| actinic lights
|
Actinics are a type of fluorescent light that is
very blue. This is the color of light that is most useful to the
chlorophyll in marine life, and is the color of the sea below 10
meters. |
| activated carbon
|
This is carbon, looking
like crumbled charcoal. It can absorb many compounds out of the water,
and is especially good at removing yellowing compounds to keep the
water clear. Carbon must be changed regularly, as after it has been
used for a while, it may leach impurities back into the water. |
| air pump
|
A pump which supplies air for lift tubes, skimmers,
bubblers, etc. The most common type are diaphragm
pumps, though cylinder pumps are available
for large installations. |
| algae
|
Plant-like organisms which grow in water. While many
algae grow as a fuzz or slime without much visible structure, some is
leafy. Other algae is hard and calcerous. |
| alkalinity
|
This is the measure of a solution's resistance to
changes in pH. It is commonly measured as carbonate
alkalinity or total alkalinity, and is expressed in meq, dKH, or ppm
of C03 ions. The alkalinity can be raised by adding a buffer. |
| ammonia
|
NH3, this is one of the steps in the nitrogen cycle. It is toxic to most creatures, and
should be at un-measurable levels after a tank has cycled. |
| anaerobic
|
Literally without air, refers to an area where there
is no dissolved oxygen in the water. While necessary for some things
such as bacterial reduction of nitrate to nitrogen,
these areas can also produce hydrogen sulfide and other undesirable
substances. |
| aragonite
|
The substance that makes up coral skeletons and coral sand.
It's a form of CaCO3. |
| artemia
|
See brine shrimp. |
| ballast
|
The electrical supply for some
lights, such as fluorescents and metal halide bulbs.
These are available in several varieties, such as tar, transformer,
and electronic. They must be properly matched to the type of bulb you
are using. |
| biological filtration
|
These filters
make use of bacteria to break down wastes in the water into substances
which are less toxic to the inhabitants, in a process known as the nitrogen cycle. Examples are undergravel filters, sponge
filters, and trickle filters. |
| brackish
|
Water that part-way between freshwater and marine. A
number of species prefer partly-salty water. |
| brine shrimp
|
Sometimes sold as sea
monkeys, these shrimp grow to about 1/4 inch and are used as a live
food for fish. They are easily hatched and their eggs may be stored
dry for years. |
| bubble filters
|
These internal filters use a lift tube to draw water through a foam block, as
in a sponge filter. |
| buffer
|
A substance which is dissolved in
the water to boost the alkalinity and/or
adjust the pH. Buffers may be formulated to adjust
the pH to a particular value, or to raise the alkalinity without
changing the pH. |
| calcium chloride
|
CaCl2. This is a form of calcium that may be
added to reef tanks to maintain the calcium level. However, kalkwasser (calcium hydroxide) is preferred, as
adding kalkwasser does not upset the alkalinity or ionic balance the
way calcium chloride can. |
| calcium hydroxide
|
Ca(OH)2. See kalkwasser. |
| cannister filter
|
This filter consists
of a cannister external to the aquarium which is filled with various
media, mechanical or chemical. Hoses run to and from the cannister,
and an attached pump forces water through the cannister. These can be
very efficient filters, though they must be taken apart and cleaned
regularly. |
| carbon dioxide
|
The gas CO2 is a necessary nutrient for plants,
and can be used to lower the pH. |
| chemical filtration
|
hese filters use
chemical processes to clean the water. Examples are protein skimmers and any filter containing
chemical media such as activated carbon,
molecular adsorption pads, or resins. |
| chiller
|
A device which makes aquarium water cooler. They
generally cost at least several hundred dollars, and home brew
solutions involving small refrigerators are seldom successful. |
| chloramine
|
This substance is sometimes used as a bacteriacide
in municipal water supplies. It it poisonous to fish, but can be
removed with special dechlorinating compounds. Unlike chlorine, it
will not evaporate from water by itself. |
| chlorine
|
This substance is commonly used to keep bacteria out
of municipal water supplies. It is poisonous to fish, but can be
removed with special dechlorinating compounds, or by letting a bucket
of water sit open for 24 hours. |
| cichlids
|
A family of freshwater fish
found naturally in South America and Africa. Most of them are very
agressive fish. |
| controller
|
A device which measures
some parameter of an aquarium, and then switches on and off another
device to affect the aquarium. Typical controllers include redox, and pH. |
| cylinder pump
|
A type of air pump which can produce great volumes of air,
though they are noisier than the more common diaphragm pumps. |
| deionization
|
A process for filtering tap water before it is
added to the aquarium. It comes with either separate or mixed-bed
resins. The mixed-bed resins are disposable when they are exhausted,
whereas separate resins can be recharged, though that requires working
with caustic chemicals. |
| diaphragm pump
|
The most common type of air pump. A great variety of brands and styles
are available which produce different amounts of air, with differing
amounts of noise. |
| diatom filter
|
This purely mechanical
filter uses diatomaceous earth to remove very fine particles from
the water. They clog quickly and are only used occasionally as water
polishers rather than continuously. |
| iatoms
|
Single-celled creatues with hard, silica-based shells.
