Aquarium

For a partial list of public aquaria worldwide, see list of aquaria. The book ends with Joseph's remains being put "in a coffin in Egypt.". Top public aquaria are often affiliated with important oceanographic research institutions or conduct their own research programs, and usually (though not always) specialize in species and ecosystems that can be found in local waters. Joseph lives to see his great-grandchildren, and on his death-bed he exhorts his brethren, if God should remember them and lead them out of the country, to take his bones with them. A moving walkway now transports visitors through, and groups of school children occasionally hold sleepovers there beneath the swimming sharks and rays. Jacob dies, and is solemnly interred in the family tomb at Machpelah. The 110-meter tunnel was built from one-tonne slabs of German sheet plastic that were shaped locally in an oven. Then he calls his sons to his bedside and reveals their future to them (xlix.).

In January 1985 Kelly Tarlton began construction of the first aquarium to include a large transparent acrylic tunnel in Auckland, New Zealand, a task that took 10 months and cost NZ$3 million. When Jacob feels the approach of death he sends for Joseph and his sons, and receives Ephraim and Manasseh among his own sons (xlviii.). In contrast, the recently opened Georgia Aquarium filled its tanks with fresh water from the city water system and salinated its salt water exhibits using the same commercial salt and mineral additives available to home aquarists. Pharaoh receives them amicably and assigns to them the land of Goshen (xlvi.-xlvii.). An inland pioneer was Chicago's Shedd Aquarium that received seawater shipped by rail in special tank cars. Jacob brings his whole family, numbering 66 persons, to Egypt, this making, inclusive of Joseph and his sons and himself, 70 persons. Most public aquaria are located close to the ocean, for a steady supply of natural seawater. After having proved them on this and on a second journey, and they having shown themselves so fearful and penitent that Judah even offers himself as a slave, Joseph reveals his identity, forgives his brothers the wrong they did him, and promises to settle in Egypt both them and his father (xlii.-xlv.).

Following early examples of Detroit, New York and San Francisco, many major cities now have public aquaria. The brothers appear before Joseph, who recognizes them, but does not reveal himself. Barnum quickly followed with the first American aquarium, opened on Broadway in New York. When the famine comes it is felt even in Canaan; and Jacob sends his sons to Egypt to buy corn. P.T. Joseph marries Asenath, the daughter of the priest Poti-pherah, by whom he has two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim (xli.). The first public aquarium opened in London's Regent's Park in 1853. He advises the king to make provision accordingly, and is empowered to take the necessary steps, being appointed second in the kingdom.

In recent years, the large aquaria have been attempting to acquire and raise various species of open-ocean fish, and even jellyfish (or sea-jellies, cnidaria), a difficult task since these creatures have never before encountered solid surfaces like the walls of a tank, and do not have the instincts to turn aside from the walls instead of running into them. The latter is thereupon brought before Pharaoh, whose dreams he interprets to mean that seven years of abundance will be followed by seven years of famine. Also as with zoos, aquaria usually have specialized research staff who study the habits and biology of their specimens. When Pharaoh is troubled by dreams that no one is able to interpret, the butler draws attention to Joseph. A few have their own version of a "petting zoo"; for instance, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has a shallow tank filled with common types of rays, and one can reach in to feel their leathery skins as they pass by. Here he correctly interprets the dreams of two of his fellow prisoners, the king's butler and baker. A good aquarium will have special exhibits to entice repeat visitors, in addition to its permanent collection. He gains his master's confidence; but when the latter's wife, unable to seduce him, accuses him falsely, he is cast into prison (xxxix.).

Operationally, a public aquarium is similar in many ways to a zoo or museum. Joseph, carried to Egypt, is there sold as a slave to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials. Aquatic and semiaquatic animals, including otters and penguins, may also be kept by public aquaria. His brothers tell their father that a wild animal has devoured Joseph. gallons of water and can house large species, including dolphins, sharks or beluga whales. Joseph, Jacob's favorite son, is hated by his brothers on account of his dreams prognosticating his future dominion, and on the advice of Judah is secretly sold to a caravan of Ishmaelitic merchants going to Egypt. The largest tanks hold millions of U.S. On the road from Bethel, Rachel gives birth to a son, Benjamin, and dies.

Most public aquaria feature a number of smaller tanks, as well as one or more large tank greater in size than could be kept by any home aquarist. His sons Simeon and Levi take vengeance on the city of Shechem, whose prince has raped their sister Dinah. Public aquaria are facilities open to the public for viewing of aquatic species in aquaria. Jacob settles at Shechem. In practice this is a very complicated and difficult task, and so most aquarists use rules of thumb combined with a trial and error approach to reach an appropriate level of biological loading. The meeting with Esau proves a friendly one, and the brothers separate reconciled. To do so, the variables for waste production rate, nitrification efficiency, gas exchange rate at the water surface, and many others would need to be determined. The being announces to Jacob that he shall bear the name "Israel," which means "one who wrestled with God" and is freed.

