HOW TO SET UP/SIT AN AQUARIUM

                  HOW TO SET UP AN AQUARIUM PART 1

The modern all  glass tank consists of five pieces of glass, four sides and bottom. They are held together with a silicone sealant which is inert and more pliable than old-style aquarium cement.

     Although an all-glass tank is simple to build, it is recommended that the beginning aquarist buy a ready model. By doing so, he is guaranteed that standard accessories will fit and that the tank will not leak.

     Tanks come in two basic styles: high and low. The high tank (fig 1)

Fig 1;A high Aquarium constructed by Mr Fish

has a greater vertical height but a reduced surface area, whereas the low tank is the opposite, it has a low vertical profile and greater surface area (fig 2)

Fig 2;A low Tank constructed by Mr Fish for a Celebrity in 1990

. The low is the better of the two because surface area is much more important than height (or water depth).

SITTING:  Do not set up the aquarium at the  front or back of a window in direct sunlight, if you disobey this instruction,  heavy growths of algae will occur.

             It is best to locate the Aquarium at right angles to the window so as to get the benefit of some natural light and thus save the need for continuos artificial illumination. Neither should the aquarium be placed in a cold draft such as in a hall way entrance.

     Warm air is just as harmful and the tank should be at a good distance from the nearest heat source. The room should be of nearly constant temperature year round and the tank should not be placed on or near a source of vibration like a big home theatre musical console.

            It should be a room frequented by people or better still   a much bigger room like a Restaurant, Eatery,  Hospital, or Office Reception, otherwise the fish will develop sensitivity to any movement outside the tank and will hide when you come near.