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10
THI WIST OfOftOIAN MIOAV AFH JO 1079
Aquariums:
microcosms of nature in your own home
BY ROBIN STACY
Imagine a microcosm of
nature, lush with vegetation
and swimming with brightly
colored fish, accenting your
dorm room or apartment and
providing hours of interest and
entertainment.
Imagine, too, hours of work
hauling gallon after gallon of
smelly water, maintaining
proper pH and temperature,
adjusting lights, feeding
healthy fish and treating sick
ones.
Once, owning an aquarium
meant spending these hours and
more dollars and aficionados
were therefore limited to the
small, dedicated number
willing to make such an in
vestment.
Today, however, thanks to
improved equipment and
lowered prices, aquariums
have spread beyond their early
cadre of dedicated enthusiasts
to become the darlings of home
decorators looking for an
inexpensive and unusual focal
point for a room, and hobbyist
looking for some easy fun.
It’s easier than you might
think to become one of these
new enthusiasts.
The first decision the aspiring
aquarium owner must make is
what size tank to buy. The
five-, 10- and 15-gallon sizes
have traditionally been the
most popular, but local pet
supply dealers say that larger
20-, 30- and even 50-gallon tanks
are now coming into vogue. The
major determinants in selec
ting size are the amount of
space available for the
aquarium and the amount of
money the customer wishes to
spend.
Aquarium expert Richard
Haas, in his book Know Your
Aquarium gives advice on
buying, decorating and stocking
an aquarium.
“The choice in purchasing an
aquarium should be between
size and quality,” Haas says.
“Many aquariums are
relatively inexpensive today,
but price differences reflect the
way joints are made, the gauge
of materials used and general
quality of workmanship.”
Haas recommends a direct
proportion between size and
quality; 10 or 15 gallon tanks
can be of minimal construction,
but larger tanks should be
thought of as investments and
should be the top of the line a
retailer sells.
Complete kits for 10 gallon
aquariums, containing
everything the novice needs,
can be bought locally for around
$lO on sale. A 30-gallon
aquarium should be expected
to cost from about S4O to over
SIOO for just the tank.
If a complete kit is not pur
chased, certain necessary
equipment must be bought in
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addition to the tank. The first
item to be chosen is the filter,
which must keep the water
clean and pure, and should be
fairly easy to maintain. The
two most popular and efficient
types are outside filters and
undergravel filters.
The outside filter works
outside the aquarium by
pumping water through a
combination of man-made
fiber, called filter floss, and
activated charcoal. The outside
filter must be cleaned
periodically, usually every
week or two, and have its floss
and charcoal changed oc
casionally. Some types have
their own electric motor, and do
not require a pump.
The undergravel filter is a
porous plastic platform which
is, as the name implies, under
the gravel in the bottom of the
tank. Water in the aquarjum is
drawn through the gravel into
the filter, where a natural
bacteria action is set up which
cleans the water. The water is
then pumped back into the
aquarium through plastic
cartridges of charcoal which
must be changed monthly.
Manufacturers of undergravel
filters claim that they never
need cleaning, but most
aquarium owners clean them
and change the aquarium
water once or twice a year.
While prices of filters vary
according to the size and
quality, you should be able to
buy either an outside or un
dergravel filter for an average
tank for $lO or less.
Once the filter has been
decided on, an air pump suf
ficient to operate it must be
purchased. Your retailer will
be able to advise you on what
size and type best matches your
filter. You should make certain
that the pump you buy operates
quietly. Pump prices will vary
according to size and quality,
and start at about $4.
If you want to keep tropical
fish, you must buy a heater to
maintain water temperature
within the 70 to 80 degree range
these creatures require to live.
Again, costs starts at about $4.
Additionally, you will need a
thermometer, a fish net and fish
food, at about $1 apiece.
After the tank has been
washed thoroughly it should be
set in its permanent location in
your home and filled with
water.
Remember, though, that
water alone weighs eight
pounds a gallon, so you should
pick a spot which will support
its weight. For this reason, the
housing ofice at West Georgia
prohibits tanks larger than 10
gallons, which can weigh close
to 100 pounds, from being kept
in dorm rooms.
The filled aquarium should
be checked after about 24 hours
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for leaks.
Once the aquarium has
proved leakproof, it may be
drained and "decorated.” If an
undergravel filter has been
selected, it should be put in
first, then covered with three to
four inches of aquarium gravel,
bought in five pound bags where
the other supplies were pur
chased.
With the gravel in place
plants and other decorations
may be placed in the tank. A
variety of materials may be
used for tank decoration; the
most popular include rocks,
petrified wood, coral or
manufactured decorations
available at a pet shop. Caution
should be used in choosing
rocks, as some give off
chemicals harmful to fish. Your
retailer will be able to tell you if
the rocks you want to use are
safe.
When the water the fish are to
live in is put into the tank, it
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should be treated with a
chemical to remove the
chlorine. If you plan to wait two
or three days before adding
fish, the chemical can be
omitted, as chlorine evaporates
during this time.
It is a good idea to wait at
least a day or two after filling
the aquarium before adding
fish, as this allows sediment in
the tank to settle and plants to
become rooted.
Tropical fish for the
aquarium come in two main
types, egg-laying and live
bearing. Most available fish
are egg-layers. Since the
average aquarium owner
would not be able to maintain
the exacting conditions
necessary for breeding, it is
unimportant which type of fish
is chosen.
The color, activity and
compatibility of fish should be
considered when buying fish. A
reputable fish dealer will be
able to advise you on which
types of fish live well together.
Haas says that the least
expensive fish are generally the
most popular and hardiest, and
he recommends their purchase.
He warns, "The novice should
avoid the expensive, rarer
species until he has gained the
experience necessary to
maintain them.”
The buyer must be cautious
about mixing fishes of greatly
different sizes, since most fish
are carnivorous to some extent
and a larger fish will try to eat a
smaller one. Particularly
aggressive fish, identified by
your dealer, will harass other
fish so that they cannot eat and
will eventually die. If these are
avoided, most fish will live well
together.
If care, however, is taken in
selection of fish and in
decoration of the aquarium,
the tank should provide an
attractive decoration which will
grow into a satisfying hobby to
last for years.-