Making an Aquarium Uniquely Your Own

(ARA) - The blockbuster hit “Finding Nemo” was responsible for spiking the popularity and interest in clownfish, making them about as difficult to find as the season’s hottest toy. Those who were lucky enough to find “Nemo” had to become overnight experts in building and maintaining a saltwater aquarium.

As many new aquarium hobbyists have discovered, creating an underwater environment can be as much fun as looking at the aquarium after the project is completed. One of the aspects that make the project so enjoyable is the opportunity to replicate nature’s beautiful coral reefs. There are approximately 2,500 known species of brilliantly colored coral that grow on the ocean’s floor in warm, tropical climates.

As divers have seen first-hand, coral comes in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes. For example, there is green-colored octopus coral, pink bird’s nest coral and purple stag horn coral.

Due to their resemblance, some corals are named after vegetables, and others are named after body parts. Lettuce coral is light green and leafy in texture, and cauliflower coral that is light pink in color with short stalks jutting out from its base.

Brain coral is shaped like a half-moon with intricate grooves and indentations in its otherwise smooth-appearing surface. Club-foot coral features long, flat pieces spiking out from a narrow base.

“A coral’s shape and size depends largely on its location and species,” explains Charles Delbeek, an aquarium biologist for the Waikiki Aquarium in Hawaii. “Where there are strong waves, corals tend to grow into robust mounds or highly branched shapes. In more sheltered or deeper areas, the same species may grow in more intricate shapes, such as flattened plates.”

When building a reef for an aquarium, some first-time aquarium owners, as well as hobbyists, approach their aquarium like an artist. They incorporate a variety of shapes and colors, making it truly a piece of living art with their own personal signature.

This is the approach Noreen Zamora, Palm Beach, Fla., took in building her aquarium. “I wanted my aquarium to be a focal point of my family room, one that would provide me a soothing diversion to help me forget the stress of the day. So, I’ve opted for colors that remind me of summer -- pinks, oranges, yellows and greens.”

Other hobbyists like Kevin Perry, Hamilton, Bermuda, and Bridgette Alfonso, Coral Springs, Fla., stay true to a particular region and only include pieces in the aquarium that are native to the region they are replicating.

Alfonso is using the aquarium as an educational tool to teach her sons about different oceanic regions. “Building an aquarium environment with Luis and Lazaro Jr. has been fun for all three of us. Luis saves his money to buy pieces that he can add to his Caribbean reef. Before we purchase a new piece, we do our research to find out the facts about it -- where it grows, how fast it grows and its scientific name.”

Caribbean reefs are popular among hobbyists. The yellow and orange-colored sponges are prevalent off the coasts of Barbados, Jamaica and St. Lucia.

More exotic are the reefs found in the Red Sea and the Indo-Pacific region. Corals seen in the Red Sea often are various shades of blue intertwined with streaks of red, and corals in Indo-Pacific waters are multicolored, with purples, greens and pinks being some of the more predominant shades.

Delbeek adds, “Fast growing coral, such as branching and staghorn coral, can grow 8 inches per year; however, other types of coral may only grow 1/4 an inch per year or less. The fast growth rate of some species can allow for rapid recovery of damaged reefs in some areas, but generally it takes hundreds of years to build a reef structure. So even though some corals can grow relatively quickly, building an entire reef is a long term process.”

Fortunately, first-time aquarium owners don’t have to wait patiently for coral to grow in their aquarium. Marine biologists and artisans at Living Color, based in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., have been fabricating coral for aquariums since 1988. They use coral skeletons to build molds since it is illegal in most countries to collect or export live coral. Living Color constructs pieces using urethanes and other proprietary resins, so they are lifelike in form, shape and movement.

Living Color’s Coral Collection features Plug & Play, which is as easy as it sounds. A hobbyist first selects a base, ranging from the somewhat tall, ledged structure called Dominica to the shorter, wider structures named Barbados and Aruba. The base comes with pre-drilled holes and each piece of coral is fabricated with pre-threaded rods, making it simple to attach to the base.

There are more than 400 different varieties of coral offered in the coral collection so hobbyists can build a reef tailored to their liking. What’s appealing about the collection is the fact that hobbyists can substitute pieces at any time, changing the look of their aquarium as often as they like.

Prices for the fabricated coral pieces range from $15 to $100 and via the Living Color Web site, hobbyists can search for coral pieces by color or geographical occurrence.

After the reef is completed, it’s time to add the fish. Coral reefs are home to more than 4,000 different species of fish, although not all of them are appropriate for the home aquarium. In deciding on types of fish to select, first-time aquarium buyers should consult with the experts at their local fish supplier, who can direct them to the more hardy species. If adding various species of fish, be sure they will get along with one another, since compatibility is very important to their well being. It is always a good idea to seek out a reputable pet store for proper guidance and advice.

To view coral in Living Color’s collection, check out www.livingcolor.com, or call 1-800-878-9511 for a catalog.

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