They look like a golden powder coating the tank to the naked eye. |
| DLS
|
DLS (double-layered spiral) is a material
made by rolling up a polyester pad and plastic wire mesh. It is used
in both biological and mechanical filters. |
| dosing pump
|
A pump which can supply a very
slow drip which is used to add trace elements or make up water for
evaporation. The most common type is a periastolic pump. |
| external filter
|
Any filter not kept inside the aquarium, but
connected with hoses. Cannister filters are
an example of these. |
| filter
|
Filters are devices which clean the water. They come in
three broad categories: mechanical, chemical,
and biological. There are many different
types of filters, such as... |
| foam fractionation
|
See protein skimming |
| halogen
|
Halogen lights have a very yellow light not appropriate
for aquarium use. Do not confuse these with metal
halide lights. |
| heater
|
A device to warm the aquarium water. They are available
as submersible heaters, over-the-side heaters, and undertank coils. |
| internal filters
|
Any filter operated inside the fishtank. undergravel filters and sponge
filters are two examples of these. |
| invertebrates
|
These are animals without backbones. In
freshwater aquaria only snails and crayfish/shrimp are generally
available. For marine aquaria, many kinds of animals are available. |
| iodine
|
A trace element necessary to life in very small
quantities, but deadly at higher concentrations. Because it is
removed by protein skimming, it must be added regularly on skimmed
tanks. It is especially needed by crustaceans to successfully molt
and soft corals for growth. |
| kalkwasser
|
Literally chalk-water, this
is water with calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2 dissolved in it. Adding
kalkwasser is the preferred way to maintain calcium levels in a marine
tank with growing corals, clams, and calcerous algae. About 1
teaspoon of Ca(OH)2 powder will dissolve in a gallon of pure water. |
| killifish
|
This family of small freshwater fish are seldom found
in pet stores. They live only one year, laying eggs that can survive
harsh conditions. |
| lift tube
|
A source of water movement
used with undergravel filters and some other
filters, such as sponge filters. Large bubbles
are released in a tube about 1 inch wide. As they rush upwards, they
pull the water in the tube up as well. |
| live bearers
|
Fish which produce live young rather than laying
eggs. These freshwater fish include guppies, mollies, platies, and
swordtails. |
| live rock
|
These are rocks removed from the vicinity of a
tropical coral reef with all of the life intact on them. They
commonly have algae, sponges, worms, feather dusters, small
crustaceans, polyps and urchins on them. Live rocks are an important
way to build up a complete and stable ecosystem for a coral reef. |
| mechanical filtration
|
These filters
mechanically remove particles from the water. Examples are undergravel filters, cannister
filters, and wet/dry prefilters. |
| metal halide
|
Metal halide lights are a type of
light bulb which burns very white and very bright. They require a
special fixture and ballast. They are the
closest thing we have to artificial sunlight, and are typically used
on reefs and planted tanks. They are very efficient in terms of
lumens/watt. |
| molecular adsorption pads
|
These are polyester
pads which have been chemically treated to absorb certain substances
from the water. This form of chemical
filtration is placed in a cannister or power filter. Note that
they sometimes will remove good trace elements as well as pollutants. |
| nitrification
|
The process by which ammonia
is changed to nitrite, then nitrate, and finally nitrogen gas. See nitrogen cycle. |
| nitrate
|
NO3, this is a product in the nitrogen cycle. It is not toxic, though at high
levels can cause some distress. In a reef tank it should be kept as
low as possible, under 10ppm. Fish only tanks can generally stand
30-40ppm. |
| nitrite
|
NO2, this is one of the steps in the nitrogen cycle. It is toxic to most creatures, and
should be at un-measurable levels after a tank has cycled. |
| nitrogen cycle
|
The nitrogen cycle
describes how organic wastes break down in the aquarium. Fish wastes
naturally decompose into ammonia, which is highly
toxic. Nitrosomonas bacteria process the ammonia into nitrite, which is also toxic. Nitrobacter bacteria
then break down the nitrite into nitrate, which is
much less harmful. This is as far as the cycle goes in most tanks,
though under the right conditions, the nitrate is further broken down
to free nitrogen gas. |
| ozone
|
A gas, O3, which is very reactive.