The true maximum or ideal biological loading of a system is very difficult to calculate, even on a theoretical level. The mysterious one pleads to be released before daybreak, but Jacob refuses to release the being until he agrees to bless him. For goldfish and other high-waste fish, some aquarists recommend doubling the space allowance to one inch of fish per every two gallons. While sleeping, a being (variously regarded as God, an angel, or a man), appears to Jacob and wrestles with him. This rule is usually applied to the expected mature size of the fish, in order to not stunt growth by overcrowding, which can be unhealthy for the fish. On approaching his home he is in fear of Esau, to whom he sends presents. gallons (about 7 mm per liter of water). In fear of Laban, Jacob flees with his family, and soon becomes reconciled with Laban.

gallon" rule, which dictates that the sum in inches of the lengths of all fish kept in an aquarium (excluding tail length) should not exceed the capacity of the tank measured in U.S. He also acquires much wealth in flocks. Perhaps the most popular of these is the "one inch of fish per U.S. In the meantime Leah bears him Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; by Rachel's maid Bilhah he has Dan and Naphtali; by Zilpah, Leah's maid, Gad and Asher; then, by Leah again, Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah; and finally, by Rachel, Joseph. In order to prevent biological overloading of the system, aquarists have developed a number of rules of thumb. At the end of this period Laban gives him the elder daughter, Leah; Jacob therefore serves another seven years for Rachel, and after that six years more for cattle. Physically, only a limited size and number of plants and animals can be fit into an aquarium while still providing room for movement. Arrived at Haran, Jacob hires himself to Laban, his mother's brother, on condition that, after having served for seven years as a herdsman, he shall have for wife the younger daughter, Rachel, with whom he is in love.

The capacity of nitrifying bacteria is limited by the physical space they have available to colonize. On the way God appears to him at night, promising protection and aid for himself and the land for his numerous descendants. The surface area of water exposed to air limits dissolved oxygen intake by the tank. To escape his brother's vengeance, Jacob is sent to relations in Haran, being charged by Isaac to find a wife there. In addition, there are several fundamental constraints on biological loading based on the size of an aquarium. Rebekah persuades Jacob to dress himself as Esau, and thus obtain from his blinded by old age father the blessing intended for Esau. High biological loading in an aquarium represents a more complicated tank ecology, which in turn means that equilibrium is easier to perturb. Esau marries Canaanite women, to the regret of his parents.

Biological loading is a measure of the burden placed on the aquarium ecosystem by its living inhabitants. God appears to him at Beer-sheba, encourages him, and promises him blessings and numerous descendants; and Abimelech enters into a covenant with him at the same place. Appropriate handling of the nitrogen cycle, along with supplying an adequately balanced food supply and considered biological loading, is usually enough to keep these other nutrient cycles in approximate equilibrium. In spite of the hostility of Abimelech's people, Isaac is fortunate in all his undertakings in that country, especially in digging wells. Sulfur, iron, and micronutrients also cycle through the system, entering as food and exiting as waste. His wife, whom he represents as his sister, is endangered in the country of the Philistines, but King Abimelech himself averts disaster. The phosphate cycle is an important, although often overlooked, nutrient cycle. Jacob persuades Esau to sell him his birthright, for which the latter does not care; notwithstanding this bargain, God appears to Isaac and repeats the promises given to Abraham.

Carbon dioxide escapes the system into the air. After being married for twenty years Rebekah has twins by Isaac: Esau, who becomes a hunter, and Jacob (Ya'akov: "will follow"), who becomes a herdsman. Dissolved oxygen enters the system at the surface water-air interface or through the actions of an air pump. Note: the story of the sacrifice also appears in the Qur'an (see Similarities between the Bible and the Qur'an). Nitrogen is not the only nutrient that cycles through an aquarium. Other children are born to Abraham by another wife, Keturah, among whose descendants are the Midianites; and he dies in a prosperous old age. Improperly cycled aquaria can quickly accumulate toxic concentrations of nitrogen waste and kill its inhabitants. Then he sends his servant to Mesopotamia, Nahor's home, to find among his relations a wife for Isaac; and Rebekah, Nahor's granddaughter, is chosen.

According to anecdotal reports of aquarists specializing in planted tanks, the plants can consume nitrogenous waste so efficiently that the spikes in ammonia and nitrite levels normally seen in more traditional cycling methods are greatly reduced, if they are detectable at all. On the death of Sarah, Abraham acquires Machpelah for a family tomb. The silent cycle is basically nothing more than densely stocking the aquarium with fast-growing aquatic plants and relying on them to consume the nitrogen products rather than bacteria. Abraham obeys; but, as he is about to lay the knife upon his son, God restrains him, promising him numberless descendants. During this process, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels are tested to monitor progress. Now that Abraham seems to have all his desires fulfilled, having even provided for the future of his son, God subjects him to the greatest trial of his faith by demanding Isaac as a sacrifice. Instead, small amounts of ammonia are added to the tank to feed the bacteria being cultured. The story of Isaac also appears in the Qur'an (see Similarities between the Bible and the Qur'an).

