| ----- A ----- |
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| Absorption The process by which a
filter media traps unwanted molecules. |
| Acidic Water with a pH of less than 7. |
| Acrylic A plastic material used to
construct fish tanks, filters and accessories. |
| Activated carbon A commonly used
chemical filter media. |
| Adipose Fin A small fin located behind
the dorsal fin and in front of the caudal fin. |
| Adsorption The process by which filter
media attracts unwanted molecules to its surface via a chemical charge. |
| Adventitious root A root which develops
from the node of a stem or similar organ, such as a Rhizome, Stolan or
runner. |
| Aerobic A term used to describe an
organism that needs oxygen to survive. |
| Airstone A device that attaches to the
air pump to create various bubble effects. |
| Alimentary canal The tube of the
digestive system through which food passes, where digestion takes place. |
| Alkaline Water with a pH between 7 and
14. Also known as Basic. |
| Ammonia (NH3) A dissolved gas that
even in low concentrations is toxic to fish. It is produced by the
breakdown of organic waste products. |
| Anal fin Single fin mounted vertically
below the fish. |
| Anaerobic A term used to describe an
organism that lives in an environment with little or no oxygen. |
| Apical bud The principal growing point
of the stem. |
| Artemia Known as brine shrimp. |
| Auxiliary bud: A bud, capable of
developing into a lateral shoot, present in the angle between the stem and
a leaf. |
| ----- B ----- |
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| Ballast A transformer which changes
the voltage from your house outlet to the voltage needed to power
different types of lighting. |
| Barbel Whisker-like growths around the
mouth, used for finding food and communication; a sensory organ. |
| Basses Compounds that make water
Alkaline. If water contains more acids than basses it's acidic. If it has
more basses than acids it's alkaline. |
| Bio-balls A filter media used for the
colonization of bacteria. |
| Biotope Natural environment of a
organism. |
| Black Water Water that has a dark
cola-like color caused by Humic acids, it has a very low pH and is very
soft, common in the Amazon river basin. |
| Breeding tank An aquarium set up for
the breeding of fish. |
| Bubble nest A term used for a nest
which is constructed of tiny air bubbles, produced by the male fish. It is
used to protect the the eggs and fry. Members of the family Anabantidae
are the most widely known users of such nests |
| Buffer A substance added to the water
to help maintain the pH. value. |
| ----- C ----- |
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| Calcium A necessary element used by
salt water corals and other organisms for their calcium carbonate skeleton
or shell. |
| Carbonate Hardness The part of the
total hardness that is formed by the ions of carbonates(Co3) and hydrogen
carbonate(HCo3). It is symbolized by dCH. It is important to know the dCH
of your water, as it affects both the ph. and Carbon Dioxide amounts in
your water. It is also commonly called "buffering capability". a dCH of 4
to 8 is fine for most fish. |
| Carbon dioxide(Co2) Important plant
nutrient. The higher the dCH the lower the (Co2). For most aquarium plants
a level of 4-6 dCH is ideal. |
| Carpels Female sex organs. They
contain the Ovules which become seeds when mature. |
| Caudal fin Single fin at the back of a
fish-the tail fin. |
| Chelators Synthetic organic acids that
enable Iron and other trace elements to be absorbed easily by the plants. |
Chlorophyll Absorption Process of
Photosynthesis, occurs between 420-550 nm.and at 670 nm. Values for
different type bulbs.
Actinic= 420nm. Vitalite=420-670 nm. Ultralume=550-670 nm. |
| Coagulant A chemical compound used in
water clarifiers. It causes fine particles to stick together to be more
easily removed by the filter. |
| Communities Different species of fish
kept in the same aquarium. |
| Contraction The shedding of the leaves
at the onset of the dormant period. |
| Convexity Having the property of
curving outward, like the outside of a ball. |
| CRI; color rendering index A number
used for rating lite bulbs on a scale up to 100, where 100 is equal to
sunlight. |
| Crushed coral A Calcareous substrate
material with pH buffering abilities, for marine aquaria. |
| Cuttings Detached parts of stem
plants: they take root after planting and become new plants. |
| ----- D ----- |
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| Denitrification Breakdown of nitrates
by anaerobic bacteria into other forms. |
| Detritus Organic waste matter that
collects on the bottom of fish tanks. |
| Diatomaceous earth A filter media made
up of skeletons of Diatoms, used in Diatom filters, able to filter
particles down to microns in size. |
| Dichotomous Dividing into two equal
branches. |
| Dioecious Having male or female
flowers on separate plants. |
| Division Division of the vegetative
point of Rosette plants into two or more parts for propagation. |
| DKH Abbreviation for Degrees of
Carbonate Hardness. |
| Dolomite A limestone gravel with a
small pH buffering ability. |
| Dormant period Interruption of growth
in an effort to adjust to seasonal periods of stress. |
| Dorsal fin Single fin mounted on top
of the fish. Some species have two, one behind the other. |
| ----- E ----- |
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| Endcap A water resistant socket for
fluorescent lamps. |
| Etiolation The formation of weak,
spindly foliage deficient in Chlorophyll, usually occurs in light of too
low intensity. |
| ----- F ----- |
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| Family A term used in the
classification of organisms. A family is made up of related Genera. |
| Filter feeder A small animal that
feeds off tiny food suspended in the water. |
| Filtration Method of cleaning aquarium
water, there are 3 basic types. "Mechanical" removes particulate material.
