Starting and Maintaining a Marine Aquarium
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4HMEM10 Starting and Maintaining A Marine Aquarium 4-H Members Guide Starting and Maintaining A Marine Aquarium Page 2 The Project aquarium with all of its equipment, gravel, and decorations will not hold 20 gallons of water. It is This project is intended for those 4-H members suggested that you use at least a 30 gallon aquarium who have an interest in aquariums and would like to when starting out. A few years ago it was cheaper to start a project on salt water aquariums. To satisfactorily build your own aquarium than it was to buy one. complete this project you must read the information Today, due to glass prices, it is more economical to buy carefully, do what is suggested, keep accurate data and an aquarium than it is to make one. successfully maintain your salt water aquarium for a period of at least six months. Buying an Aquarium The companion publication to this one, "Starting Aquariums come in two styles: high and low. and Maintaining a Marine Aquarium - 4-H Member's Select the lower, longer style because it provides more Project Record", 4-H 357 contains a project surface area exposed to air and more bottom area maintenance list which should be kept. If you intend to important to the growth of beneficial bacteria and enter this project in 4-H contests you should keep this green algae. The aquarium should be all glass sealed record very carefully. If you make your own aquarium, with clear silicon sealant. Check for a recessed ridge take some pictures to show the various stages you went around the top. This provides space for a glass cover through in constructing it. Pictures of the aquarium preventing splashing, evaporation and introduction of with the animals in it will be a great help in your record foreign objects (dirt, pencils, etc.). A 30 gallon book. aquarium will cost you about $32.00 depending on where you buy it. When you get your tank home fill it Something About Aquariums with water. If it leaks return it. Do not try to fix it! Bringing aquatic creatures into your house will Making an Aquarium take some planning and patience on your part. The marine aquarium is a perfect "home away from home" Making an aquarium can be a little more expensive for some ocean dwellers. All living things, on land or than buying one already made. Making your own in the water, have four basic needs: space, oxygen, aquarium, though, can be more rewarding. If you know light and food. Ocean animals have a special need: salt of someplace where you can get glass fairly water. inexpensively, it might be best to make it. Many glass companies have glass taken from broken store An aquarium should not be too small. Would you windows (reclaimed glass) which they will sell at a low like to play and live in a closet all your life? Probably price. Check with a glass company to see if they have not. Aquarium animals, also, need space in which to reclaimed glass. play and exercise. The glass should be at least 3/8 of an inch thick, Metal is very poisonous to sea creatures in an clear, with ground edges. 3/8 inch glass, at most glass aquarium. For this reason you don't want to use an companies, will cost about $5.00 per square foot. There aquarium with any metal parts. Fresh water aquariums are almost twelve square feet of glass in a 30 gallon can have metal frames but salt water aquariums should aquarium. Therefore, a 30 gallon aquarium will cost be made of glass, all glass and nothing but glass. you about $60.00 to build from glass at retail prices. How big should the aquarium be? If you are going If you are interested in making your own aquarium to keep only one or two animals in your aquarium, it you will need the following materials for a 30 gallon need not be too large. The more animals you have, aquarium: though, the larger it should be. A good rule of thumb to go by is, two gallons of sea water for every inch of fish. 1. 3/8 inch thick glass of the following If you have five fish and each one is about two inches dimensions: long, there should be at least 20 gallons of sea water in (a) one piece (bottom) 36 X 12 inches the aquarium (5 fish x 2 inches = 10. 10 x 2 gallons = (b) two pieces (front & back) 36 X 16 inches 20 gallons). Remember that we are talking about sea (c) two pieces (sides) 11 X 16 inches water and not the size of the aquarium. A 20 gallon 2. Two tubes of silicon sealer. July 1981 Starting and Maintaining A Marine Aquarium Page 3 3. One package of single edged razor blades. carefully place its edge on the glued edge of the 4. Small bottle of rubbing alcohol. bottom. Press it down firmly, not forcefully. Brace 5. Several rags or paper towels. the front piece of glass with a bucket, heavy box or 6. Piece of paper (wrapping paper, large paper some other sturdy object while you continue your bag or newspaper will do) larger than the bottom work. Don't have someone hold it for you because a of the aquarium. person can not hold it steady enough. Run a strip of 7. Scotch tape. sealer along the top edge of both ends of the bottom 8. A sturdy table with a smooth top, out of the piece of glass and also along the inside edges of the way of traffic. front piece. Place both sides, one at a time, on top of 9. Cotton. the glue at the ends and press firmly. Two pieces of 10. Sponge. tape at either end will hold the two sides to the front while you continue. Clean the edges of all pieces of glass with cotton dabbed in alcohol. Allow the glass to dry sufficiently. Run a strip of glue along the top edge of the Place a large rectangular piece of paper flat on the bottom and along the outer edges of the side pieces. table. The paper will prevent the aquarium from being Carefully place the back glass on top of the glue that's along the bottom and against the glue along the side pieces. Press firmly. Put two pieces of tape on each end. Check all edges and make sure that they fit squarely. Let the aquarium sit undisturbed for at least one day. This will give it time to dry properly. After it dries fill the aquarium, up to one inch from the top, with tap water. If it doesn't leak after sitting overnight you have successfully sealed your aquarium. Drain the aquarium. Do not try and move it when it has water in it. If you do, you will run the risk of breaking it. Move an aquarium only when it is empty! To drain the water out, simply put a hose in the glued to the table top. Carefully place the bottom of the water. Fill the hose with water from a tap and let it aquarium on the paper. Along only one of the long drain out. Since water seeks its own level, water will edges of the bottom run a strip of silicon glue. When continue to drain out as long as there is water in the applying the glue it is very important to do it smoothly hose and the end of the hose that is out of the water, is and evenly. There is no need to use a whole lot, but it lower than the end which is in the water. is important to have glue along the entire edge. Watch for small dry spaces produced by air bubbles in the Drain all of the water you possibly can out of the tube of silicon sealer. Take the front piece and aquarium. Sponge out excess water. Dry the aquarium July 1981 Starting and Maintaining A Marine Aquarium Page 4 with rags or paper towels. You can now trim away any marine life is to inhabit the aquarium, then synthetic excess silicon glue by using single edged razor blades. salts should be considered since these mixtures more Be careful not to let the blade of the razor slip between closely resemble sea water, with all of the necessary two glued pieces of glass. Trimming off the excess glue ingredients. Do not attempt to use table salt. Table salt will make the aquarium neater and more attractive. If will not adequately sustain the lives of your animals you trim your aquarium, though, you must re-test it because it does not have all of the necessary minerals. again by filling it with fresh water as before. Once you have your aquarium trimmed and you know that it Artificial Sea Water doesn't leak, you are ready to fill it with salt water. Artificial sea water is made by adding prepackaged If your aquarium does leak, mark the leaking areas ocean salts to tap water. Before the prepackaged salts with a grease pencil. Drain the aquarium as described are added to tap water, though, the chlorine should be above. Dry the aquarium thoroughly, and re-glue those taken out of the tap water. In order to get rid of areas that you marked. Fill the aquarium with fresh chlorine in tap water allow the water to stand in plastic water as before and check for leaks again. Once you buckets for at least two days.