It is used as a sterilizing agent to kill bacteria and small organisms
in the water. It is used in an ozone reactor
or protein skimmer. It is important not to use
too much ozone, and to filter ozonated water through carbon before returning it to the tank, as excess
ozone can harm fish and other creatures. |
| peat
|
This form of dried moss can be used as a filter material
to soften water and make it more acidic. |
| periastolic pump
|
A dosing pump which works by using rollers to squeeze
flexible tubing. |
| pH
|
A measure of the "power of Hydrogen", or
how acidic or alkaline a solution is. Some fish are particular and
want some specific pH, others will live at any of a range of values.
Most are sensitive to changes, which should only be made gradually. |
| powerfilter
|
A filter which hangs on the side of a tank or is
submerged in it, containing an internal pump to draw water through.
They provide mechanical filtration, and
optionally chemical or biological filtration. |
| prefilter
|
This is a small mechanical filter attached to the input to
another filter, usually biological. It is
there to make sure that the biofilter does not get clogged with gunk,
decreasing its effectiveness. |
| redox
|
Redox, or reduction-oxidation
potential, is a measure of how easy it is for organic reactions to
take place. This is an indicator of water quality, measured in
millivolts with a special probe. Higher values are better. Redox controllers use an ozone
reactor to raise the redox potential. |
| reverse osmosis
|
A process for filtering tap
water before it is used in an aquarium. This process generates water
slowly and wastes a couple of gallons of water for each gallon of
filtered water produced. However it is one of the easiest home
methods. |
| reverse undergravel filter
|
This variant of an undergravel filter runs in the opposite direction,
pushing water up through the gravel. It requires water pumps of some
sort to run, but needs cleaning less often. |
| protein skimmer
|
This chemical filter,
also called a foam fractionator, sends many small bubbles through a
column of water to separate dissolved organic compounds from the
water. They come in three varieties, venturi,
counter-current, and co-current. They are only effective in salt
water. They may be placed in the tank, hung on the side, or placed in
a sump. |
| reactor
|
A device used to add a substance
to the aquarium water in a controlled manner. Ozone, kalkwasser, and
carbon dioxide are the most common reactors. They are typically a
chamber water is pumped through with an injector for the additive. |
| sponge filter
|
This filter provides both
mechanical and biological filtration. It consists of a large
foam rubber (sponge) block connected to a lift
tube or small power head. Water is drawn through the sponge,
which removes small particles and grows bacteria. |
| strontium
|
his trace element is necessary for corals, clams,
and other creatures with calcerous skeletons to grow. It is most
commonly added as strontium chloride SrCl2. |
| sump
|
An additional water reservoir,
typically under a tank, to keep equipment out of sight or increase the
amount of water in a system. |
| trickle filter
|
This form of a wet/dry filter provides primarily filtration. Water is dripped over some
media which is also exposed to the air. This promotes very efficient
nitrification. The water may drip from a spray bar or drip plate.
The medium may be small pieces of plastic, DLS, or
anything else which will support bacteria and not easily clog. |
| ultraviolet sterilizer
|
A device which uses UV light to kill bacteria and other tiny organisms. |
| undergravel filter
|
This filter provides both
mechanical and biological filtration. It consists of a
perforated plate placed on the bottom of the aquarium and then covered
in gravel. Water is pulled through the gravel, under the plate, and
up through lift tubes. |
| venturi
|
A type of valve which produces
bubbles by drawing air into quickly flowing water. It is sometimes
used on protein skimmers. |
| wavemaker
|
A device which switches powerheads on and off at timed or random
intervals, to simulate wave action in an aquarium. |
| wet/dry filter
|
This is a form of biological filtration which has media exposed to
the air to aid in nitrification. |
| zeolite
|
A naturally occuring ore which will absorb ammonia and
soften water. It is only effective in fresh water.
|