Chemical" removal of dissolved substances by passing through a type of
media, like carbon. "Biological" which is the process of changing from a
harmful substance to a less harmful one, by bacteria. |
| 5500K Spectrum temperature of
daylight. |
| Fry Fully formed baby fish. |
| ----- G ----- |
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| General or Total hardness he sum of
carbonate hardness and non-carbonate hardness. Usually expressed in
degrees of dH. |
| Gill cover A hard bony plate covering
the gills. |
| ----- H ----- |
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| Hard water Water with a high
concentration of dissolved salts. |
| Heterophyllous Having leaves of
different shapes on the same plant. |
| Heterostylic Having flowers which
differ in the relative length of their styles and stamens, such that any
one flower is very rarely, if ever, self pollinated. |
| Hydrometer A device used to measure
salinity of water. |
| Hydrophilous pollination The
transference of pollen from the Anthers of the Stamens to the Stigmas on
the surface of the water or under water. |
| Hypocotyl The part of the Stem of a
seedling below the cotyledons. |
| ----- I ----- |
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| Ich A very common parasitic disease
characterized by white salt-like specks all over the fish. |
| I.D. An abbreviation for inside
diameter, used when measuring tubing dimensions. |
| Invertebrate An animal with no
backbone. |
| Iron The most important trace element
for plants. Iron deficiency causes Chlorosis; a disease that makes the plant leaves Yellow. |
| ----- J ----- |
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| No Entries |
| ----- K ----- |
top |
| Kelvin A temperature reading used to
rate the color of lite bulbs. 5500 degrees K is equal to sunlight. |
| ----- L ----- |
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| Lamina The part of a leaf which is flattened, to a greater
or lesser degree. As the Leaf Blade. |
| Lateral line A line of sensory
scales along the sides of fish that enables them to detect vibrations and
electrical impulses from other fish. |
| Laterite substance used in fresh water plant tanks to supply
nutrients, either a powder placed under the gravel or chunks mixed in the
gravel bed. |
| Lumens A measurement of light intensity. (1 lumen=10.76 lux). |
| Lux The standard for measuring light. |
| ----- M ----- |
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| Macro-Algae Complex celled algae found in marine aquaria i.e.: Calurpa. |
| Mbunas Common name for rock dwelling African Cichlids from
lake Malawi. |
| Metal Halide A very intense
type of lighting used in marine and freshwater plant aquaria. |
| Micro-Algae Single celled algae often growing in strands called hair algae. |
| Micro-Siemens/cm A unit of
electrical conductance: how easily electricity flows through a material. |
| ----- N ----- |
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| Nanometer.(nm) A unit of
measurement of the wavelengths in the light spectrum. |
| Nitrate Mildly toxic end product of biological filtration. Can be used as a gauge
to tell when a partial water change is needed. |
| Nitrite Middle element of the biological cycle. |
| Nitrogen cycle The formal name
for the biological cycle in which toxins are broken down into less harmful
products by Aerobic bacteria. |
| Node The part of the stem from
which one or more leaves arise. |
| ----- O ----- |
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| O.D. An abbreviation for
outside diameter, used when measuring tubing dimensions. |
| Oodinium Known as velvet disease, similar to ich but more deadly. |
| Ozone A gas used in aquarium
systems to break down organic waste, raising redox levels. |
| ----- P ----- |
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| Pectoral fins Paired fins, one on each side of the body located behind the gill covers. |
| Petiole The stalk of a leaf. |
| pH Measurement of the degree of water acidity. It is
determined by the amount of acids and bases in the water. If the amounts
are equal it is called neutral with a number rating of 7.0. If more acids
it is called acidic with number rating of less than 7.0, if more base it
is called alkaline with a number rating of more than 7.0. |
| Phosphate An element introduced into the aquarium through
organic or inorganic means that promotes excessive algae growth. Can be
removed through water changes. |
| Physiological incompatibility The existence of some chemical or
physical factor in the reproductive organs of a plant which prevents
fertilization. |
| Pinna A part of a leaf of a fern, corresponding to a leaflet
in some flowering plants. |
| Power head An electric pump
that connects to the under gravel filter tubes to greatly increase the
water flow. |
| PPM Abbreviation for parts per million, a measurement used
in test kits. |
| ----- Q ----- |
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| Quarantine tank A tank set up
for newly acquired or sick fish to isolate them from the main aquarium
until they can be safely introduced. |
| ----- R ----- |
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| Rachis The continuation of the stripes in a fern that is
divided. |
| Redox ORP or Redox potential is a measurement of water
purity and of a systems ability to break down organic waste. The
measurement is expressed in millivolts by an ORP monitor. |
| Resins Synthetic media used for chemical filtration through
a process known as ion-exchange. |
| Reverse Osmosis A process of
filtering tap water for use in the aquarium. Water passes through a
membrane which filters out all elements leaving the water very pure. Trace
elements you want will have to be adjusted as well as the pH |
| Rhizome A stem growing more or
less horizontally near the surface of the soil or gravel and sometimes
showing above it. |
| Rootstock A very short, but often thick stem, growing
vertically at or just above the surface of the gravel. Often referred to
as the Crown. |
| Runner A horizontal stem growing just above the surface of
the gravel and rooting at its nodes. |
| ----- S ----- |
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| salinity The measurement of dissolved salts in the aquarium
water. |
| Sessile A term used to describe a leaf which has no Petiole. |
| Soft water Water with a low concentration of dissolved salts. |
| Specific Gravity The
measurement used in marine systems to determine salinity. |
| Species tank An aquarium where
only one type of fish is kept. |
| Spectrum Used to describe the wavelengths of light produced
by a bulb. |
| Sponge filter a large foam
rubber block connected to an air lift tube. Water is drawn through the
sponge, which acts as a mechanical filter and a bacteria colony.
