increase of ammonia in an established
aquarium, it is important to regain control of the
levels through water change(s).
Nitrite:
As mentioned earlier, nitrite is caused by a biological
reaction involving ammonia. Although less hazardous
than ammonia, high nitrite levels are still not good for
many fish, so it is best to wait until your aquarium has
cycled to add most fish. As your aquarium continues to
cycle, you will begin to notice that nitrite is falling
off, and nitrate is beginning to increase; hang in
there... it won't be much longer and your aquarium will
be completely cycled.
Nitrate:
Nitrate is even less toxic than nitrite, so as you can
see, your aquarium is beginning to come around. Once
nitrate levels reach their peak, they will start to
decline. When you reach a nitrate level of close to
zero it will be safe to begin adding fish.
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