As the name of the former implies, no fish are kept in a tank undergoing a fishless cycle. Abraham, during the banquet that he gives in honor of Isaac's birth, enters into a covenant with Abimelech, who confirms his right to the well Beer-sheba. Other cycling methods that have gained popularity in recent years are the fishless cycle and the silent cycle. They also have a great future promised to them by God. Aquarists use several different methods to jump start this process, including the use of water additives containing small populations of the bacteria, or "seeding" a new tank with a mature bacterial colony removed from another aquarium (such as can be found on gravel or biological filter media). At Sarah's insistence Ishmael together with his mother Hagar is driven out of the house. In a process called cycling, aquarists cultivate these bacteria as fish and other producers of nitrogen waste are gradually added to the tank over the course of several weeks. At last the long-expected son is born, and receives the name of "Isaac" (Itzhak: "will laugh" in Hebrew).

New aquaria also do not usually have the required populations of bacteria for the handling of nitrogen waste. Note: the story of Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah also appears in the Qur'an (see Similarities between the Bible and the Qur'an). This problem is most often addressed through two filtration solutions: Activated carbon filters absorb nitrogen compounds and other toxins from the water, while biological filters provide a medium specially designed for colonization by the desired nitrifying bacteria. He desists on being warned by God. Aquaria kept by hobbyists often do not have the requisite populations of bacteria needed to detoxify nitrogen waste from tank inhabitants. Here once again he represents Sarah as his sister, and Abimelech plans to gain possession of her. A balanced system, in which the fish eat the plants, is generally difficult to create. Abraham journeys to Gerar, the country of Abimelech.

This accumulation of nitrates in home aquaria requires the aquarium keeper to remove water that is high in nitrates or remove plants which have grown from the nitrates. Lot's incestuous relationship with his daughters, which resulted in the births of Ammon and Moab, is also described. Although informally called the nitrogen cycle by hobbyists, it is in fact only a portion of a true cycle: nitrogen must be added to the system (usually through food provided to the tank inhabitants), and nitrates accumulate in the water at the end of the process (or contribute to a growth in biomass via plant metabolism). Only Lot and his two daughters are saved. However, this is only temporary, as the plants release nitrogen back into the water when older leaves die off and decompose. Having thus shown that they have deserved their fate, Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed by fire-and-brimstone. When plants metabolize nitrogen compounds, they remove nitrogen from the water by using it to build biomass. The men of the city wish to have sexual relations with them.

In addition to bacteria, aquatic plants also eliminate nitrogen waste by metabolizing ammonia and nitrate. Two of the messengers go to Sodom, where they are hospitably received by Lot. While biologically they could theoretically fill the same niche as Nitrospira, it has recently been found that Nitrobacter are not present in detectable levels in established aquaria, while Nitrospira are plentiful.) This process is known in the aquarium hobby as the nitrogen cycle. Abraham also hears that God's messengers intend to execute judgment upon the wicked inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, whereupon he intercedes for the sinners, and endeavors to have their fate set aside. (Nitrobacter bacteria were previously believed to fill this role, and continue to be found in commercially available products sold as kits to "jump start" the nitrogen cycle in an aquarium. They announce to him that he will have a son within a year, although he and his wife are already very old. Another type of bacteria, genus Nitrospira, converts nitrite into nitrate, a less toxic substance to aquarium inhabitants. God sends Abraham three angels, whom Abraham receives hospitably.

Nitrite is also highly toxic to fish in high concentrations. God again appears to Abram, and enters into a personal covenant with him securing Abram's future: God promises him a numerous progeny, changes his name to "Abraham" and that of Sarai to "Sarah," and institutes the circumcision of all males as an eternal sign of the covenant. Nitrifying bacteria capture ammonia from the water and metabolize it to produce nitrite. Abram takes her as a concubine and has a child with her, Ishmael. The nitrogen waste produced in a tank is metabolized in aquaria by a type of bacteria known as nitrifiers (genus Nitrosomonas). Sarai is childless, so Sarai and Abram decide that they will produce an heir for Abram through his Egyptian handmaiden, Hagar. A well-balanced tank contains organisms that are able to metabolize the waste products of other aquarium residents. These descendants will pass four hundred years in servitude in a strange land; but after God has judged their oppressors they shall leave the land of their affliction, and the fourth generation shall return to Canaan.

Nitrogen waste products become toxic to fish and other aquarium inhabitants at high concentrations. After this exploit God again appears to Abram and promises him protection, a rich reward, and numerous progeny. Ammonia is also produced through the decomposition of plant and animal matter, including fecal matter and other detritus. Returning with his warband after rescuing Lot and his clan, Abram is met by Melchizedek, the king and high priest of Salem (Jerusalem), who blesses him, and in return Abram gives him a tithe of his booty, refusing his share of the same. Fish, invertebrates, fungi, and some bacteria excrete nitrogen waste in the form of ammonia (which may convert to ammonium, depending on water chemistry) which must then pass through the nitrogen cycle. Abram pursues the victors with his armed retainers. Of primary concern to the aquarist is management of the biological waste produced by an aquarium's inhabitants. Lot is taken prisoner by invading kings from the East during a war between Amraphel, King of Shinar, and Bera, King of Sodom, with their respective allies.

For this reason, hobbyists often favor larger tanks when possible, as they are more stable systems requiring less intensive attention to the maintenance of equilibrium. God again appears to Abram, and promises to him the whole country. gallon (400 L) tank with many other fish in it represents only a minor change in the balance of the tank. He gives Lot the valley of the Jordan near Sodom. gallon tank (11 L) causes dramatic changes in the system, while the death of that same fish in a 100 U.S. Abram returns to Canaan, and separates from Lot in order to put an end to disputes about pasturage. For example, the death of the only fish in a three U.S. God smites the King with a disease, which the King recognizes as a sign from God; the King returns Sarai to Abram.

