Basic Methods for Maintaining Sustainable Aquarium

An aquarium (plural aquariums or aquaria) is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants. The term combines the Latin root aqua, meaning water, with the suffix -arium, meaning "a place for relating to".An aquarist owns fish or maintains an aquarium, typically constructed of glass or high-strength acrylic plastic. Cuboid aquaria are also known as fish tanks or simply tanks, while bowl-shaped aquaria are also known as fish bowls. Size can range from a small glass bowl to immense public aquaria. Specialized equipment maintains appropriate water quality and other characteristics suitable for the aquarium's residents. Large volumes of water enable more stability in a tank by diluting effects from death or contamination events that push an aquarium away from equilibrium. Daily maintenance consists of checking the fish for signs of stress and disease. Typical weekly maintenance includes changing around 10-20% of the water while cleaning the gravel, or other substrate if the aquarium has one. A good habit is to remove the water being replaced by "vacuuming" the gravel with suitable implements, as this will eliminate uneaten foods and other residues that settle on the substrate.