Especially useful in breeding or fry tanks. |
| Stipes The stalk of a fernleaf, corresponding to the petiole
in flowering plants. |
| Stolon A horizontal stem growing just below the gravel, as
in many species of Cryptocoryne. |
| Stomata Minute pores in the surface of leaves and Herbaceous
stems through which exchanges of gases with the atmosphere occurs. |
| Substrate The material used to cover the bottom of the fish
tank. |
| Sulfates Sulfuric salts in water. They form what is known as
non-carbonate hardness. |
| ----- T ----- |
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| Thallus The body of a plant which is not differentiated into
stem, root and leaf. |
| Trace elements Minute substances found in water,that are needed for proper plant and fish
growth. Usually replenished with partial water changes. |
| Trickle filter A wet dry
filter using a drip plate to disperse the water over bio-media. |
| Tritrate test method A
specific method of water testing in which a reagent is dropped into a
sample until a color change is noticed. More accurate than color
comparison test methods. |
| Turion A modified bud, the leaves of which contain abundant
storage reserves, by which the plant survives Winter and renews its growth
in Spring. |
| Turnover rate The number of
times the water in an aquarium is passed through the filtration system in
one hour. The minimum should be three or four times per hour |
| ----- U ----- |
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| U.V. Ultraviolet light, generally not wanted in the aquarium. Special filters
or shields are required for its' use. |
| Ultraviolet sterilizer A unit designed to kill parasites and
disease causing bacteria with ultraviolet light. |
| Under-gravel filter A type of
filter placed under the substrate that utilizes an air pump or power head
to pull water through the gravel and thus oxygenates the bacteria to help
in the nitrogen cycle. Not recommended for live plant tanks. |
| ----- V ----- |
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| Venation The arrangement of veins in a leaf. |
| Ventral fins Paired fins on the lower part of the fish, located below the gill covers.
Not all fish have these. |
| Venturi A valve which makes bubbles by drawing air into fast
flowing water. Especially useful in protein skimmers. |
| Vernation The manner in which a leaf, or the parts of a
leaf, are rolled up in the bud. The same is true for the fronds of ferns. |
| VHO lights Very High Output:
florescent bulbs with a much higher output than NO bulbs, they require
special ballast and end caps, mostly used on freshwater plant tanks or
marine reef tanks. |
| Vitamins Any micro-nutrients needed for continued good
health of an organism. Many products are sold for specific animals. |
| Viviparous Bearing young plants on vegetative organs, such
as leaves. |
| ----- W ----- |
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| Water properties Elements used to determine water quality. Total hardness, carbonate
hardness, pH, ammonia, nitrate and temperature are the most used
indicators. |
| Wave maker An electronic
device that alternates power to different powerheads to simulate wave
motion. |
| Wet-Dry filter A type of
filter which has a portion of its media exposed to the air with water
flowing over or through it, to greatly increase the oxygen content to the
bacteria. |
| Whiteworms A small worm used
as food available either live or freeze-dried. |
| Whorl A group of more than two
organs of the same kind, like leaves arising at the same level. |
| ----- X ----- |
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| Xenophobia The fear of aliens. |
| ----- Y ----- |
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| Yeast method of fertilization A do-it-yourself method of supplying Co2 to
fresh water aquariums. It involves yeast, sugar and two liter bottles. |
| Yellow water Name given to
water with a slight yellow tinge. Can be caused by too much organic
material in the water or to show that a water change is needed. Eliminated
through carbon filtration and better water management. |
| Yolk sac A small container
still connected to the baby fish after hatching, consisting of the
unabsorbed egg yolk. |
| ----- Z ----- |
top |
| Zeolites A substance used in fresh water aquaria for the
removal of ammonia. |
| Zooplankton Tiny animals or larvae of other animals living
in water. usually used in reference to marine aquaria. |
| Zooxanthellae The symbiotic single celled brown or yellow
algae living in some marine invertebrates. They supply important elements
to their hosts. |