[...]... invertebrates are very sensitive, or metals, toxic for some animals where present above certain limits Making sea water in an aquarium, before putting it into operation Fill the aquarium with fresh water and aerate it for 24 hours Calculate and weigh the quantity of salts to be dissolved, then introduce them into the aquarium Then just aerate for another 24-48 hours and check the density, adjusting it as required... WATER, A HAVEN FOR LIFE water, carbonate hardness (CH) is used in sea water, where it serves to measure the quantity of calcium and magnesium carbonates and bicarbonates present This is crucial for maintaining the pH, and for growing corals, which have skeletons made of calcium carbonate Variations in pH in a marine aquarium Sea water contains a great deal of calcium carbonate and bicarbonate, and there... of plants) , or non-functioning of equipment due to forgetfulness, breakdown, or a power cut Carbon dioxide derives from the respiration of fish, plants, and bacteria Stirring the water enhances its oxygenation, thereby reducing the levels of carbon dioxide in the water, and passing it into the atmosphere Carbon dioxide is quite rare in an aquarium, and this can, to some extent, prove prejudicial to plants, ... OF AQUARIUM An aquarium is not just a motley collection of plants and fish Some aquarists aim to reconstruct the biotope of a specific geographical region (Central America, the Amazon, Asia, Africa), while others concentrate on a single group of fish (for example, livebearers, Cichlids, or marine fish) Whatever the option, an aquarium must be attractive and wellbalanced for its occupants to thrive, and. .. continent, and certain Cichlids The typical plants in this environment are Anubias Tanganyika-type aquariums are characterized by their calcareous and decidedly alkaline water They have few plants, as these are often treated roughly by the fish, but they have a rocky setting, with hiding places and swimming areas to the liking of several species of Cichlids The general characteristics of aquariums for Mbunas... danger to fish but are toxic for invertebrates, especially corals It is therefore important to eliminate them by partial, but regular, water changes SEA WATER FINDING OUT THE CHARACTERISTICS OF NATURAL WATER The European Union has set compulsory standards for drinking and environmental quality, but the strict legislation in the UK goes well beyond these In England and Wales, for example, domestic water... be filtered in all cases, first roughly and then more finely SEA WATER Salt collected in salt marshes is not suitable for reconstituting sea water intended for an aquarium ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF NATURAL SEA WATER AND RECONSTITUTED SEA WATER Natural sea water Reconstituted sea water Advantages • It is economical and contains all the elements necessary for life, as well as "good" bacteria •... acids In forest streams and rivers the water accumulates with acid organic fluid (humic acid) derived from the decomposition of plants (humus), producing an amber yellow color Generally speaking, aquatic life can exist only between pH 5 and 9 These extreme values are rarely found in an aquarium, where the pH ranges from 6 to 8 according to the type of water, and usually lies between 6.5 and 7.5 In aquariums,... ARTIFICIAL SALTS Several companies have special aquarium salts on the market, and it is even possible to find concentrated sea water Some salts are intended for marine tanks for fishes, others for aquariums with invertebrates Their quality is satisfactory, although there are likely to be improvements in the future, and, as they are enriched with calcium, micronutrients, and vitamins, they are obviously relatively... are likely to encounter a problem, and it is therefore not advisable to use water with these characteristics in an aquarium Modifying the hardness of water Sometimes the water available presents a hardness value inappropriate for its intended use in an aquarium In most cases, the water will be a little too hard, and so the GH must be brought down for use in a mixed aquarium or a rearing tank In other, . 179 PLANTS 188 Origin and variety of plants 190 Algae problems 193 Caring for plants 196 Catalog of plants 201 TECHNIQUES 216 Assembling a tank 218 Equipment and accessories 226 A balanced aquarium.