| An attempt was made in Europe to build | | | | optimum chemical balance. Accordingly, the |
| saltwater aquariums, but the first real trend-setter | | | | filtration, oxygenation, temperature control, |
| was Marineland, near Saint Augustine, Florida, in | | | | lighting, and plumbing is highly sophisticated and, |
| 1938. Seaquarium, Miami, is a similar marine life | | | | the consideration of toxicity is paramount. |
| exhibit with a huge tank of 1,000,000 gallons. | | | | The water supply must be pollution-free, with no |
| Saltwater aquariums, or oceanariums or | | | | sewage, chemicals, or industrial wastes. There |
| seaquariums as they're often referred to, | | | | must adequate oxygen and nitrogen |
| represent a new dimension in reality-viewing as | | | | super-saturation must be avoided at all costs. In |
| they allow spectators to actually observe, often | | | | recirculating systems, water treatment must not |
| large, deep-sea fish like shark, dolphins, and whales | | | | only ensure water clarity, but also the purification |
| almost in their natural habitat. In addition, their | | | | of metabolic wastes to prevent over-acidity. |
| authenticity is enhanced by having little or no | | | | Natural seawater is obviously easier to supply, |
| separation between the different species as in the | | | | but, inevitably, marine organisms such as |
| ocean proper. The Sea World aquariums in San | | | | barnacles, and mussels intrude into the system, |
| Diego, for example, are home to over 15,000 | | | | necessitating alternative plumbing systems to flush |
| specimens of fish, including one of the world's | | | | them out. A viable alternative is artificial seawater, |
| largest collections of sharks, while Sea World in | | | | which excludes pollutants, and alien organisms, |
| San Antonio has the world's largest marine | | | | including those which cause disease. |
| zoological park. | | | | It is of course possible to have domestic |
| The oceanariums are often actually built in the | | | | scaled-down versions of the marine aquariums for |
| sea, ocean, or rivers, and clear,acrylic | | | | those whose penchant is for saltwater fish and |
| window-partitions allow virtual interaction between | | | | animals. One advantage is that a balance between |
| the public, and sea creatures. Their value for | | | | the fish and plants is far more viable than it would |
| entertainment, education, and scientific research is | | | | be in the huge aquaria. Here the necessity for |
| unsurpassed. This especially so when attempts | | | | expensive filtration can be avoided because of the |
| are made to replicate the natural environment | | | | symbiosis between the plants and the fish. The |
| using fiberglass and other materials. | | | | water can be artificial, in which case salinity is a |
| The symbiosis of fish and plants is still practicable | | | | vital consideration. Alternatively, especially if one |
| in large tanks. Plants generate carbon dioxide, and | | | | lives close to the sea, it's possible to acquire salt |
| consume dissolved oxygen. In photosynthesis, | | | | water, but beware of introducing toxic |
| triggered by bright light, plants also consume | | | | substances, or alien organisms. |
| carbon dioxide, and generate oxygen. In addition, | | | | Filtration, water circulation, and oxygenation are |
| plants consume the waste products of the fishes. | | | | not radically different to freshwater aquaria, but |
| The logistics of rearing, and maintaining fish in | | | | it's advisable to seek professional advice to |
| huge marine exhibits is inevitably complex. The | | | | ensure one gets the chemical balance and other |
| prime concern is maintaining water purity, and the | | | | idiosyncratic saltwater considerations right. |