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The Isolated Spawning Tank for Saltwater Fish

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The Isolated Spawning Tank for Saltwater Fish

An isolated spawning tank is how most beginners experiment with marine breeding, and it is essentially a modified display aquarium. One tank of the appropriate size for the desired species is established and given its own filtration system, heating and light source, and maintenance schedule 40 gallon tank.

Choosing a filtration unit for such an aquarium should be taken seriously. Most species require no gravel in the spawning aquarium and complications often arise when gravel beds get filled with detritus. However, in isolated aquariums the gravel usually plays a major role in filtration. Acting as a biological filter, the surface area of the gravel becomes colonized with beneficial nitrifying bacteria.

In spawning tanks devoid of gravel, effective biological filtration must be provided to compensate for the lack of gravel. There is no such thing as too much biological filtration, only too little. Self-contained, hang-on-the tank power filters and canister filters offer many workable choices. Care must be taken to choose a model powerful enough to cope with heavy broodstock feedings. Many small and low-powered outside power filters are impractical for spawning aquariums. The filter box, which holds the filter media must be large enough to support ample amounts of media and must force all the water through the media, not allowing any water to escape without being filtered. For a 20-gallon breeder aquarium, you might opt for a power filter rated for a 50 to 70-gallon tank to give a margin of safety.

Most such filters that use a slide-in media cartridge are not suitable. The cartridge is a mechanical filter that traps uneaten fish food and fish waste. Carbon is usually added in the cartridge. While the carbon does work to a certain extent, it may not adequately filter the water. The carbon usually falls to the bottom of the cartridge rather than being dispersed evenly throughout. Water takes the path of least resistance and will flow around the carbon. As a result, few waste products are absorbed. By the time nitrifying bacteria adhere to the surface of the filter cartridge it is replaced with a new one and the benefits of them are lost. (If you choose one of these power filters, be sure to pick a model with multiple cartridges so that they can be replaced on a rotating basis.) In my view, the best choice is one which offers a vertical water flow pattern, so the water is forced up or down through the filter media.

Manufacturers recommend certain media be used in their filters to offer the best performance. It is best to only use those filtration mediums that offer the most biological filtration and skip any exotic chemical beyond activated carbon. Foam blocks are a great choice for biological filtration as they offer ample amounts of surface area as well as trapping suspended debris. Fit as many foam blocks as possible in the space available. In both canister filters and outside power filters, foam blocks can be squeezed to fit.

Maintaining these filters is a simple task. The foam blocks are acting as the filter and should never be thrown out unless they begin to deteriorate. Every week or so the foam blocks should be removed and rung out in saltwater to remove all trapped material 40 gallon breeder tank. (The foam blocks must be rinsed in saltwater not fresh water so the beneficial bacteria are not harmed.)

Another choice of filtration for a marine spawning aquarium is a sponge filter-an internal filter operated by an airlift attached to an air pump. These filters offer a vast surface area for nitrifying bacteria to colonize and as a result effectively reduce waste products.

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