수족관 장비 선택 방법

일반적으로 탱크에 더 많은 물이 저장될수록 수중 환경이 더 안정적입니다. 예를 들어, 50갤런 탱크는 10갤런 탱크보다 온도를 낮추는 데 훨씬 더 오랜 시간이 걸립니다.

수족관 히터 와트는 탱크 크기와 일치하도록 선택되기 때문에 온도 상승의 경우에도 마찬가지입니다. 경험에 따르면 갤런당 5와트이므로 히터가 온도를 높일 수 있습니다. 1시간에 1갤런의 물을 화씨 1도 올리기.

따라서 10갤런 탱크는 50와트 히터를 사용하고 50갤런 탱크는 250와트 히터를 사용합니다. 더 큰 탱크의 경우 원하는 전력량을 달성하기 위해 두 개 이상의 히터를 사용해야 하는 경우가 많습니다.

사실, 하나 이상의 히터를 사용하는 것은 실제로 안전 측면에서 모든 크기의 수족관에 좋은 아이디어입니다. 히터 하나의 와트수와 같은 더 작은 히터 두 개를 사용하면 히터가 완전히 고장날 가능성이 거의 없습니다.

히터 중 하나가 닫힌 위치에 있어야 하는 경우 온도가 절반만 빠르게 상승하므로 문제가 심각해지기 전에 문제를 파악할 수 있는 가능성이 더 높아집니다. 히터 중 하나가 열린 위치에 고정되어 있으면 다른 히터가 온도가 빠르게 또는 멀리 떨어지는 것을 방지합니다.

완전한 난방 시스템에는 탱크의 온도를 모니터링할 수 있도록 온도계도 포함되어야 합니다. 탱크 내부의 일반 레드 알코올 종류 또는 유리 외부에 부착되는 디지털 종류 중 하나가 작동합니다.

이 온도계 사이에는 정확도 범위가 있기 때문에 몇 개를 살펴보고 범위의 중간에 판독값을 표시하거나 가장 일반적인 판독값을 표시하는 것을 하나 선택하십시오.

두 가지 기본 수족관 히터 디자인이 있습니다. One hangs into the water from the frame of the tank and the other is completely submersible and can be placed anywhere in the aquarium, usually by using suction cups to stick it on the tank. With either design, there is always a waterline mark on the body of heater that indicates how much of the heater must be in the water for it to operate properly.

The mark is very important. Should the heater be plugged in without the water up to the mark, the heater could stay on and become very hot, possibly causing damage.

Lighting is another important aspect of an aquarium. Find out more about it in the next section.

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Aquarium Lighting

Aquarium lighting makes it possible to fully appreciate the beauty of the fish and the aquascaping in the tank. It also provides necessary illumination if you choose to use live plants.

Assuming the location for the tank has been chosen carefully, tank lighting will allow you to control the amount and duration of light the aquarium receives. For all these reasons, the aquarium hood, which contains the light fixture, is an essential component.

The hood fulfills several functions in addition to providing illumination for the tank. It minimizes the evaporation of tank water and it prevents dust and other items from entering the tank easily.

It also stops most fish from jumping out of the tank. Some fish, however, manage to jump through even very small spaces in the hood, in places where equipment is set up.

The back of most hoods contains precut openings for filters and heaters. These openings can be pushed or cut out as needed. If they are larger than the items they are intended for, a fish may find its way through the extra space. As a general rule, this only happens if the fish is already under considerable stress.

Many hoods come equipped to accept incandescent light bulbs. These can be adequate for illuminating the tank, but they do have drawbacks.

Incandescent bulbs generate quite a bit of heat, only adding to the problem of keeping aquariums from overheating during the warmer months. The bulbs don't last very long and can use a lot of electricity, especially in a larger tank where several of them are required.

For these reasons, a hood with a fluorescent fixture already installed or a kit to convert the hood to fluorescent lighting should be used. Despite their higher initial cost, there are several advantages to fluorescent tubes.

