Cyprinodontiformes vivíparos e ovovivíparos

Livebearer Cyprinodontiformes

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Aquaristics > The suitable aquarium

The suitable aquarium

A place where fish can live in a good quality milieu and well in all other circumstances, must be preceded by a very good preparation and research ahead of execution or, by other words, must be very well planned prior to setup process start.

This is a basilar rule that can effectively become an earlier condition regarding size and shape. Ahead, on “ the appropriate place for the tank “, such commitment will be one of the decisive endeavours under our attention.

We must always keep in mind that, on the subject of this website, the words aquarium or tank refers both in the same way to a water reservoir particularly arranged and set to keep aquatic live forms or allow it reproduction.

More often than not, the intention is to set up a small, ( but as real as possible ) natural underwater environment scenario. When this goal is well conceived it becomes the centre of all attentions in any living room or public space.

At least in theory, no less than one of the aquarium sides must have a glass window. This way it will be possible to have a look on what is going on below water surface in a straight and comfortable perspective.

This isn’t absolutely indispensable or even compulsive at all. In many places, when someone wants to keep live fish at home, unfortunately it isn’t always possible to get glass to built a tank or even enough cash to arrange a single transparent window, so expected traditional aquariums in our societies are still an “ extravagance “ item, even at the present time on such locations.

My own first steps on this hobby have start by means of inventive as well as original containers. One of the most remarkable examples was an old bath, partially buried on the edge of a backyard.

While planning your aquarium never forget to consider, first and foremost, the proper conditions regarding the future inhabitant’s requirements, but also as important as that, is to pay your best concentration also on the location of your future tank. Only after these two concerns decoration and aesthetic issues can be effectively included in the line of action.

Most of the time, as large the container is as undemanding management becomes. Generously proportioned aquariums are also capable to achieve and preserve biological equilibrium a lot easier.

At least up to some critical dimensions, maintenance procedures are still quite unproblematic and larger tanks can remain for a long time in operation without requiring regenerations ( get off for cleaning and remount after ).

The end result of even small maintenance mistakes can usually ending in calamity on less important water volumes, but such errors cause less or no important harm in larger tanks under the same circumstances. This is the case of a fatality out of sight on an inaccessible place behind decoration or a dense plant, which was not removed without delay before decomposition process take place.

Extra space can result also in freedom to choose our favourite species to keep, as there are no limitations in fish size, ( particularly regarding the families under our major interest at this website ).

A pragmatic but an adequate amount of water capacity can even allow keeping an entire genetic viable population for long. In such tank will be possible to watch fish from several generations simultaneously.

Nevertheless, smaller aquariums are no doubt a more didactical approach, since the most insignificant mistakes can teach us precious lessons for live. Fewer litres can represent also less expensive investments and better control over an emergency possibility. It’s far easier to move an empty small tank and clean it than a larger one.

It was not yet discovered a precise formula but, sooner or later, hobbyists easily will discover by themselves that anything below 50 litres will not pay the effort. With less than such water capacity it isn’t simple to administrate the tank, unless for a short time or with the necessary expertise and experience.

Still, smaller tanks do have a lot of use and are very helpful around.

You can find the appropriate pigmy species to live in good health on a very well planned water undersized community. Such experience is rather demanding and isn’t a suitable task for beginners.
Besides to lodge a miniature well designed water community, such minor containers are rather valuable to use as maternity or hospital tank as well as quarantine spaces for the new arrival fish.

According to the wide-ranging opinion, a suitable domestic aquarium can have something between 80 and 350 litres of water capacity. Above such limit unproblematic transportation and manipulation will become more and more difficult if not impossible for hobbyists in general.

While bearing in mind mainly the live residents and life quality for them, as larger the artificial environment is as best for their requirements concerning space.

The ideal setup is out of the question, and such ultimate model is more proper of a garden pool than from an indoors tank. Space for the installation with reference to a modern urban small flat is than quite an important question to consider.

Luckily we are discussing about somewhat little and usually non territorial species on this website, so essential space is some how not as large as in some other fish critical needs.

There are endless ways to deal with this, and the suitable tank to keep aquatic fauna and flora glowing can become a very decorative corner of any modern house living room.

The possibilities are often unlimited and imagination is free to fly and produce a most excellent combination if you respect the 10 basic rules for sustainable aquarium hobby ( suggestion ). Even the most imaginative extravagances may respect always the aquarium live creatures biology and physiology.

The usual shape is the rectangular design by evident reasons. This is particularly true if we are talking about the glass tank.

After the aquaria hobby boom, this kind of tank was the most common offer in the commerce. A new industry was able to provide the demand with a few standard sizes but usually all rectangular, at least in the start.

Nowadays, due to technological evolution as well as by means of marketing inducement, a few new designs become rather available at shops. Even the small business can offer at present several atypical shape from triangular to octagonal, including hexagonal and a few other creative tank profiles.

Panoramic front was another progress, while looking for more shapes out of the ordinary, and the rounded front window on acrylic or glass tanks are today nothing of extraordinary.
Your future aquarium shape will depend more from the available location as well as from your aesthetic considerations than from the offer it self.

Keep in mind that in public places or at a living room it’s important to consider also some degree of aquarium ornamentation significance.

Some of the most popular tank styles offer by the business are :

a) Bare all glass aquariums – this kind of tank doesn’t present any kind of support structure. Glass parts are simply directly attached together by appropriate silicone joints. Such special glue is prepared to support water pressure and is also made without toxic components for living aquatic animals or plants.

This is a very widespread offer at present and allows a multiplicity of finish details, according to your ornamental intentions after the tank is placed at final position.

For those who have the purpose of self manufacture this is the best option as well. Please fallow some crucial cautious like the silicone selection. Take in to account that some products are not compatible with live aquatic animals and plants.