Any event that perturbs the system pushes an aquarium away from equilibrium; the more water that is contained in a tank, the easier such a systemic shock is to absorb, as the effects of that event are diluted. The King of Egypt takes possession of the beautiful Sarai (whom Abram has misleadingly represented as his sister; she was in fact his half-sister). Approximate equilibrium is facilitated by large volumes of water. Abram is forced by a famine to leave the country and go to Egypt. Typically an aquarium keeper must take steps to maintain equilibrium in the small ecosystem contained in his aquarium. Here God appears to him and promises that the land shall become the property of his descendants. As an example, a balanced predator-prey relationship is nearly impossible to maintain in even the largest of aquaria. Abram obeys, emigrating with his entire household and Lot, his brother's son, to the land of Canaan.

In practice it is virtually impossible to maintain a perfect balance. God directs Abram to leave his home. Ideal aquarium ecology reproduces the equilibrium found in nature in the closed system of an aquarium. Nahor is married to Milcah, and Abram to Sarai, who has no children. Aquaculture can help in lessening the impacts on wild stocks, either by using raised cultivated organisms directly for sale or by releasing them to replenish wild stock (Tlusty 203), although such a practice is associated with several environmental risks. Haran's son is Lot. Supporters of aquaculture programs for supply to the aquarium trade claim that well-planned programs can bring benefits to the environment as well as the society around it. Terah, who lives at Ur of the Chaldees, has three sons, Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Aquaculture is the cultivation of aquatic organisms in a controlled environment. Note: the story of Noah also appears in the Qur'an (see Similarities between the Bible and the Qur'an). Breeding programs for freshwater species are comparatively more advanced than for saltwater species. A genealogy is given of Shem's descendants. Captive breeding programs of marine organisms for the aquarium trade have been urgently in development since the mid-1990s. 1-9). Captive breeding for the aquarium trade is now concentrated in South Florida, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Bangkok, with smaller industries in Hawaii and Sri Lanka. Humanity is dispersed by a "confusion of tongues," which God brought about when men attempted to build a tower that should reach up to heaven (xi.

Since the 'fighting fish' Betta splendens was first successfully bred in France in 1893, captive spawning techniques have been slowly discovered. The dispersion of humanity into separate races and nations is described in the story of the Tower of Babel. Among American keepers of marine aquaria surveyed in 1997, two thirds said that they prefer to purchase farm raised coral instead of wild-collected coral, and over 80% think that only sustainably caught or captive bred fish should be allowed for trade. Chapter 10 reviews the peoples descended from Japheth, Ham, and Shem. Therefore, there has been a concerted movement by many concerned aquarists to reduce the trade's dependence on wild-collected specimens through captive breeding programs and certification programs for wild-caught fish. When, in a fit of intoxication, Noah is shamelessly treated by his son Ham, he curses the latter in the person of Ham's son Canaan, while his sons Shem and Japheth are blessed. Additionally, the destructive fishing techniques used have become a growing concern to environmentalists and hobbyists alike. 20) and drinks of the produce.

These include the poisoning of coral reefs and non-target species, the depletion of rare species from their natural habitat, and the degradation of ecosystems from large scale removal of key species. Noah plants a vineyard (ix. More recently, the potentially detrimental environmental impact of fish and plant collecting has come to the attention of aquarists worldwide. When it has subsided, Noah's family leaves the ark, and God enters into a covenant with Noah and all his descendants, the entire human race. Fish can also be injured during the collection process itself, most notably during the process of using cyanide to stun reef fish to make them easier to collect. Water bursts out of the ground and falls from the sky, and the world is flooded, destroying all living beings (just of the land, no reference to water animals) and saves those in the ark. Many others are weakened by stress and become diseased upon arrival. Into this ark they bring a mating pair of each kind of animal and bird on Earth.

The shipping process is very hazardous for the fish involved; mortality rates are high. Noah obeys the command, entering the ark together with his family. Collecting expeditions can be lengthy and costly, and are not always successful. God commands him to build a large ark, since the work of destruction is to be accomplished by means of a great flood. The practice of collection in the wild for eventual display in aquaria has several disadvantages. God selects one man's family, the family of Noah, to survive the flood, as Noah is the most righteous man of his generation. It remains an important source for many species that have not been successfully bred in captivity, and continues to introduce new species to enthusiastic aquarists. In response to the wickedness of mankind, God decides to cleanse the world and start again.

In many places of the world, impoverished local villagers collect specimens for the aquarium trade as their prime means of income. Note: the stories of Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel also appear in the Qur'an (see Similarities between the Bible and the Qur'an). Collection of fish, plants, and invertebrates from the wild for supply to the aquarium trade continues today at locations around the world. In line with most of the other biblical characters born before the flood whose ages are provided, Adam lived until the age of 930. During the early twentieth century many species of small colorful tropical fish were caught and exported from Manaus Brazil, Bangkok Thailand, Siam, Jakarta Indonesia, the Dutch West Indies, Calcutta India, and other tropical ports. Adam and Eve also have other sons and daughters. Fish and plants for the first modern aquaria were gathered from the wild and transported (usually by ship) to European and American ports. The tenth in regular descent is Noah.

