Seawater AquariaSeawater Aquaria for Georgia Coastal Marine for Georgia Coastal Marine

LifeLife

Marine Science ProgramMarine Science Program

Savannah State UniversitySavannah State University

Dr. M. GilliganDr. M. Gilligan

I. Equipment and materialsI. Equipment and materials

• A. System – open and closedA. System – open and closed• B. Filtration B. Filtration

– 1. Mechanical (removes particles)1. Mechanical (removes particles)– 2. Chemical (buffers)2. Chemical (buffers)– 2. Biological (microbes)2. Biological (microbes)

• C. Substrate - pH regulationC. Substrate - pH regulation• D. Water D. Water

– 1. sea salt mix1. sea salt mix– 2. natural2. natural

• E. Temperature and lightE. Temperature and light

Every breath you take…..Every breath you take…..

Component Symbol Volume

Nitrogen N2 78.084%

99.998%Oxygen O2 20.947%

Argon Ar 0.934%

Carbon Dioxide CO2 0.033%

Neon Ne 18.2 parts per million

Helium He 5.2 parts per million

Krypton Kr 1.1 parts per million

Sulfur dioxide SO2 1.0 parts per million

Methane CH4 2.0 parts per million

Hydrogen H2 0.5 parts per million

Nitrous Oxide N2O 0.5 parts per million

Xenon Xe 0.09 parts per million

Ozone O3 0.07 parts per million

Nitrogen dioxide NO2 0.02 parts per million

Iodine I2 0.01 parts per million

Carbon monoxide CO trace

Ammonia NH3 trace

Nitrogen (N)Nitrogen (N)• The nitrogen cycle is complex in part because of the many The nitrogen cycle is complex in part because of the many

chemical forms of N: Organic-N; NO3; NH4; gases N2, N2O, chemical forms of N: Organic-N; NO3; NH4; gases N2, N2O, NO + NO2 (=NOx). NO + NO2 (=NOx).

• (NO), Nitric oxide(NO), Nitric oxide• (NO2), Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), Nitrogen dioxide • (N2O), Nitrous oxide(N2O), Nitrous oxide• (N2) diatomic oxygen (N2) diatomic oxygen • (NO2) nitrite (NO2) nitrite • (NO3) nitrate(NO3) nitrate• (NH4) ammonia, (NH3-) ammonium (NH4) ammonia, (NH3-) ammonium

• Accounting - distribution of N in grams times 10Accounting - distribution of N in grams times 101515..– Rocks and sediments 190,400,120(deep, unavailable)Rocks and sediments 190,400,120(deep, unavailable)– Atmosphere 3,900,000Atmosphere 3,900,000– Ocean 23,348Ocean 23,348– Soils 460Soils 460– Land plants 14Land plants 14– land animals 0.2land animals 0.2

Nitrogen Pathways and Nitrogen Pathways and Reactions: Reactions:

• N2 to organic-N; calledN2 to organic-N; called "N-fixation" "N-fixation" (plants (plants and humans) and humans)

• Organic-N to NH4+ ;Organic-N to NH4+ ;"mineralization""mineralization" (by (by bacteria and fungi) bacteria and fungi)

• NH4+ to NO3- , producing NO2 and N2O;NH4+ to NO3- , producing NO2 and N2O; "nitrification""nitrification" (by bacteria) (by bacteria)

• NO3- to N2 , producing N2O ; NO3- to N2 , producing N2O ; "denitrification""denitrification" (by bacteria) (by bacteria)

• NO3- & NH4+ to organic-N; NO3- & NH4+ to organic-N; "photosynthesis""photosynthesis" (uptake by plants) (uptake by plants)

Eduction pipe lift pumpEduction pipe lift pumpInvented by German mining engineer Carl Loescher Invented by German mining engineer Carl Loescher in 1797in 1797

For tropical reef aquaria

II. Setting up and cyclingII. Setting up and cycling

• A. Tank placementA. Tank placement

• B. AssemblyB. Assembly

• C. CyclingC. Cycling– http://saltaquarium.about.com/gi/http://saltaquarium.about.com/gi/

dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=saltaquarium&zu=http%3A%2FXJ&sdn=saltaquarium&zu=http%3A%2F%2Freefsources.itgo.com%2Fguide%2Freefsources.itgo.com%2Fguide%2Fbiological.html%2Fbiological.html

III. Animals and plantsIII. Animals and plants

• A. How many?A. How many?

• B. What kinds? - Fish, crabs, shrimp, B. What kinds? - Fish, crabs, shrimp, barnacles, oysters, sea shells, barnacles, oysters, sea shells, anemones, gorgonians, starfish, anemones, gorgonians, starfish, urchins, worms, sand dollars, algae urchins, worms, sand dollars, algae (sea weeds). Avoid: sea cucumbers, (sea weeds). Avoid: sea cucumbers, sponges, and large fish.sponges, and large fish.

IV. MaintenanceIV. Maintenance

• A. Evaporation and water changesA. Evaporation and water changes

• B. CleaningB. Cleaning

• C. FeedingC. Feeding

• D. Problems and tipsD. Problems and tips– 1. Cloudy water and mortalities1. Cloudy water and mortalities– 2. Diseases and copper2. Diseases and copper– 3. Water color3. Water color

VI. Collecting your own VI. Collecting your own specimensspecimens

• A. CollectingA. Collecting– Temperature, aeration, biomass/vol.Temperature, aeration, biomass/vol.

• B. Handling and transportingB. Handling and transporting– Containers – dark and insulatedContainers – dark and insulated

VII. Maintaining and feedingVII. Maintaining and feeding

• Community tankCommunity tank– No questionable additionsNo questionable additions– Do not feed for three daysDo not feed for three days– Feed M,W, F onlyFeed M,W, F only– No uneaten food, dead or decaying No uneaten food, dead or decaying

matter in tank at allmatter in tank at all– Return all unhealthy to nature OR have Return all unhealthy to nature OR have

intensive care tankintensive care tank