Aquarium

An aquarium is a special container with at least one clear side where people can see and enjoy water plants and animals. People who love fish and other water creatures, called fishkeepers, use aquariums to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles like turtles, and aquatic plants. The word aquarium was created by an English scientist named Philip Henry Gosse. It comes from a Latin word for water, aqua, and a ending meaning a place for relating to.

The idea of the modern aquarium began in 1850 thanks to a chemist named Robert Warington. He showed that adding plants to water in a container could give enough oxygen to keep small numbers of animals alive. The love for aquariums grew quickly in Victorian England. Gosse helped start this by making the first public aquarium at the London Zoo in 1853. He even wrote the first book about it called The Aquarium: An Unveiling of the Wonders of the Deep Sea in 1854.

Today, many people keep small aquariums in their homes as a hobby. There are also very large public aquariums in cities all around the world. These big places can hold many kinds of water animals like otters, dolphins, sharks, penguins, seals, and even whales. Whether small or large, every aquarium needs special tools to keep the water clean and right for the animals living inside. Someone who takes care of an aquarium is called an aquarist. Aquariums can be made from glass or strong acrylic, and they may have flat sides like fish tanks or rounded sides like fish bowls. They can be tiny bowls with just a few liters of water, or huge public aquariums holding thousands of liters.

History and popularization

Antiquity

In 1369, the Hongwu Emperor of China created large porcelain tubs to keep goldfish. Later, people made tubs that looked like modern fish bowls. In 1666, Leonhard Baldner kept weather loaches and newts in containers. Some people believe the Romans kept sea barbels in special tanks, but this is not certain.

Nineteenth century

In 1832, Jeanne Villepreux-Power, a French scientist, made the first aquariums to study water animals. She discovered that a type of sea creature makes its own shell. In 1836, Dr. Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward suggested using his special tanks for tropical animals. By 1841, he kept water plants and toy fish in them, then real animals. In 1846, Anne Thynne kept sea creatures for almost three years and is known for creating the first balanced marine aquarium in London. Robert Warington, a chemist, used a container with goldfish, plants, and snails to show that plants can give oxygen to animals. He shared his ideas in 1850.

Keeping fish in aquariums became a popular hobby. It grew fast after fancy aquariums were shown at the Great Exhibition in 1851. In 1853, Philip Henry Gosse started the aquarium craze in England. He made the first public aquarium at the London Zoo, called the Fish House. Gosse wrote a book in 1854 called The Aquarium, mostly about saltwater tanks. The popularity of aquariums in Britain lasted from 1853 to 1860. Edward Edwards made new glass-fronted aquariums in 1858.

Emil Adolf Rossmässler in Germany wrote about the educational value of aquariums. In 1862, William Alford Lloyd helped set up tanks in Hamburg. During the 1870s, the first aquarium clubs started in Germany, and later in the United States. In 1858, Henry D. Butler wrote one of the first American books about aquariums. Henry Bishop in the US sold many tanks and supplies starting in the 1870s-1880s. The first aquarium club in the US was started in New York City in 1893.

In the Victorian era, home aquariums often had glass fronts and wooden sides coated to keep water out. The bottom was made of slate. Later, better designs with glass tanks in metal frames were made. In the late 1800s, many new aquarium styles were tried, like wall-mounted or window-mounted tanks.

Twentieth century

Around 1908, the first mechanical air pump for aquariums was made, using water power instead of electricity. After World War I, electricity in homes made aquariums more popular. Lights, air, filters, and heaters could now be used. At first, people kept local fish, but later, exotic fish from far away became common. New ways to ship fish, like plastic bags in the 1950s and air travel, helped this growth. Books by Herbert R. Axelrod inspired many new fishkeepers. In the 1960s, all-glass aquariums were made possible by new sealants.

Japan became important in aquarium design, with Takashi Amano helping people see aquariums as beautiful art. In the United States, by 1996, keeping aquariums was the second most popular hobby after stamp collecting. By 1999, about 9.6 million US homes had aquariums. Having an aquarium can help people feel calmer and happier.

Design

Aquariums come in many shapes and sizes, made from different materials. The first modern glass aquarium was made in the 1800s. Today, most aquariums are made from glass panes sealed with silicone, often with plastic frames. Glass is common for tanks up to about 1,000 liters. Acrylic aquariums became popular in the 1970s and are strong, lighter, and can keep water warmer in cold places. Some big aquariums use materials like fiberglass or concrete, though these are not see-through.

Aquariums can be shaped like tables, sinks, or even old computer shells. Special tanks called kreisels are shaped like spinning tops and are used for delicate sea creatures like jellyfish. Biotopes are aquariums that copy real-world places, like rivers or coral reefs, using plants, rocks, and fish that live there naturally.

Aquariums range in size from tiny bowls to huge public tanks. Small bowls are not good for most fish. Bigger tanks are better because they keep water conditions more stable. Very small aquariums, called nano aquariums, hold less than 75 liters and show tiny ecosystems.

Components

A typical home aquarium includes a filtration system, lighting, an air diffuser and pump, and a heater or cooler depending on what lives inside. Many aquariums have a hood to hold the lights, which helps keep the water from evaporating and stops fish from escaping or anything else from getting into the tank.

Combined biological and mechanical filtration systems are very common. These can change ammonia into nitrate or sometimes remove phosphate. Filter media can hold microbes that help with nitrification. Filtration systems are often the most complicated part of home aquariums.

