Aquariums/Tanks Dr. Craig Kasper. Many people have owned or will own a fish tank (it may even contain fish)Many people have owned or will own a fish tank.

Aquariums/TanksAquariums/Tanks

Dr. Craig KasperDr. Craig Kasper

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

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

• Some are a bit more complex...

Aquariums: What are they?Aquariums: What are they?

• An An aquariumaquarium (plural (plural aquariumsaquariums or or aquariaaquaria) )

• Clear-sided container Clear-sided container

• Typically glass or high-strength plasticTypically glass or high-strength plastic

• Houses plants and animals, or both.Houses plants and animals, or both.

• Private and public displayPrivate and public display

• Aquarium keeping is a popular hobby (>60 million hobbist globally) Aquarium keeping is a popular hobby (>60 million hobbist globally)

• Recognized as early as the1850s, when the predecessor of the Recognized as early as the1850s, when the predecessor of the modern aquarium was first developed as a novel curiosity, modern aquarium was first developed as a novel curiosity,

• Public aquaria reproduce the home aquarist's hobby on a grand Public aquaria reproduce the home aquarist's hobby on a grand scale — the Osaka Aquarium (seen here), boasts a tank of 1.4 scale — the Osaka Aquarium (seen here), boasts a tank of 1.4 million gallons and nearly 580 spp.million gallons and nearly 580 spp.

• Currently, huge variety exists!Currently, huge variety exists!

• A simple bowl housing a single fish to complex A simple bowl housing a single fish to complex simulated ecosystems with carefully engineered support simulated ecosystems with carefully engineered support systems.systems.

• Fresh or salt water, tropical or cold water.Fresh or salt water, tropical or cold water.

• Wild collecting still an issue, esp. salt HWild collecting still an issue, esp. salt H220 0 (REM:ornamental fish?)(REM:ornamental fish?)

The Florida Aquarium

• Must maintain a tank ecology that mimics Must maintain a tank ecology that mimics natural habitat.natural habitat.

• Controlling water qualityControlling water quality! ! managing the inflow and outflow of nutrients, managing the inflow and outflow of nutrients, management of waste (nitrogenous)management of waste (nitrogenous)beneficial bacteria populations. beneficial bacteria populations.

Aquarium Parts

• Tank• Filter• Gravel/sustrate• Pump• Aerator• Reliable water supply

TanksTanks

• High quality glassHigh quality glass

-Plexiglass is expensive, but lighter-Plexiglass is expensive, but lighter

Monteray Bay AquariumMonteray Bay Aquarium

No one wants this much water on the carpet!!No one wants this much water on the carpet!!

Plexiglass offers unique design options!

Courtesy: Perigrine Plastics

Production Tanks

• Production tanks can be made of fiberglass, wood, etc.

• Volume necessary and strength, not aesthetics!

St. Croix Waters Fishery

Mote Marine Laboratory

Mote Marine Laboratory

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!PVC shavings!

Activated CarbonActivated Carbon

Media FiltersMedia Filters• Bead/Sand/Media filters all use water pressure Bead/Sand/Media filters all use water pressure

to force water through some type of media. to force water through some type of media.

• Excellent filtering capacity, esp. for larger Excellent filtering capacity, esp. for larger systemssystems

• More maintenance (media changingMore maintenance (media changing

backwashing, etc.)backwashing, etc.)

Mixed media filters

Gravity FiltrationGravity Filtration

• Trickle filters/Settling Chamber/Swirl SeparatorsTrickle filters/Settling Chamber/Swirl Separators

• Most use gravity to accomplish filtering.Most use gravity to accomplish filtering.• Better for nitrification and oxygenation.Better for nitrification and oxygenation.• Prone to clogging if primary filtration inefficient.Prone to clogging if primary filtration inefficient.

Screen Filters (RDF)Screen Filters (RDF)

• Screen/Microscreen filtersScreen/Microscreen filters

• A.k.a.—rotating drum filtersA.k.a.—rotating drum filters

• Utilize large particle sizeUtilize large particle size

“ “flocculation” to remove flocculation” to remove

solids. solids.

• Excessive flow can Excessive flow can

reduce efficiency!reduce efficiency!

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.

Fluidized-Bed FilterFluidized-Bed Filter

• Media maintained ~ 50-100% expansion Media maintained ~ 50-100% expansion volume of original. volume of original.

Over 20 feet tall!

Bead Filters• Another form of “fluidized” Another form of “fluidized”

filter system (upwelling). filter system (upwelling). • Media is usually plastic beads. Media is usually plastic beads. • Good nitrification.Good nitrification.• Performs poorly during heavy Performs poorly during heavy

loading.loading.

-excessive stocking density-excessive stocking density

-ad libitum feeding-ad libitum feeding

Aeration

• Oxygen

• Speeds up decomposition

• Circulates water (air lift pump)

AerationNon-pressurizedNon-pressurized

Downflow bubble contactor (DBC)Downflow bubble contactor (DBC)

Counter current diffusion columnCounter current diffusion column

U-tube diffusersU-tube diffusers

U-tubeU-tube

DBCDBC

BiofiltersBiofilters

•Help to establish nitrogen cycle.Help to establish nitrogen cycle.

•Break down toxic fish wastes.Break down toxic fish wastes.

Liquid OxygenLiquid Oxygen

• Facilitates higher Facilitates higher densitiesdensities

• Cheaper than gas OCheaper than gas O22

• Increase OIncrease O22 saturation saturation

• Can increase COCan increase CO22 levels levels

• False security?False security?-increased density -increased density

-increased solids-increased solids -may increase disease-may increase disease

Ozone Ozone

• Increases flocculation Increases flocculation

• Reduces disease Reduces disease outbreakoutbreak

-kills bateria, fungus, -kills bateria, fungus, virusesviruses

• Expensive!!Expensive!!

Protein Skimmers/ Foam FractionatorsProtein Skimmers/ Foam Fractionators

• Removal of excessive organicsRemoval of excessive organics-decreases B.O.D. and C.O.D.-decreases B.O.D. and C.O.D.

• Increases flocculationIncreases flocculation -decreases solids-decreases solids -increases water clarity-increases water clarity

• What really does the work??

Bacteria!!

How Do I Condition a Biofilter?How Do I Condition a Biofilter?

• Since nitrifying bacteria are Since nitrifying bacteria are ubiquitousubiquitous (everywhere) and (everywhere) and can be found easily in the water column, soil and can be found easily in the water column, soil and sediments you can just add some pond water or a little sediments you can just add some pond water or a little dirt to the system. (Could introduce pathogens or other dirt to the system. (Could introduce pathogens or other toxins though.)toxins though.)

• A better way…A better way…

a. Use existing media from another filter as a starter a. Use existing media from another filter as a starter colony (just like passing around grandma’s sour colony (just like passing around grandma’s sour dough starters).dough starters).

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.a. Spike the system with ammonia.

-(NH-(NH44)SO)SO44 3.3 ppm (mg/L)3.3 ppm (mg/L)

-NH-NH44ClCl 3-6 ppm (mg/L) 3-6 ppm (mg/L)

b. Place several fish in the system and feed them.b. Place several fish in the system and feed them.

Wait 4 weeks (if no starters present)…presto!Wait 4 weeks (if no starters present)…presto!

Get ‘em yourself!Get ‘em yourself!

(Sewage treatment (Sewage treatment inspectors get top inspectors get top pay!!)pay!!)