algae
alkaline advantage of, 163–64
allelopathy of, 48–50
carbon limitations in, 165
chromatic adaptation in, 162–63
control by plants, 35, 41–43, 160–61, 165
green water algae, 49, 158, 161, 171, 172
inhibition of plants, 49, 163, 164
iron chelators of, 164
iron uptake by, 167–69
light requirements of, 158–59, 162–63
nitrogen uptake in, 108
nutrient uptake in, 164
phosphate levels and, 160
red algae and CO2, 163
shade nature of, 158–59
softwater v. hardwater algae, 163, 172
spores of, 164
taxonomy of, 164
turf algae, 159
alkalinity, 91–92
artificial alkalinity, 86
diel cycling of, 94
effect of plants on, 95
maintaining levels in aquariums, 93, 137
plant ecology and, 112–17
allelochemicals. See also ‘allelopathy’
alkaloids, 39
of aquatic plants, 35–46
plant synthesis of, 33–34
release into environment, 40–41
tannins, 40
allelopathy. See also ‘allelochemicals’
auto-inhibition, 48
in algae, 48–50
in aquariums, 170
aluminum. See also ‘metal toxicity’
toxicity in aquariums, 14
toxicity to fish, 12
toxicity to plants, 12
ammonia/ammonium
inhibition of nitrate uptake, 108
loss by ammonia volatilization, 64
pH’s effect on, 20
toxicity to plants and fish, 20–21
antibiotics, 183
algae control with, 158
fish disease treatment, 177
aquarium maintenance
Low-tech aquariums, 5
numbers of fish, 183
oxygen regulation, 73
pruning plants, 77, 154, 166, 184
aquarium problems
algal growth, 157–72
anaerobic rot in substrates, 140, 183
catching fish in planted tanks, 177
dying plants, 84, 86, 123, 137
excessive duckweed, 165
fish diseases, 177–78
freshly submerged soils, 130, 137
nitrite poisoning, 22
surface scum, 71
aquarium setup
airstones, 184
fish selection, 176–77
glass lids, 178
of beginning hobbyists, 175
plant selection, 166, 181–82, 183
tank selection, 182
tank stands, 182
aquarium types
Balanced aquarium, 3
fish-only, 3
High-tech, 4, 51, 111, 139, 176
Tiny tanks, 166
aquatic plants See also ‘plant drawings’
advantages over algae, 165
allelochemicals of, 35–43
allelopathy between plants, 35, 45–46
ammonia toxicity in, 20–21
amphibious plants, 98, 99, 154
bacteria, association with, 69, 136, 153
benefits to aquariums, 5–6, 26–27
bicarbonate users, 97–98
brackish water plants, 50, 112
CO2 requirements, 100
competition between, 45–46, 118
effect on substrates, 135–36
emergent plants. See ‘emergent v. submerged growth’
floating plant ecology, 153–54
food storage in, 165
fungi, association with, 153
inhibition of algae, 41–43, 160–61
Isoetid-type, 97, 98, 115, 153
light requirements, 162
light sources for, 178–81
marine plant photosynthesis, 94
N preferences of, 106–11
nitrification and, 111–12
nitrite uptake, 22
nutrient translocation in, 105
oxygenation of water, 6, 148, 180
photoinhibition of, 179
productivity of, 93–94
pruning, effect on, 151
root oxygen release, 110, 148–50
softwater plants, 115–17
submerged plants. See ‘emergent v. submerged growth’
suppliers of, 182
wastewater treatment using, 23, 64, 143
water content, 144
water hardness and, 112–13, 185
bacteria. See also ‘decomposition’
allelochemical inhibition of, 44
association with plants, 152
biological filters and, 70
chemoautotrophic, 62
denitrifying, 63–65
dissimilatory ammonium production, 66
fermenting, 68
heterotrophic, 62
hydrogen sulfide oxidizers, 67, 152–53
hydrogen sulfide producers, 67
in substrates, 125
iron-solubilizing, 66
manganese-solubilizing, 66
methane oxidizers, 68
methane producers, 68
nitrate respiring, 65
pH’s effect on, 59–60
bicarbonates. See also ‘alkalinity’
alkalinity and, 91
biogenic decalcification, 98
plant requirements, 115
uptake in plants, 97–98
biological filtration.
See under ‘filtration, aquarium’
brine shrimp
egg hatching and raising nauplii, 183
calcium
association with other nutrients, 112
fertilization with, 87
fish uptake of, 14
plant ecology and, 112–17
plant requirements of, 114–15
water chemistry and, 112
carbon, activated.