Aquarium heaters have a heating part and a thermostat so the person taking care of the aquarium can keep the water at the right temperature. Coolers and chillers are used when the room is too warm for the tank. Different kinds of thermometers are used, such as glass alcohol thermometers, plastic strip thermometers, and battery-powered LCD thermometers. Some aquarists also use air pumps with airstones or water pumps to help the water move and allow gas to get into the water. Wave-making devices can also be made to create waves.

The way an aquarium is set up matters a lot. Things like its size, lighting, how many plants it has, where bog-wood is placed, caves or overhangs, the type of substrate, and where the aquarium is put in a room can all affect how the animals and plants inside behave and survive.

An aquarium can sit on a special stand. Because aquariums are heavy, the stand needs to be strong and level. If the tank isn’t level, it might get distorted, leak, or crack. These stands often have cabinets for storage and come in many styles to match room decor. Simple metal stands are also available. Most aquariums should be placed on polystyrene to protect them from cracks caused by uneven surfaces. Some tanks have an underframe, so this isn’t needed.

Electricity is another important thing to think about for aquariums. Keeping water heated and lights on uses a lot of power, especially in aquariums with live plants. New aquarists should be careful with their electrical setup, making sure to have drip loops to stop water from reaching electrical outlets.

Aquarium maintenance

Big aquariums are easier to keep balanced because they can handle changes better. For example, losing one fish in a small tank changes things a lot, but in a big tank with many fish, it’s not a big deal. That’s why many people like bigger tanks — they need less care.

Aquariums need regular cleaning to keep the fish healthy. Every day, check the fish for any signs they’re uncomfortable and make sure the water stays clean, clear, and at the right temperature for the fish inside.

Weekly tasks include changing about 10–30% of the water and cleaning the gravel or other materials at the bottom. Sometimes, people can skip this by keeping the tank very balanced. It’s important to use water that’s safe for the fish, especially if tap water has chemicals that could harm them.

Water conditions

The type of water — like freshwater, brackish, or saltwater — is very important for the fish and plants. Each kind of aquarium needs the right amount of salt and other minerals. The pH level, which tells us if the water is more acidic or alkaline, also matters. Keeping the water at the right temperature is key, too. Tropical fish need warmer water, while others prefer cooler temperatures.

Nitrogen cycle

Fish and plants put waste into the water, mostly as ammonia, which can be harmful. Helpful bacteria in the tank change this waste into less harmful substances. This process, called the nitrogen cycle, keeps the water safe. Aquarists need to manage this cycle well, often by adding plants or using special filters to help break down the waste.

Biological load

The amount of living things in a tank — its biological load — affects how hard it is to keep the water balanced. Too many fish or plants can make it harder to keep the water clean. There are general guidelines about how many fish can fit in a certain amount of water, but every tank is different. It’s best to add fish slowly and watch the water quality to make sure everything stays healthy.

Aquarium classifications

Modern aquaria have grown from simple outdoor ponds and glass jars into many different kinds of systems. They can be as small as a bowl for one tiny fish, or as large as public aquaria that mimic whole marine ecosystems.

One way to sort aquaria is by the kind of water they use. Freshwater aquaria are the most common because they cost less. Marine aquaria need more expensive and complicated equipment. They often include many invertebrates along with fish. Brackish water aquaria mix features of both marine and freshwater setups. Fish in these tanks usually come from places where the water changes in saltiness, like mangrove swamps and estuaries. There are even more specific types, such as the reef aquarium, a smaller marine tank that holds coral.

Aquaria can also be grouped by temperature. Many aquarists prefer a tropical aquarium because tropical fish are often very colorful. But coldwater aquaria are also popular, holding fish from warmer parts of the world.

Aquaria may also be sorted by the kinds of animals they hold. In a community tank, several friendly fish species live together peacefully. These fish, invertebrates, and plants may not come from the same place, but they can live together because they like similar water conditions. In contrast, aggressive tanks hold only a few species that can either fight or survive fighting. Most people who keep marine tanks or tanks with cichlids need to think carefully about aggression when choosing their fish.

Specimen tanks usually have just one kind of fish, along with plants and decorations that look like the fish’s natural home. This helps fish that can’t live with others, like the electric eel. Some of these tanks are used to help fish breed.

Biotope aquaria try to copy a real natural home. The aquarist puts together fish, invertebrates, plants, decorations, and water conditions that match a specific wild place. Public aquaria often use this method. Biotope aquaria create the healthiest possible artificial home for the animals inside.

Public aquaria

Main article: Public aquarium

Most public aquariums have many smaller tanks, along with very large ones that can't fit in a home. These big tanks can hold millions of gallons of water and are home to large animals like sharks or beluga whales. Special places called dolphinaria are made just for dolphins. Public aquariums might also care for other animals like otters and penguins. Sometimes, public aquariums are part of bigger places such as a marine mammal park or a marine park. They are very popular all over the world, especially in the Middle East.

Virtual aquariums

A virtual aquarium is a computer program that uses 3D graphics to create the look of an aquarium on a personal computer. The fish swim in real time, and the background of the tank usually stays the same. You can choose how many of each kind of fish you want, and sometimes you can add other sea animals like starfish, jellyfish, seahorses, and even sea turtles.

Many companies sell extra fish and sea creatures you can download from the Internet. You can also add fun objects like treasure chests, giant clams, and even a bobbing diver to your virtual tank. Some programs let you tap on the glass or add food, and the fish will react. You can even make new kinds of fish and objects with some of these programs.