They run cooler, last much longer, and use much less energy than incandescent bulbs. They are also able to supply enough light to successfully grow live plants.

Many hoods, however, do not have room for more than one fluorescent tube, which may not be enough to keep live plants. The usual recommendation for lighting is three watts of light for each gallon of water. Although inexact, this guideline is a good indicator of the minimum wattage needed.

A second light fixture will often be necessary. The exact requirements of your aquarium will depend on its size, the number and type of plants it has, and the number and type of fish it has. It is best to consult your regular dealer about this so you can tailor the lighting to your exact needs.

There are actually two concerns with light:intensity and duration. If there is insufficient intensity, leaving the lights on longer will not help. One sign of inadequate light is that plants will have long stems but few leaves.

In a properly lit tank, the lights need only be on for eight to ten hours. It should also be noted that some fish do not like very bright light, and all fish need to have regular periods of darkness, just as they do in nature.

Go to the next page to learn about aquarium plants.

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Aquarium Plants

Live plants can add beauty to any aquarium and are good for the fish as well.

Fish feel more secure when there are plants to hide in. Some fish will spawn among plants, and vegetarian species will eat plants. Because you are not likely to want your aquarium plants eaten, you will either have to avoid vegetarian species or use plastic plants instead.

Many species of live plants will do well in an aquarium, but some do better than others depending on the water chemistry and the amount of light.

Do not use house plants in an aquarium. They will not last long and will contribute to water quality problems as they begin to decay.

Unfortunately, some dealers are not familiar enough with live plants to always know whether the plants they carry are truly aquatic species or not. A good book on aquarium plants is very helpful in this regard and will also provide extensive information on the care and maintenance of plants.

Live plants compete with algae for nutrients in the water, and therefore limit their growth. Many hobbyists think algae are unattractive, but they are a natural part of any aquatic ecosystem and can provide food for some species of fish.

Problems with these single-celled plants begin when they multiply too rapidly, which is usually the result of too many nutrients in the water and too much light being available. Partial water changes and a reduction in the number of hours the tank lights are on usually control excess algae. If the tank is located where it receives sunlight, it can be impossible to control algae growth.

Plastic plants are preferred by many hobbyists. They can be very realistic in appearance, and they largely eliminate the need to worry about having enough light.

In addition, some species of fish are stressed by intense illumination. They can be uncomfortable in tanks with the bright lighting required for plant growth. Artificial plants make it much easier to decorate their tanks suitably.

Learn how to test your aquarium water with a simple kit on the next page.

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Aquarium Water Test Kits

Aquarium water test kits are an important item for hobbyists to keep on hand. The water you pour into the tank has several characteristics that you need to consider. These include the pH, how hard or soft it is, and any chemicals that may have been added that could endanger the fish.

In addition, the fish introduce other compounds into the water that will slowly reduce the water quality. Looking at the water tells you nothing about its chemistry and very little about its quality.

Monitoring water chemistry and water quality requires test kits. It is surprising how many people will spend a substantial amount of money for an aquarium setup but balk at spending a few extra dollars for three basic test kits -- ammonia, nitrite, and pH.

There are actually many more types of test kits available, but these three are the minimum needed to check the water. Other kits test for nitrate, copper, chlorine, dissolved oxygen, and more.

There are differences in test kits that you will want to take into consideration when choosing them. Some kits have liquid components, or reagents, that test the water, and others have dry reagents. As a rule, dry reagent kits have a longer shelf life and are more reliable than kits with liquid reagents.

However, all test kits have a limited shelf life, so you want to buy only kits that have expiration dates for the reagents clearly marked either on the box or somewhere on the packaging inside.

You will find that some kits are easier to use than others. In particular, be aware that most kits require you to compare the color of the water sample being tested with a set of standard colors in order to judge the results of the test.

Ideally, because you will be holding the vial with the test sample up to the light to see the color, the set of standard colors should be viewed the same way. Unfortunately, most test kits use a printed color chart, which forces you to compare a sample illuminated by direct light with a chart using reflected light, which can make accurate comparison difficult.

