Freshwater

70
Part I: Aquarium Basics
If your heater does not have a built-in thermometer, you can purchase one
separately. Extreme fluctuations in water temperature can cause disease or
death, so it is important to closely monitor the thermometer readings. You
can find a ton of good information on what temperature is correct for many
species in Chapter 8. Thermometers are very inexpensive and come in several
varieties:
Hanging thermometers hang from the aquarium on the inside of the
aquarium glass. This style of thermometer is composed of a capillary
tube containing mercury that moves up and to display the temperature.
Stick-on thermometers are flat and adhere to the outside of the aquarium
glass. Degree panels light up as the temperature changes, displaying
the current water temperature. The two disadvantages of stick-on thermometers
are that they’re permanent (can’t be moved from place to
place) and they can be hard to read in rooms with low lighting.
Floating thermometers slowly cruise around the aquarium and display
the current temperature with a mercury line like home thermometers
that hang on the wall. (Unless you are used to watching tennis, you may
get whiplash trying to read one of these.)
Digital thermometers run on batteries and measure the water temperature
with a probe that can be attached inside the tank with a suction
cup. Many models also display the room temperature.
Wireless thermometers use a radio wave signal to send the water temperature
from a remote sensor to a unit with a digital readout. Some
models allow you to have several sensors sending information to one
display unit.
Making Bubbles with Airstones
and Pumps
One of the big advantages of having an aquarium is that it makes a bunch of
cool sounds. Air bubbles produce a great tone and can be very soothing.
After you get your filter system all figured out, it’s time to have a little fun and
create a few cheerful bubbles.
You can do this in a couple of cool ways:
Air pumps (used to run some filters and decorations) usually have some
kind of bubble or current outflow that is fun to watch.
Airstones can create mega-bubbles, which will impress your friends and
neighbors.