Aquarium Expo

An aquarium is a tank that holds water with live marine organisms inside it. It is often used to teach people about the oceans and the different species that inhabit them. It is a common feature in museums, science centers, and even home setups. The goal of the aquarium is to showcase these beautiful creatures and to allow humans to admire them in a safe environment. These environments are usually recreated to mimic the species’ natural habitats in order to make them easier to observe.

The aquarium is also used to display different types of fishes, plants, and corals. They may be small in size, like a home aquarium, or they can be quite large, such as a public aquarium. Most aquaria house more than just fish, with otters, dolphins, penguins, seals, sharks and beluga whales being common visitors to large public aquariums. Some aquaria are very large, holding millions of gallons of water and housing marine species that would not normally be housed in the home aquarium, such as a whale.

A filtration system is vital to the success of any aquarium, as it processes all of the organisms and waste from the animals within it. Many aquaria use biological filtration, which utilizes bacteria to break down organic matter into nutrients that can be absorbed by the plants and algae in the aquarium. Appropriate handling of nutrient cycles, combined with careful food supply and considered biological loading, is enough to keep most aquaria in balance.

Water temperature is another important factor in determining aquarium classifications, as most organisms can only tolerate a limited range of temperatures. Tropical aquaria are generally used for plants and fishes that thrive in warmer environments, while temperate aquaria are suited to more chilly conditions. A good filtration system will be able to maintain consistent water temperatures.

Aquarists also consider the amount of dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide in the aquarium’s water. The aquaria’s ecosystem can be made more lifelike by using aeration and powerheads to manipulate the water movement in the aquarium. Depending on the ecosystem, aquarists may want to create conditions with very still water or rapid currents.

Other considerations include the aquarium’s water composition, which can be classified as freshwater (lower than 500 parts per million), simulating a lake or river environment; brackish water (a level between fresh and salt water) for environments lying between these two areas; and seawater, with a high concentration of salt, for a sea or ocean setting. The salt content of an aquarium can be manipulated by adding or subtracting chemicals from the water.