The ammonia and nitrite test kits are the most critical. The kits are used both to monitor the rise and fall of these compounds, indicating the completion of the initial nitrogen cycle, and as a regular check on the water quality.

If any of your fish become sick and upon checking the water you discover that either ammonia or nitrite is higher than it should be, you will have a clue as to the source of the problem.

Learn more about aquarium water pH levels on the next page.

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Aquarium Water pH Levels

Understanding aquarium water pH levels is important, not only to have an idea of what it is but also to compare later with the tank water to judge how things are functioning in the tank. A simple aquarium water test kit will provide a reasonably accurate reading of the pH.

The pH scale runs from 0 to 14, and for monitoring aquarium water, you need to work in increments of tenths.

A pH value of 7 is the midpoint, which means the water is neutral. As the pH values go down from this midpoint, the water is increasingly acidic; as the value goes up from the midpoint, the water is increasingly alkaline.

A change of one whole number (i.e., 7.5 to 6.5) actually represents a change in acidity or alkalinity of 100 times.

Many aquarium fish that originate from South America prefer softer, more acidic water, whereas fish from East Africa do best in hard, alkaline water. These are just two examples.

Unless you intend to breed a species that is very particular about water chemistry, you will find that the stability of the pH in an aquarium is far more important than the exact value.

Large, rapid changes in pH are often fatal to fish. Any change greater than 0.2 in a 24-hour period will cause physical stress for most fish.

There are products on the market that can alter the pH up or down. However, changing the pH that quickly can cause the very problems you're trying to avoid, and the chemicals provide only a temporary solution. Once you use them, it can be difficult to maintain the proper pH without them. You would also have to store a supply of water with the altered pH for regular and emergency water changes.

Most fish will do fine in a broad range of values starting as low as 6.5 and going up to 8.0. Some species will do better at even higher or lower values than these, but for all practical purposes, it is best to allow the pH to settle at a value and simply leave it there.

As a natural part of the biological processes in an aquatic environment, the pH in the tank will become increasingly acidic over time. The change is very gradual, though, and so poses no real threat to the fish.

Eventually, the pH would drop low enough to cause problems, but the partial water changes you'll do as a part of regular tank maintenance will keep that from happening.

Learn about the differences between hard and soft aquarium water in the next section.

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Hard and Soft Aquarium Water

You should know if your tap water is hard or soft so you can adjust it if necessary for your aquarium. Hard water has a high content of certain minerals -- magnesium, calcium and iron salts -- and soft water does not.

The biggest concern with tap water, though, is what the city water department puts in it. Most municipal water companies add chlorine or chloramine to the water to kill certain bacteria that are harmful to people. Unfortunately, these chemicals are themselves harmful to fish and must be removed from the water.

Every pet store has a selection of chemicals that will easily dechlorinate the water. For dealing with chloramine, however, you need something a little different.

Chloramine is a combination of chlorine and ammonia. When a normal dechlorinator is used at double the recommended amount, it will break the bond between these two compounds, neutralizing the chlorine but releasing the ammonia. The added ammonia may be more than the nitrifying bacteria in your tank's biological filter can handle.

The only way to handle this problem is to use a one-step water conditioner designed to handle chloramine. This product will break the bond between chlorine and ammonia and neutralize both.

The easiest way to determine what your local water company is adding to the water is to call them and ask. Be aware, however, that cities using chlorine may suddenly switch to chloramine, which could cause problems if your tank doesn't have effective biological filtration or is overcrowded.

If you have well water, you might consider having it checked by a professional laboratory. Although there will be no chlorine or chloramine in the water, it may contain high levels of iron or other substances that could prove harmful to your fish.

In areas with farming, well water sometimes contains high levels of nitrates, which only add to the levels already in the tank from the nitrogen cycle. These nitrates come from the fertilizers used on farm crops.

Check out the next page to learn about aquarium aquascaping.

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Aquarium Aquascaping

The first consideration when decorating an aquarium, or aquarium aquascaping, is the gravel.

