Aquarism or aquarism is the practice of raising fish, plants and other aquatic organisms in glass, acrylic or plastic containers known as aquariums, or in natural or artificial tanks for ornamental or study purposes, thus distinguishing this activity from fish farming. or aquaculture, which have production aspects.
Aquarism, like landscaping, is an activity that combines a demand for aesthetic sense and diverse technical knowledge, such as basic biology (nitrogen cycle), basic chemistry (pH) and others.
types of aquariums
Aquariums are basically classified into two types: freshwater and saltwater. Within these large subdivisions, other classifications take place, based on the characteristics of each assembly, generally by theme, such as community, shoals, African cichlids, planted, or by biome such as reefs, or “living rocks” (coral reefs ), Amazonian, African lakes and others.
Aquariums for the practice of aquariophilia have different shapes and sizes, ranging from spherical Bettas aquariums to aquariums that occupy entire walls. It is necessary to carefully choose its shape and size so that the aquarium is suitable for the fish with which you intend to populate it.
Takashi Amano has excelled in planted aquariums in recent years, creating some of the most beautiful “natural” aquariums in existence.
Population
A huge number of known species of fish and plants can be kept in aquariums, as long as the limits and needs of each species are respected, such as adequate space, species compatibility, temperature, lighting, pH and water hardness. When this occurs, it is even possible to successfully reproduce many species in captivity. A wide variety of invertebrates such as crustaceans and molluscs can also be adapted for life in the aquarium and are easily found in specialized stores.
water parameters
The most common ones to be observed are pH, Temperature, GH, KH, density among others.
The smaller the aquarium, the more difficult it is to maintain water parameters. For a more didactic example, let's think of a glass of water and a swimming pool. If I put two spoons of lemon (which has acidic properties) in a glass, I will probably feel the sour taste that identifies the lemon acid, the same would not happen in the case of the pool, due to the greater volume of water, the lemon acid would be diluted in water in greater quantity. Likewise the temperature: if I want to heat the water in a glass, 5 minutes of a lit stove would be enough; to heat a pool you need a powerful heater and several hours of use.
Therefore, small aquariums are only recommended for experienced aquarists, as the chance of killing fish, plants and other forms of life increases the smaller the aquarium.
pH
PH is a logarithmic measurement scale based on the dissolution of Hydrogen ion (H+) in water: the more alkaline the higher the pH; the more acidic, the lower the pH.
Marine aquariums usually have a high pH, stabilized at 8.3. In freshwater, the pH varies, ranging from 5.5 to 9.0, depending on the sheltered species.
In community aquariums it is common to maintain a neutral pH, around 7, in order to harmonize the environment with the needs of a more diverse number of species.
Temperature
The tolerance of species to varied temperatures is also quite noticeable in aquariums. For example, discus (Symphysodon aequifasciata) has a low tolerance for temperatures below 28°C, while carps (Cyprinus carpio) survive up to 4°C.
Fish are poikilotherm animals, so their metabolism follows the temperature of the environment. For marine aquariums with corals, this is an extremely important issue, as many species of corals die with temperatures above 30 °C and below 25 °C. If we remember the case of the glass and the pool, we will realize that the ocean or sea undergoes very little change during the day.
Filtering
School of Corydoras aeneus feeding in an aquarium.
The ideal filter for an aquarium, the flow rate must be at least 5 times the liter of the B-FLOW
The most recommended filters are hang-on or external filters, sump, canister and others made by adaptation by the hobbyist himself.
dGH
dGH, or GH, or even DH, is a measure that determines the amount of Calcium and Magnesium ions diluted in water. (Other elements may occur, but in normally irrelevant amounts.)
This measurement is called water hardness. The more ions present, the “harder” the water. In living aquatic organisms it is related to osmotic balance.
As in the cases above, there are fish with a greater affinity for soft water and some for hard water. Neons and Discus prefer softer water while Jewel (Hemichromis bimaculatus) and Auratus (Melanochromis auratus) prefer harder water.
Although there is no direct relationship between dGH and water pH, due to the properties of the chemical elements involved, there is a tendency for alkaline water to be also hard, and acidic water to be softer.
Toughness
The greater the amount of carbonates and bicarbonates, the more difficult it is to have changes in pH.
Ammonia
Ammonia is responsible for nearly 70% of fish mortalities in stores and/or aquariums. It has a corrosive effect that can kill any fauna that is in the aquarium, whose ammonia level is high. The main cause is overpopulation and/or poor filtration.
Density
It is usually measured in marine aquariums, with the difference that ocean water undergoes much less variation over the course of a day than that of an aquarium. Some species are very little tolerant to these variations and should only be bred by experienced aquarists.