Aquarium Designs In San Antonio Can Get Complicated
Custom Marine Aquarium Designs In San Antonio Can Be Difficult To Install On Your Own.
Animals, typically fish, residing in aquariums produce waste from excrement and respiration. Another cause of waste is uneaten food or plants and fish which have died. These waste elements collect in the tanks and contaminate the water. As the degree of contamination rises, the danger to the health in the aquarium increases and removal of the contamination becomes critical. Filtration is a common method utilized for upkeep of a healthy aquarium.
Marine Aquarium Designs In San Antonio Require Better Filtration
Generally speaking, marine aquariums have more complex filtration requirements than most freshwater aquariums. In addition to the robust plumbing the various required components frequently used include wet and dry filters and protein skimmers.
Protein skimmers are devices that remove organic compounds prior to their degradation, and are very beneficial in marine aquariums. Protein skimming can also be used in the popular Berlin method that utilizes live rock and periodic partial water changes to degrade and remove waste elements. The Berlin method requires large amounts of live rock in the aquarium. The general rule is 1/2-1 lb. per 1 US gallon (0.2-0.4 kg per 4 liters).
Many Aquarium Designs In San Antonio Use A Sump System
Some marine aquariums include a sump, which is an external container connected to the main aquarium with a water pump. Generally in most setups, the sump is situated below the aquarium which is fed water through the main tank by using an overflow. An overflow at its simplest is actually a round hole drilled towards the top of the tank, connected via tubing with an output below it. As the water level increases beyond the height of the overflow, water "overflows" the tank and falls through to the sump below.
The water circulation is powered by a water pump in the sump, which pushes the water back into the tank, thus causing more water to circulate over and perpetuating the cycle. There are numerous benefits of using a sump, both for the appearance and the health of your tank. The sump helps the look of the tank, because it allows filtration and maintenance equipment (protein skimmer, heater, activated carbon) to be kept out of sight of the main tank. It also helps to ensure that the water volume of the main aquarium never changes, as the overflow sets the water level in the main tank. The sump aids tank health by helping to oxygenate the water by raising the amount of water/air surface area utilized for gas exchange.