Reef aquaria are widely considered the most difficult and demanding of the common hobbyist aquarium types, requiring the most expertise in addition to the most specialized equipment (and corresponding high cost). Seth's descendants never lose thought of God. Techniques of maintaining sea anemones, some corals, live rock, mollusks, and crustacea, developed since the 1980s, have made the recreations of a reef ecosystem possible. Another son, Seth, has in the meantime been born to Adam and Eve in place of the slain Abel. These aquaria focus on the rich diversity of invertebrate life in these environments, and typically include only a limited number of small fish. Cain's descendants know nothing about God. These aquaria attempt to simulate the complex reef ecosystems found in warm, tropical oceans around the world. Lamech's sons are the first dwellers in tents and owners of herds, and they are the earliest inventors of musical instruments and workers in brass and iron.

In addition to the types above, a special category of saltwater aquaria is the reef aquarium. Another descendant, Lamech, takes two wives. This approach best simulates the experience of observing an aquarium's inhabitants in the wild, and also usually serves as the healthiest possible artificial environment for the tank's occupants. Enoch, one of Cain's sons, builds the first city. These ecotype aquaria might be considered the most sophisticated hobby aquaria; indeed, reputable public aquaria all use this approach in their exhibits whenever possible. He finally settles in the land of Nod. Ecotype or ecotope aquaria attempt to simulate a specific ecosystem found in the natural world, bringing together fish, invertebrate species, and plants found in that ecosystem in a tank with water conditions and decorations designed to simulate their natural environment. Cain is sentenced to wander over the earth as a fugitive.

Such tanks are common in fishrooms, where people keep many tanks at home. The first murder is that of a brother. Some tanks of this sort are used simply to house adults for breeding. Cain grows envious of the favor found by his brother before God, and slays him. They can be simple as bare bottom with a few necessities or a complex planted aquarium. There is a Chiastic structure in the first few verses relating Cain to Abel. These tanks are often used for killifish, livebearers, cichlids etc. Adam and Eve initially have two sons, Cain and Abel.

Species or specimen tanks usually only house one fish species, along with plants, perhaps found in the fishes' natural environment and decorations simulating a true ecosystem. The entrance to the garden is then guarded by cherubim with a flaming sword. In addition to the fish, invertebrates, plants, and decorations or "aquarium furniture" (all of which may or may not be natural neighbors of any of the fish) are typically added to these tank types. As punishment the ground is cursed, the death sentence is imposed (although it takes some time to be fulfilled), and Adam and Eve are driven out of the garden. In both of these tank types, the aquarium cohabitants may or may not originate from the same geographic region, but generally tolerate similar water conditions. He immediately takes a bite. Aggressive tanks, in contrast, house a limited number of species that can be aggressive toward other fish, or are able to withstand aggression well. Adam asks no questions.

This is the most common type of hobby aquarium kept today. But after she finds it pleasant, Eve offers the fruit to Adam to eat it as well (the "original sin" in traditional Christian interpretation). Community tanks house several species that are not aggressive toward each other. Eve wisely questions the serpent and hesitates to take a bite. Perhaps the most popular of these is the division of aquaria into either a community or aggressive tank type. Eve is convinced by a talking serpent to eat of the forbidden fruit. Several theories on species selection circulate within the community of hobby aquarists. God then puts him into a deep sleep, takes a rib from his side, and from it forms a woman (called later "Eve"), to be a companion.

The size of public aquaria are usually limited by cost considerations. Adam gives names to all the animals, but finds no comfort in his loneliness. Its main tank, which holds 7,500 cubic meters of water, features the world's largest acrylic panel measuring 8.2 meters by 22.5 meters with a thickness of 60 centimeters. Adam is allowed to eat of all the fruit within it, except that of the "Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil." God then brings all the animals to Adam, to serve as company for him. The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is the world's second largest aquarium and part of the Ocean Expo Park located in Motobu, Okinawa. God formed Adam out of earth ("adamah"), and set him in the Garden of Eden, to watch over it. At 56 feet long by 17 feet high (17 by 5 m), it used to be the largest window in the world and is over 13 inches (330 mm) thick. The second section of the creation narrative explains that the earth was lifeless, how God brought moisture to the soil and how man was formed from the dust (Adam translates from Hebrew to mean 'Red Earth').

The Monterey Bay Aquarium has an acrylic viewing window into their largest tank. However, research into the origin of the week tells us that it was widely spread throughout the ancient world, so widely that apart from claims such as Genesis, its origins cannot be determined with certainty. gallons (1,500 m³). Some may wonder whether it was this chapter of the Hebrew Bible that gives us our seven-day week, and may further speculate about the importance of the number seven. gallons (7,500 m³), as well as two others of 400,000 U.S. On the seventh day, the Sabbath, God rested, and sanctified the day. The Shedd Aquarium features an individual aquarium of two million U.S. Within the first section, on the first day God created light; on the second, the firmament of heaven; on the third, he separated water and land, and created plant life; on the fourth day he created the sun, moon, and stars; on the fifth day marine life and birds; on the sixth day land animals, and man and woman.