This is the paradigmatic style and the essential base construction of the next examples.

b) Partially framed aquariums – Essentially we are describing the bare all glass style but equipped with top and baseline framing.

Besides decoration evident intention, metal or plastic bracing bars ( frames ) can reduce glass thickness and, consequently, the tank final heaviness.

To work as strengthening belts, both framing structures must be made from metal. They have got to be very well fastened as well as fixed with good quality glue and not simply placed in to position.

c) Built-in complete framing aquarium – these are currently no more than decorative.

Once again we are describing the bare all glass style but this time sheltered inside an enclosed structure.

Not so long ago, for more than two centuries, ( before silicone joints could be employed ), this was the single solution for aquarium construction. The metal structure was a kind of uphold support to deal with water pressure and to help out customary sealant used by than to hold glass elements in position.

These days such external structures can still be employed, but now merely for ornamental reasons.

When this option is not simply decorative, complete framing cages can reduce even more glass thickness, to a point where tank become in fact less weighty.

Antique pieces were really solid and the framing it self was part of a complete arrangement in metal or wood. This furniture piece was prepared to uphold and stand the tank in place at a comfortable high above the ground.

Inside the upper section, glass was than used to form a box of transparent windows ( the tank it self ). This way, clear as crystal “ windowpanes “ would help somebody to observe everything going on under water.

Industrial tanks are now usually sold in modelled dimensions. Nowadays 40, 60, 80, 100, 120 and 150 centimetres have become standard length sizes almost everywhere.

During manufactured assembly, any dimensions can be taken in to consideration. If you have a special corner to place an aquarium, it’s perfectly genuine to build a suitable sized unique tank, designed exclusively to fit right on that precise location.

At present several different options are available on the aquaria market.

From bare all glass empty tanks to full equipped kits for tropical freshwater; several combinations are sold according to pet shops marketing.

For more skilled hobbyists it is probably more advantageous to buy an empty tank, ( the basic one with no equipment at all ), and after look for each piece of the paraphernalia, according to personal predilection and precise requirements. Using such approach, it’s also possible to find the best prices or cost-effective solutions.

Besides glass, a number of new transparent materials are challenging the traditional offer, mainly regarding lightness and lower-cost end results.

In support of acrylic as well as other related plastic materials it’s a less brittle and better resistance to accidental knocks or bangs. These substances are lighter, so easier to move around when he tank is empty.

Most obvious inconvenience is no doubt a less resistance to scratching, lowering visibility after a long utilization. In any case, scratches can be polished out or lightened.

The first models were also more vulnerable to infrared and for outdoors utilizations were not suitable. Besides that those first acrylic tanks were more high-priced than traditional glass ones.

Off course things change and, more often than not, new alternatives to glass, including the acrylic ones are becoming effectively improved and lower-priced.

When larger water capacity is in fact imperative, aquaria hobbyists decide on for baby swimming pools, garden ponds and a wide-ranging number of solutions to which there are no limits regarding imagination as well as originality. The only edge seams to be each one access to local resources and room ease of use.


Key recommendations :

1) Whatever the tank shape will be, the golden rule for any design is surface area.

Take in consideration two 80 litres water capacity aquariums for an example.

The first is 80 cm long, 35 cm width and 30 cm tall. The second is 40 cm long, 40 cm width and 52,5 cm tall.

Both do have the same water capacity but the first comprises 32 cm2 of surface when the second consist of only 16 cm2. This way we can realize that the capacity to hold fish is largely surpassed by the first tank because atmosphere/water gases exchanges are more important when compared to the more deep second one.

2) Aquarium depth ( height ) is quite important when to decide for glass thickness.

If, for instance, we are talking about a tank of about 80 cm long and up to 30 cm tall, have always in mind something as solid as 6 mm or more. For values up to 40 cm height use 7 mm or more and so on.

Length it isn’t so important but have some roll on this issue as well.

Considering now an 80 cm long tank by 30 cm tall, never allow less than 6 mm thickness for the glass. If the same tank is 150 cm long, than use for the same height at least 7 mm thickness and so on.

These are only a few examples of how it works.
Please consult the Aquarium Glass Thickness Calculator to have an idea about glass thickness according tank sizes.

Framed tanks are reinforced, so this rule can be different. As strong and reliable the framing will be, glass can be thinner because the tank walls are partially supported by the bracing bars acting as strengthening restraints.

3) All glass tanks need a careful attention to silicone joins.

Security, sealant proprieties and water pressure strength are in a straight line with this detail.

Silicone joins should never reveal evident weak point spots or irregularities.

For those who want to build an aquarium, take always into account that silicone must never be lay before a perfect cleaning of glass and, above all, before any last grease trace elimination. Without these simple and basic measures the prospect of leaks is high.

Before tank first setup it should be tested in place only filled up with water.

It is advisable to do it just to maximum capacity ( a few centimetres before the top edge ) and wait for at least 72 hours. During this period, a careful inspection must be done every day, searching for whichever problems, like water leaks or other.

4) Glass tanks must have edges shaped.

Glass borders can cut like blades if not appropriately take care of this detail.

Without a convenient chiselling we are submitted to accidental but frequent skin cutting during maintenance or transportation.

5) Any type of aquarium must be provided with a transparent covering ( hood ) and eventually a waterproof canopy that includes artificial illumination with built-in light reflectors.

Many livebearer Cyprinodontiformes are in fact excellent jumpers as well as unintentional suicide candidates by means of this talent.

Condensation and residues in fine particles carry by the air are additional good reasons to validate such prudence.

Keep in mind that any cover need to have easy free access for the cables and pipes of the typical underwater aquaria devices.

Imagens captadas e publicadas por cortesia da loja Aquaplante, Lda a quem muito fico grato.

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