VPP 322: Aquatic Animal Diseases, Health Care and Management (1+1)

SETTING UP AN AQUARIUM TANK 

• Fish keeping in aquarium tanks is a popular hobby, and can be profitable when compared to other hobbies. It is reported that aquarium keeping was a hobby for the Japanese even before 1,000 years. Now many countries have made the aquarium keeping and ornamental fish culture and trade as a flourishing business. Ornamental fishes are reared in small aquarium tanks to big garden ponds.

• The size of the tank depends on the number, size and type of fish to be maintained. Different types of tanks, such as rectangular angle-iron tanks with glass sides and glass bottom reinforced with metal wire and single-piece acrylic tanks are available for use. Shallow and wide tanks are preferable, as they have more surface area to facilitate oxygenation through atmospheric contact. Such tanks can accommodate more number of fish than tanks having lesser surface area but with equal quantity of water.                      

A marine aquarium maintained at shrimp disease diagnostic lab
at Madhavaram, TANUVAS

View video....

• Before setting up the tank, suitable place has to be selected. In order to get a good view of both of fish and of plants in an aquarium tank, the light for the latter should come obliquely. A place nearer to window with an eastern exposure can be selected. The support of table for positioning the tank must be strong and in level. It is also essential to have a cover with provision for installing lights and feeding. The following sizes of tanks are normally employed for keeping aquarium fish.

Length (cm)	Breadth (cm)	Height (m)
45	25	25
60	30	30
75	30	30
90	30	40

• If the tanks are purchased, they should be checked for leakage. Before use, they should be cleaned with 1% potassium permanganate solution, besides, repeated washings with tap water.
• The next phase of setting up an aquarium is the selection of small stones and fine gravel for spreading at the bottom of the tank. For aquarium without biological filter, arrangement of smaller stones should be made in groups at the bottom and after that, the gaps should be filled with fine gravel. Over the coarse sand, some fine sand is spread. For aquarium tanks where biological filters are to be set up, 3-6 mm sized dark particles of granite, basalt, quartz or slate would be ideal as bottom materials to help filtration. Calcareous rocks and coral stones should not be used as they may affect water quality by altering the pH. The particles should be washed in tap water several times before they are used.  

  

• The accessories of an aquarium tank include
  • Biological filter (Biofilter) and aeration
  • Ornamental plants
  • Lighting
  • Toys connected to aeration