Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: A Freshwater Aquarium History That We Should All Know!

If archeological records are true, the history of
freshwater aquarium can be considered to coincide
with the dawning of mankind's true civilization
way back some 2,500 to 3,000 years ago in Sumer,
Mesopotamia.

Fish keeping, then, were more for economic
reasons (food source) rather than entertainment,
although it cannot be discounted that the royals
and their children did engage in such activities
as keeping fish as pets.

Moreover, the ancient Egyptian paintings (and
carvings) depicting fishes among the other
animals would imply their admiration for the
beauty (in color and shapes) of these finned
creatures. Adding credibility to this would be
the fact that ancient Romans were also known to
have traded live fish as commodities in their
marketplaces.

The many ancient drawings, carvings and pictures
of aquariums from places in antiquity like Eqypt
and Sumeria show us that these past peoples knew
the beauty of the tanks and they also desired to
maintain that beauty and pass on the secrets of
these creatures. The ancient Romans were also
known to have traded live fish as commodities in
their agoras (markets).

Goldfish and Koifish

In another part of the world, the art of
selective breeding began in China around 2,000
years ago. They had been known to produce the
now-famous goldfish developed from the regular
carp. By the 18th century, goldfish as an
ornamental fish was common in Europe and later
became popular in America.

Cultured live koi — that familiar fish with
the red, white and black colorations — was
already a commercial item in the old trade routes
that spanned China, Japan and Europe around the
16th century. Later, its reputation also grew and
became very popular. Much later, it was also
exported to Europe and America.

Crude Beginnings

In the early 19th century, aquarium-keeping
began. England, Germany and France all vied to
top themselves in mounting exhibits of public
aquariums. It did not get a good reception as
many were appaulled by it.

At that time, there was very poor understanding
yet on the various roles of water chemistry, the
nitrogen cycle, filtration and aeration. The size
of the tanks was also limited by the holding
power of the construction materials then.

The First Aquarium

In 1850, a Mr. Harrington declared through a
paper he wrote for the Chemical Society of London
that he had successfully maintained a stable
aquarium. Fish-keeping suddenly became a popular
hobby.

Three years after, many Zoo's and farms began to
open the first public aquariums one after another
whenthey noticed a good turnout. Soon, public
aquaria were all over the major European cities
patronized by eager but intrigued visitors.

Household Items

It was not long after when the aquarium became a
fashionable household item in Victorian England.
Curiously, there were no tanks for sale then,
although there were various books and other
how-to manuals already available for constructing
aquariums.

The first constructed tanks leaned more to the
ornamental side rather than being functional at
best. Most early designs featured a glass front
and three wooden sides (They were sometimes
constructed from slate). They were coated in
pitch to make them watertight.

Tank Basics

Soon, these construction problems were overcome
little by little. There was a real breakthrough
with the development of silicon sealants.

It became possible now to manufacture an
all-glass aquarium in all sizes and shapes. Bulky
steel frames became obsolete and tanks can now be
moved without the danger of breaking the seal.

Understanding Technology

At around this time, better understanding on the
needs of the tank's fish inhabitants led to the
invention of the heater and the thermostat, as
postulated by a Mr. Humphreys. He would also be
the first to acknowledge the importance of water
chemistry in keeping the fish.

With a deeper understanding on water chemistry
and other related matters, filtration and
lighting were soon recognized as additional
important elements to the total upkeep of the
fish in the aquarium.

The Modern Aquarium

Today's modern aquariums are made mostly of
glass. However, more and more units are being
made from acrylic instead of glass. This is
because acrylic is pliable and can be used to
manufacture unusual shapes. (Acrylic aquariums
are mostly used in big showrooms in business and
office buildings today.)

Nowadays, aquaria made of acrylics are regarded
as the lightweight alternatives to those made of
glass. This is especially true now that
manufacturers had produced harder and
scratch-resistant plastics. Perhaps, they would
replace the unwieldy glass in the future.

Improved Technology

Also, there had been such long strides made in
the improvement of the accompanying technology
related to aquarium keeping: heating, lighting,
filtration, and aeration among others.

Apart from the technology, there is now a better
understanding of marine life and ecology that
pushed the hobby into what it is today. Taking
together both marine and freshwater aquarium
varieties, the simple hobby of keeping a living
fish in a bowl had become the world's 2nd most
popular hobby. (Gardening is number one.)

The Future Of The Aquarium

There is now a growing number of fish varieties
available for keeping in aquariums and the size
and shape of aquarium tanks have evolved, too.

However, according to experts, the future of the
hobby is still focused on the next advances in
water purification, nutrition, lighting and other
related matters. Fish breeding is a old and
popular practice that has become quite popular
around the world with good breeds being created
constantly. (Genetic manipulation is still
frowned upon.)

Whatever direction the hobby is moving into,
today's hobbyists are reminded that they are part
of a thousand-year-old freshwater aquarium
history as they tinker their aquariums and feed
their aquatic pets.

----------------------------------------------------
Who else wants to have a thriving, happy aquarium
and also know the history of the aquarium. Learn
more at
http://www.freshwateraquariumcenteronline.com/fres
hwater-aquarium-history/

And to sign up for our FREE freshwater aquarium
email mini-course, Visit
http://www.freshwateraquariumcenteronline.com/

EasyPublish this article: http://submityourarticle.com/articles/easypublish.php?art_id=116774

>