Public aquaria designed for exhibition of large species or environments can be dramatically larger than any home aquarium. The creation narrative in genesis can be split into two sections - the first section starts with an account of the Creation of the universe by God, which occurs in six days, the second section is more human-oriented, and less concerned with explaining how the Earth, its creatures and its features came to exist as they are today. gallons (several cubic meters), at great effort and expense. The article on Biblical cosmology discusses the Bible's view of the cosmos, much of which derives from descriptions in Genesis. However, some dedicated aquarists have been known to construct custom aquaria of up to several thousand U.S. Many Christians interpret this as an example of apostolic teaching of the doctrine of the Trinity and the deity of Christ; however, Genesis standing alone does not clearly suggest this teaching; it is primarily on the strength of John's testimony that Christians ascribe personality to the creative speech of God, and identify that personality with Jesus (Hebrews 1:2,3, Colossians 1:16,17 are among other Biblical sources for the belief). gallons). The author of the gospel of John uses language similar to that in Genesis 1 when personifying the speech of God as the eternal Logos (Greek: λογος "reason", "word", "speech"), that is the origin of all things "with God", and "was God", and "became flesh and tabernacled among us".

gallon (1 kg/L)) and internal water pressure (requiring thick, strong glass siding) of a large aquarium, keep most home aquaria to a maximum of around 1 m³ (300 U.S. While none of these references explicitly state an author for Genesis there are several places which attribute the books of the law (Torah) to Moses (Mark 12:19, 26; Luke 24:27). Practical limitations, most notably the weight (water weighs about 8.3 pounds per U.S. These references assume an authoritative nature for Genesis. This size is widely considered the smallest practical system with filtration and other basic systems; indeed, the local government of Rome has recently taken the step of banning traditional goldfish bowls as inhumane. There are numerous references to Genesis in the New Testament. gallons (11 L). This subject is discussed in The Bible and history.

Aquaria kept in homes by hobbyists can be as small as 3 U.S. The absence of independent evidence confirming the Biblical narrative have caused many scholars to question the accuracy or even the veracity of the historical account, and it is now generally accepted by objective historians not to be literally true. In general, larger aquarium systems are typically recommended to hobbyists due to their resistance to rapid fluctuations of temperature and pH, allowing for greater system stability. This dating is based on a literal reading of the creation account and the bases that the six days in which God created the heavens and the earth were 24-hour days, that Adam, Eve, and the Garden of Eden existed, and that a complete trace of events from Creation to a historically verifiable date is listed in the Biblical account. An aquarium can range from a small, unadorned glass bowl containing less than a liter of water – although generally unsuited for most fish (except, perhaps, air breathing fish such as Betta splendens or the Paradise Fish) – to massive tanks built in public aquaria which are limited only by engineering constraints and can house entire ecosystems as large as kelp forests or species of large sharks. Based on the genealogies in Genesis and later parts of the Bible, both religious Jews and Christians have independently worked backwards to find the implied time of the Creation of the world, around the beginning of the 4th millennium BC. Water temperature can be regulated with a combined thermometer/heater unit (or, more rarely, with a cooling unit), while water movement can be controlled through the use of powerheads and careful design of internal water flow (such as location of filtration system points of inflow and outflow). This retains the concept of Moses being the author of Genesis, though making his role more that of an editor who chose the earlier works to include than as an author who wrote every word.

Aquarists may prefer anything from still water up to swift simulated currents in an aquarium, depending on the conditions best suited for the aquarium's inhabitants. Other scholars note that when Genesis was compiled, it was made up of earlier documents which were so little changed that even their literary tradition, which put the author's name at the end of each document, was preserved, thus preserving also the authors' true identities. Water movement can also be important in accurately simulating a natural ecosystem. See the Documentary hypothesis entry for more information. Cold water aquaria are those with temperatures below what would be considered tropical; a variety of fish are better suited to this cooler environment. Instead, they accept a theory whose roots are based on cultural evolution and philosophical naturalism which teaches that the text of Genesis as we see it today was redacted together around 440 BC from earlier sources, namely the Sumerians. Most fish and plant species tolerate only a limited range of water temperatures: Tropical or warm water aquaria, with an average temperature of about 25 °C (78 °F), are much more common and house most popular aquarium fish. For a number of reasons, this view is no longer accepted by many biblical scholars, and liberal Protestants.

cold water. Genesis as a completed book makes no claims about its authorship; it is an article of Orthodox Jewish faith that the book was dictated, in its entirety, by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. The temperature of the water forms the basis of one of the two most basic aquarium classifications: tropical vs. It is the composition of a writer (or set of writers, see documentary hypothesis), who has recounted the traditions of the Israelites, combining them into a uniform work, while preserving the textual and formal peculiarities incident to their difference in origin and mode of transmission. Secondary water characteristics are also important to the success of an aquarium. Genesis contains the historical presupposition and basis of the national religious ideas and institutions of Israel, and serves as an introduction to its history, laws, and customs. In contrast, public aquaria with large water needs often locate themselves near a natural water source (such as a river, lake, or ocean) in order to have easy access to large volumes of water that does not require much further treatment. It ends with Jacob's descendants, the Israelites, in Egypt, in favour with the Pharaoh.

