Setting up a aquarium

1. Setting up a aquarium
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2. Aquarium
 Aquarium may he defined as any vessel that will hold
water and support aquatic life. In a more restricted
sense it means a rectangular vessel with glass slides
or glass like transparent slides suitable stocked with
growing plants and fishes.
 The preparation or setting of aquarium is a Process
by which the aquarium will be ready to support
aquatic life and will be looking good at sight.
 Preparing an aquarium involves two virtues that so
few of us possess “care and patience”
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3. Steps of setting up aquarium
 i) Program/ Planning
 A proverb goes on “well planned half done”. The
programme of aquarium preparation includes, where,
why the aquarium should he constructed. It also
includes the size, shape and type of the aquarium.
 The size is considered on the available space for the
aquarium and the shape preferred for aquarium is
rectangular or square with low depth or round jar
shaped.
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4.  ii) Stand for the aquarium
 The first requirement is a stand on which to place the
aquarium.
 Stand should not be too light to carry the weight or
should not be too heavy which will involve more cost
and inconvenience of displacement.
 Various types of plastic, metallic or wooden frame can
he used. The frame should be strong enough to
withstand the weight of the filled in aquarium.
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6. Steps of setting up aquarium
 iii) Collection of the Aquarium
 The aquarium can be collected either by buying or
self making.
 Making of Aquarium tank:
Firstly think the size of the tank as glass thickness
depends on size. Length of aquarium is the deciding
factor it must be twice the depth while height equal to
depth.
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8. The glass
sheet cut
according to
the tank size.
All edge
should be
evened by
filling with wet
fine grain
sand paper or
sand stone.
•Clean the
edge.
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9. •Place the
base glass
on a flat
surface ad
stick pieces
of adhesive
tapes on all
the four
sides.
•Make a glue
line of silicon
gum on the
edge that will
hold glass
pane to the9

10. •Join the
back glass to
the base on
this glue line.
•Stick the
flying
adhesive
taps to the
side glass
pane.
•Provide
weight from
outside to
give support
to it.10

11. •Join the front
glass in the last
•Extra care
should taken to
seal corners.
•Leave the tank
to air at least 2-3
days.
•To check allow it
to stand water
over night.
•Plastic or metal
may be glued
with silicon gum
to strength Glass
corners
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12. iv) Washing the aquarium
•Then the
aquarium
should be
wash by
adding light
salt solution.
• We can
also use fine
sand to
remove dirty
substances
on glass
then wash
with salt
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13. Washing the aquarium
Then add
warm
water and
run a piece
of cloth
over the
surface
 and
remove
water.
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14. v) Leveling the aquarium
•This can be
checked by
adding small
water in
aquarium.
•If necessary, the
aquarium should
keep level by
using slices of
cork or soft
materials
underneath the
aquarium where
necessary.
•Measure the14

15. vi) Position of the aquarium
 two or three feet away from a window that faces
north, then east or west.
 Too much direct sunlight is undesirable.
 To avoid the undesirable sunlight, the sides of
aquarium can be painted or can be covered with a
sheet of paper.
 Should not be wise to place in a valuable and highly
polished furniture because there is always have a
chance of spill.
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16. ix) Planting media
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 The planting media must be chosen with some
care since it plays a large part in determining the
pH.
 Of course the plants need nutrient.
 For planting media, a layer of loam then sand and
gravel layers are recommended by some
aquarists.
 Then add gravel in the tank before that it should
be washed thoroughly
 The depth of well washed coarse sand required to
three inches at the back slopping to an inch at the
front ( help siphoning).

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19. B) Rock work
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 Well designed & carefully laid rock enhance the
appearance of aquarium.
 Limestone, marble and other calcareous stones are to
be avoided as these alter the pH of water.
 water born sand stone can be suitably used..
 The stones should be well scrubbed to reduce the
spiny edges.
 The stones should be soaked for a few days.
 The stones should not very large amount to overlap
the beauty of fish.
 Colored stone can be used but no artificial color is
allowed in aquarium.

20. viii) Heating and cooling
 We can apply heat to the aquarium by electric
immersion heater with thermostatic capacity.
 A thermometer can be added with an aquarium to read
the actual water temperature.
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21. Water supply and water quality
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 The physical and chemical parameters of water should
be suitable.
 . The water should be slightly basic pH 7.4
 Temperature: 20°C+1°C as specific for the species.
 Alkalinity: medium hard/hard
 Oxygen Saturation point or at least 5 ppm.
 Chlorination is done in tape water (small heating
suggested)
 Tube-well water or water from river, reservoirs and
lakes also used.
 For tube-well water it is better to keep overnight in an
open space of earthen ditch. Water from different
sources can be filtered through fine sand and charcoal

22. xii). Aquarium filling
A piece of
thick plastic
paper is
placed on
bottom and
container is
stood on it.
 The water is
then siphoned
into the
container
pipe.
The
container and
the paper
should be
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23. xiii). Plants and planting
Generally submerged
and rarely floating plants
are used in aquarium.
the pants should be
washed thoroughly by
warm/cold water.
Potassium
permanganate solution
can be used to wash
It is better to planting
after filling by water
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25. Introducing the Fishes
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 5-7 days after plantation the aquarium should be
clean & plant show sign of growth.
 So we can introduce fish in our prepared
aquarium.
 Fish should buy from a reliable source better from
breeder.
 Well spread fin, plump stomach, active, no
external sign of lesion & parasite are some
common sign of healthy fish.
 On arriving fishes in to a jar allow to float in the
tank.
 In half a hour the temperature inside & outside

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28. xiv) Covering the aquarium
 Covering may include a gable shape hood or a
glass cover .
 should be raised about an eighth of an inch above
the top of the aquarium, to allow for the free
circulation of air and the escape of noxious gases
 It protects the fish from excessive dust and smoke
both of which are bad for fish.
 It helps to conserve water by preventing
evaporation.
 It prevents active fish form jumping out and small
fish from being nosed out by bigger fish.
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29. xv) Artificial aeration
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 Artificial aeration is necessary for the aquarium
organisms. Generally, airstone aerator of different sizes
and shapes are used in aquarium for aeration.
 The slower the flow of water, the smaller the bubbles,
and the more oxygen can be absorbed by water
 Artificial aeration usually drives the atmospheric air into
water through a narrow tube, at the end of which a small
porous stone (diffuser) breaks up the air into small
bubbles

30. xvi) Filtration
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 The fecal matter and other waste sediment must be
removed from aquarium.
 For this reason, filtration is necessary. Some filtration
system filtered with biofilter.