The size of the individual pieces of gravel is particularly important if the tank has an undergravel filter. If the gravel is too large, there won't be as much total surface area for the nitrifying bacteria. On the other hand, if the gravel is too small, it will clog with particles easily and restrict the flow of water through the gravel bed.

The best gravel sizes are #2 or #3, which are two and three millimeters in diameter respectively.

Although the color of gravel is a matter of personal choice, neutral colors are more natural and do not compete with the fish for attention. They also help to make the fish more comfortable.

You may notice that many fish are dark on top and lighter on the bottom. This is a form of camouflage called countershading. The fish will be less visible to predators when viewed from above against the dark bottom of a stream or pond, or when viewed from below against the light color of the sky. For this reason, fish feel more secure over dark gravel.

While you are contouring the gravel, you can use rocks and cured pieces of driftwood to create terraces, ledges, and caves. These will add visual interest while providing shelter and hiding places for the fish.

Choose rocks that are not going to alter the chemistry of the water. Your local aquarium store will have a good selection of rocks that are safe for the tank, along with driftwood that has been properly cured. Curing driftwood yourself is a slow, tedious task. Incompletely cured driftwood can pollute the water and kill the fish.

Do not use corals or shells for decorations. These items not only look out of place in a freshwater aquarium but they can also make the water harder and more alkaline than it normally would be. Also, avoid rocks that have rough surfaces or sharp edges that could injure the fish.

It is very important that all rockwork be stable. The base of any large rocks should rest securely on the tank bottom, not on the surface of the gravel bed. Should the rocks fall, the aquarium glass could crack or fish could be injured.

Learn about a few remaining aquarium items in our final section.

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Other Aquarium Items

There is a large variety of other aquarium items and accessories available for aquarists to choose from, but only some are absolutely necessary.

You will want to have enough air line tubing to run between the air pump and the air stones, as well as some extra air stones. Over time, air stones begin to clog, which reduces their efficiency and causes unnecessary wear on the air pump.

You should also have an extra set of replacement diaphragms on hand for the air pump. If not, your dealer can replace them for you when they wear out.

Some hobbyists like to be prepared for larger problems. If you are willing to make the investment, a back-up pump and even an extra heater or filter provide insurance against equipment failure.

A gang valve is very useful for distributing and regulating air flow. Air from the pump goes first to the gang valve and then separately to each air stone. The air stones can then be regulated individually, and if the pump puts out more air than you need, excess air can be routed through an unused valve.

Routing the surplus air through an air stone reduces any noise coming from this line. Bleeding off excess air keeps the diaphragms in the pump from wearing out too quickly.

If the air pump is going to sit on the floor or on a shelf that is below the waterline in the tank, a one-way check valve should be used in the line between the pump and the gang valve. Should the electricity go off and the diaphragms stop in the wrong position, water could be siphoned from the tank through the air lines into the pump, ruining it.

A check valve will prevent the water from reaching the pump. If the pump has more than one outlet, there should be a check valve for each line.

You can use several different items for keeping the inside of the front glass free from algae. A sponge or plastic pad on a long handle, a pair of magnets -- one with a cleaning pad and the other with a felt pad -- or a long-handled plastic scraper will make it easy to remove algae.

A good-quality, one-step water conditioner should always be available for regular water changes as well as any emergencies, such as having to set up a hospital tank for a sick fish.

A supply of mechanical filtering material and granular activated carbon should be on hand for regular maintenance. If the filter uses special seals or O-rings, an extra set of these should be kept available.

Buy at least two nets. It is easier to catch fish in the tank by using one net to guide or force the fish toward the second net, and it's also a good deal less stressful for the fish.

One of the best investments you can make is to purchase a hydro-vacuum to help with tank maintenance. These gravel cleaners are inexpensive, but they're essential tools for keeping the tank clean and healthy.

Finally, you will need a bucket or two, paper towels, and glass cleaner. There are many other accessories that you can buy, but it is better to get the tank up and running for a while first. Then you will be able to determine which, if any, of these other items you would find useful.

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