More sophisticated aquarists may make other modifications to their base water source to modify the water's alkalinity, hardness, or dissolved content of organics and gases, before adding it to their aquaria. It records the doings of the first of his descendants, Isaac, and Jacob (known as Israel), and their families. Brackish or saltwater aquaria require the addition of a mixture of salts and other minerals, which are commercially available for this purpose. It contains the record of Abraham's acceptance by God, and of God's promise to him that through his offspring all people on earth would be blessed (12:3). For freshwater aquaria, additives formulated to remove chlorine or chloramine (used to disinfect drinking water supplies for human consumption) are often all that is needed to make the water ready for aquarium use. It thereafter records what is agreed to be historical narrative with the call of Abram (later Abraham) and his then barren wife Sarai (later Sarah) from Ur (probably in Babylonia) to Canaan (Palestine). Home aquarists typically use modified tap water supplied through their local municipal water system to fill their tanks. In the same view, its allegory continues to chapter eleven.

Dissolved organic content and dissolved gases content are also important factors. Genesis begins with creation narrative, or narratives, depending on one's point of view, which may be understood literally, or as allegory. Hardness measures overall dissolved mineral content; soft or hard water may be preferred. . The pH of the water is a measure of alkalinity or acidity. This is in line with the pattern of naming the other five books of the Pentateuch. Several other water characteristics result from dissolved contents of the water, and are important to the proper simulation of natural environments. In Hebrew, it is called בראשית (Bereshit or Bərêšîth, Hebrew word #7225 in Strong's), after the first word of the text in Hebrew (meaning "in the beginning of").

An aquarium may have fresh water (a salt level of < 0.5%), simulating a lake or river environment; salt water (a salt level of 5%–18%), simulating an ocean or sea environment; or brackish water (a salt level of 0.5%–5%), simulating environments lying between fresh and salt, such as estuaries. Genesis (Greek: Γένεσις, having the meanings of "birth", "creation", "cause", "beginning", "source" and "origin"), also called The First Book of Moses, is the first book of Torah (five books of Moses), and is the first book of the Tanakh, part of the Hebrew Bible; it is also the first book of the Christian Old Testament. Salt content, or salinity, is the most basic classification of water conditions. God often repeats the promise that Abraham's descendants shall be as numerous as the stars in heaven and as the sand on the seashore. The dissolved content of water is perhaps the most important aspect of water conditions, as dissolved salts and other constituents can dramatically impact basic water chemistry, and therefore how organisms are able to interact with their environment. I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curses you; and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed". The size of an aquarium also limits the aquarist in what types of ecosystems he can reproduce, species selection, and biological loading. The Jewish people are chosen to be in a special covenant with God; God says to Abraham "I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.

The conditions and characteristics of the water contained in an aquarium are the most important classification criteria, as most aquatic life will not survive even limited exposure to unsuitable water conditions. This universal concern with all mankind is paralleled by a second covenant made to the descendants of Abraham in particular, through his son Isaac, in which their descendants will be chosen to have a special destiny. Aquaria can be classified by several variables that determine the type of aquatic life that can be suitably housed. God created an eternal, unbreakable covenant with all mankind at the time of Noah; this is known as the Noachide covenant. The combined function of these elements is to maintain appropriate water quality and characteristics suitable for the aquarium's residents. The primary purpose of the book is not historical or legal, but to explain man's origins, and to describe man's relationship to God, and how man's relationship to man must be seen in that light. Size, lighting conditions, density of floating and rooted plants, placement of bogwood, creation of caves or overhangs, type of substrate, and other factors (including an aquarium's positioning within a room) can all affect the behavior and survivability of tank inhabitants. On the other hand, Genesis, in its present form, purports to give a record of beliefs prior to any surviving religious texts, describing the worship of other gods and local deities as a gradual development among the nations, who departed from original monotheism.

An aquarium's physical characteristics form another aspect of aquarium design. Some historians believe Genesis to be a more recent example of monotheistic belief than Zoroastrianism, interpreting the commandment "have no other gods before me" as an artifact of early henotheism among the Jews -- i.e., as evidence that the Hebrews were not to worship the gods of other peoples, but only their own tribal god. Coolers are also available for use in cold water aquaria or in parts of the world where the ambient room temperature is above the desired tank temperature. God is presented as being the sole creator of nature, and as existing outside of it and beyond it. Aquarium heaters are designed to act as thermostats to regulate water temperature at a level designated by the aquarist when the prevailing temperature of air surrounding the aquarium is below the desired water temperature. All other non-human intelligences implied or stated to exist in the text may only be considered angels or the like. These devices, once universal, are now somewhat less commonly used as some newer filtration systems create enough surface agitation to supply adequate gas exchange at the surface. Unlike other ancient religious texts from the near-east and middle-east, Genesis posits the existence of a one and only being that may properly be called God.