See under ‘filtration, aquarium’
carbon, elemental
in biomolecules, 82
levels in organisms, 78
limitations in aquariums, 88, 101–02
plant strategies for uptake, 96–99
reactions of inorganic carbon, 92
scarcity in freshwaters, 94–95
sources for organisms, 57
uptake and plant growth, 96
chelators
humic substances, 61–62
metal release from, 167–68
of blue-green algae, 164
CO2. See also ‘carbon, elemental’ CO2
preferred over bicarbonates, 98
depletion by photosynthesis, 94–95
fertilization
effect on substrate ecology, 100, 140
maintaining alkalinity for, 93
plant response to, 144–45
pros and cons, 100
limitations in freshwaters, 93–95
pH and, 92
release by decomposition, 59–60
substrate release of, 60, 69, 83, 84
uptake in emergent plants, 151
copper. See also ‘heavy metals’ and ‘micronutrients’
contamination of tapwater, 10, 18, 25
decomposition
benefits to aquariums, 71
by photo-oxidation, 59, 167–68
hydrogen sulfide release from, 67
nutrient release from, 58
production of humic substances, 61–62
denitrification, 63–65
in filters, 70
incomplete, 66
DOC. See also ‘humic substances’
accumulation at water surface, 69
biomolecules, 82
CO2 release from, 59
iron release from, 167
metal binding to, 15, 124, 126, 167
occurrance in natural waters, 15, 59, 61
plant release of, 18, 40, 100, 126, 153
EDTA. See under ‘chelators’
emergent v. submerged growth
effect on sediment Redox, 148
fermentation rates, 147
inhibition by substrate organic matter, 150
light, response to, 146
root oxygen release by, 148–50
fertilizers, plant. See also ‘CO2:fertilization’
ammonium as, 110
fishfood as, 80–82
for substrates, 138–39
hardwater nutrients, 86–87
micronutrient fertilizers, 82, 114
problems caused by, 133, 139, 170
filtration, aquarium, 183
biological filtration, 62, 70, 111–12
charcoal filtration, 16, 170, 171, 184
denitrators, 71
diatom filtration, 158
trickle filters, 62, 70, 111–12
undergravel filters, 127
fish
abnormal behavior, 6, 11–12, 51, 140
algae-eating fish, 159
calcium uptake, 14
chloride and nitrite uptake, 22
circadian rhythm in, 12
euthanasia of, 177
excretion of elements, 81
metabolism of fishfood, 80–81
metal toxicity in, 11–12
oxygen requirements of, 148
selection for planted aquaria, 176
fishfood, 183
nutrient supply from, 80
organic nature of, 78
flocculents
toxicity of, 158
gravel. See under ‘substrates’
gravel additives. See under ‘substrates’
ground water
metal contamination of, 11, 25
nutrients in, 85
heavy metals (See also ‘metal toxicity’, ‘aluminum’, ‘copper’, ‘iron’, and ‘zinc’)
contamination of tapwater, 9–11
EDTA binding, 17
plant uptake of, 16
toxicity to organisms, 9, 11–13
humic substances. See also ‘DOC’
binding of metals, 15, 61, 124
inhibitory nature, 41
levels in natural waters, 61
metal toxicity and, 15
origin of, 61
UV light absorption, 26
hydrogen sulfide (H2S), 133
effect of plants on, 152–53
metal interaction with, 133
release by bacteria, 67
invertebrates. (See also ‘snails’ and ‘brine shrimp’)
abnormal behavior, 25
algae control with, 159
allelochemical inhibition of, 44
metal toxicity towards, 14, 16, 183
iron (See also ‘heavy metals’, ‘nutrients, plant’, and ‘micronutrients’)
algae control and, 167–70
algal chelators of, 164
availability in aquariums, 17, 88, 170
bacterial solubilization of, 66
diel cycling of, 169
EDTA chelates of, 17
fertilization with, 169
photoreduction of, 167
scarcity in alkaline water, 115
soil levels of, 83
soil release of, 130
substrate availability of, 66
toxicity of, 11, 13, 132, 133, 152
laterite. See under ‘substrates’
light
algal requirements, 158–59, 162–63
‘aquatic’ light, 181
daylength for plants, 179
fluorescent light, 162, 168, 180–81
iron photoreduction and, 17, 167
lighting for aquariums, 178–80
photoinhibition
of algae, 159
of plants, 179
photo-oxidation of DOC, 59, 167
plant requirements of, 146, 158, 162, 180
quantitation of, 147
reducing for algae control, 158–59, 172, 178, 179
spectra and algae control, 162
wavelength spectra, 181
metabolism. See also ‘decomposition’
fermentation in plants, 133, 134, 147
of roots, 134
metal toxicity. See also ‘heavy metals’
chelator remedies for, 26
in aquariums, 10
mechanisms of, 11
resistance to, 17
micronutrients. (See also ‘nutrients, plant’ and ‘heavy metals’)
scarcity in hardwater, 115
mulm, fish. See under ‘substrates’
mycobacteriosis disease, 177
neuston, 71
nitrates
aquarium accumulation of, 64, 111–12
loss by denitrification, 64
non-toxicity of, 62
plant uptake of, 107–10
processing by plants, 111
nitrification, 62–63. (See also ‘bacteria:nitrifying’)
chemical inhibitors of, 62, 71
incomplete nitrification, 66
plant competition with, 111
nitrogen. (See also ‘ammonia/ammonium’, ‘nitrates’, and ‘nitrites’)
ecosystem uptake of, 63
for protein synthesis, 111
levels in lakes and aquariums, 105
plant growth and, 108
plant uptake of, 106–11
nutrients, plant, 103 (See also ‘micronutrients’ and specific nutrients)
algal growth and, 160
competitive uptake of, 104
excretion by fish, 81
from decomposition, 58
functions of, 103
hardwater plant requirements, 114–15
in aquariums, 7–88
in drinking water, 85–86
in fish mulm, 81
K uptake by plants, 106
P uptake by plants, 106
root uptake of, 126
root v. stem uptake, 18, 104–7
soil binding of, 125–27
soil levels of, 83
supply from fishfood, 80
translocation within plants, 105
water circulation and plant uptake, 25, 104
organic matter. (See also ‘DOC’ and ‘humic substances’)
decomposition of, 58
in substrates, 60, 124, 127, 133, 150
particulate organic carbon, 59
oxygen
benefits to rhizosphere, 135–36, 152–53
BOD in wastewater, 24
fish requirements, 148
in aquariums and ponds, 6, 73, 128, 148
inhibition of photosynthesis, 144
Redox and, 127–28
inactivation of toxins, 152–53
increased nutrient uptake, 152–53
stimulation of nitrification, 110
P (phosphorus)
algal growth and, 49, 160, 167
aquarium levels of, 160
distribution in a pond, 126
reaction with Fe, 13, 126, 129
soil binding of, 126–27
pH
acidic and basic processes, 4
algae/plant competition, 163, 171
alkalinity and, 91, 94–95, 112, 137
ammonia toxicity and, 20
effect on decomposition, 59
effect on photosynthesis, 163, 179–80
of substrates, 129–30
plant ecology and, 112–17
water hardness and, 86
photosynthesis
CO2’s effect on, 145
diel cycling of, 94,
of aquatic plants, 94
light’s effect on, 146, 179–180
pH’s effect on, 163
plant drawings
Bacopa caroliniana, 116
Brasenia schreberi, 113
Ceratophyllum demersum, 27
Eichhornia crassipes, 24
Eleocharis coloradoensis, 45
Elodea nuttallii, 109
Hydrilla verticillata, 99
Isoetes lacustris, 99
Myriophyllum spicatum, 43
Nuphar lutea, 151
Nymphaea alba, 147
Pistia stratiotes, 172
Pontederia cordata, 136
Potamogeton amplifolius, 145
Potamogeton pectinatus, 114
Potamogeton perfoliatus, 150
Sagittaria latifolia, 149
Sphagnum cuspidatum, 60
Spirodela polyrhiza, 19
Zannichellia peltata, 50
Zostera marina, 47
plants. See ‘aquatic plants’
ponds.
algae control in, 161
carbon cycling in, 88
Koi pond problems, 161
nitrite toxicity in, 22
oxygenating plants in, 148
Redox (substrate), 128
effect of plants on, 148–49
rhizosphere
oxygen release in, 148–53
biological activity in, 136, 153–54
snails
algae control with, 159
decomposition and, 59
herbivory of, 44
in aquariums, 185
soils. See also ‘substrates’
components of, 123–25
effect of submergence on, 129–31
for use in aquariums, 132, 137–38
nutrient binding to, 18, 61, 125–27
metal oxide precipitates, 124, 126
potting soil, 137–38
problem soils, 134–35
species variation
ammonia tolerance, 20
bicarbonate use, 112
calcium requirements, 115
growth rates, 96
metal toxicity, susceptibility to, 18
nitrite toxicity (fish), 22
substrates. See also ‘soils’
as a nutrient source, 83–85, 104
bacteria in, 57, 72, 125, 129, 138, 152
benefits of soil layer, 7, 82, 84, 137
degradation of, 48, 84, 139–40
fertilization of, 138–39
gravel additives, 139
gravel in aquariums, 140, 182–83
nitrate accumulation and, 64–65
nutrient leaching from soils, 130–31
organic matter in, 83–84, 132, 133, 150
oxidized microzone of, 129, 136
pH of, 129–30
trace elements. See ‘micronutrients’
UV sterilizing filters, 158, 171, 177 water
chlorine and chloramine, 10, 185
metal toxicity and, 14
plant ecology and, 112–13
plant nutrients and, 86, 104–105, 114–15
quantitation of, 184–85
movement and plants, 25, 100, 104
municipal treatment of, 10, 170
reverse osmosis, 93
salinity in, 112
softwater and plants, 86–87, 112–18, 184–85
soil turbidity in, 134–35
specific conductance, 112
zinc. See also ‘heavy metals’ and ‘micronutrients’
contamination of tapwater, 11
plant uptake of, 18