Air pumps are employed to adequately oxygenate (or in the case of a heavily planted aquarium, provide carbon dioxide to) the water. The Earth possesses for man a certain moral grandeur; man must include God's creatures in the respect that it demands in general, by not exploiting them for his own selfish uses. Protein skimmers, filtration devices that remove proteins and other waste from the water, are usually found only in salt water aquaria. All people are descended from Adam and Eve; this expresses the unity of the whole human race. Most systems use pumps to remove a small portion of the tank's water to an external pathway where filtration occurs; the filtered water is then returned to the aquarium. Humankind is the crown of Creation, and has been made in God's image. Filtration systems are the most complexly engineered component of most home aquaria, and various designs are used. God is treated exclusively with reference to his dealings with the world and with man.

Combined biological and mechanical filtration systems are now common; these are designed to remove potentially dangerous build up of nitrogenous wastes and phosphates dissolved in the water, as well as particulate matter. Genesis makes no attempt to give a philosophically rigorous definition of God; its description is a practical and historical one. In addition, some freshwater tanks (and most saltwater tanks) use powerheads to increase water circulation. God may appear and speak to mankind. The common freshwater aquarium maintained by a home aquarist typically includes a filtration system, an artificial lighting system, air pumps, and a heater. God as a personal being, referred to in anthropomorphic and anthropopathic terms. Freshwater aquaria remain the most popular due to their lower cost and easier maintenance, but marine (saltwater) aquaria have gained cachet as dedicated enthusiasts prove it is possible to preserve these challenging environments. Genesis expresses an optimistic satisfaction and pleasure in the world.

The most successful aquaria, as judged by the long-term survivability of its inhabitants, carefully emulate the natural environments that their residents would occupy in the wild. The universe when created was, in the judgment of God, good. Aquaria can vary in size from a small bowl large enough for a single small fish, to the huge public aquaria that can simulate entire marine ecosystems. God has called all objects and living beings into existence by His word. From the outdoor ponds and glass jars of antiquity, modern aquaria have evolved into a wide range of specialized systems. There is only one God, who has created the world. In the United States, a large minority (40%) of aquarists maintain two or more tanks at any one time.

The hobby has the strongest following in Europe, Asia, and North America. There are currently estimated to be about 60 million aquarium hobbyists worldwide, and many more aquaria kept by them. Popularization was also assisted by the availability of air freight, which allowed a much wider variety of fish to be successfully imported from distant regions of origin that consequently attracted new hobbyists. With electricity great improvements were made in aquarium technology, allowing artificial lighting as well as the aeration, filtration, and heating of the water.

Aquaria became more widely popular as houses became almost universally electrified after World War I. (One feature of some 19th-century aquaria that would prove curious to hobbyists today was the use of a metal base panel so that the aquarium water could be heated by flame.) Germans rivaled the British in their interest, and by the turn of the century Hamburg became the European port of entry for many newly seen species. The framed-glass aquarium was a specialized version of the glazed Wardian case developed for British horticulturists in the 1830s to protect exotic plants on long sea voyages. The keeping of fish in an aquarium first became a popular hobby in Britain only after ornate aquaria in cast-iron frames were featured at the Great Exhibition of 1851.

The concept of keeping aquatic life in glass containers, then, dates to at latest this period. In the 18th century, the biologist Abraham Trembley kept hydra found in the garden canals of the Bentinck residence 'Sorgvliet' in the Netherlands, in large cylindrical glass vessels for study. In 1665 the diarist Samuel Pepys recorded seeing in London "a fine rarity, of fishes kept in a glass of water, that will live so forever, and finely marked they are, being foreign." The fish observed by Pepys were likely to have been the paradise fish, Macropodus opercularis, a familiar garden fish in Canton, China, where the East India Company was then trading. However, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact date of this development.

The concept of an aquarium, designed for the observation of fish in an enclosed, transparent tank to be kept indoors, emerged more recently. The Chinese brought goldfish indoors during the Song dynasty to enjoy them in large ceramic vessels. Many other cultures also have a history of keeping fish for both functional and decorative purposes. Depictions of the sacred fish of Oxyrhynchus kept in captivity in rectangular temple pools have been found in ancient Egyptian art.

In China, selective breeding of carp into today's popular koi and goldfish is believed to have begun over 2,000 years ago. Ancient Sumerians were known to keep wild-caught fish in ponds, before preparing them for meals. The keeping of fish in confined or artificial environments is a practice with deep roots in history. The word aquarium itself is taken directly from the latin aqua, meaning water, with the suffix -rium, meaning "place" or "building".

. Other components in maintaining a suitable aquarium environment include appropriate species selection, management of biological loading, and good physical design. The nitrogen cycle describes the flow of nitrogen from input via food, through toxic nitrogenous waste produced by tank inhabitants, to metabolism to less toxic compounds by beneficial bacteria populations. Controlling water quality includes managing the inflow and outflow of nutrients, most notably the management of waste produced by tank inhabitants.

The careful aquarist dedicates considerable effort to maintaining a tank ecology that mimics its inhabitants' natural habitat. Inhabitants for aquaria are often collected from the wild, although there is a growing list of organisms that are bred in captivity for supply to the aquarium trade. These characteristics, and others, determine the type of fish and other inhabitants that can survive and thrive in the aquarium. Aquaria are usually classified as containing fresh or salt water, at tropical or cold water temperatures.

A wide variety of aquaria are now kept by hobbyists, ranging from a simple bowl housing a single fish to complex simulated ecosystems with carefully engineered support systems. gallons) and a collection of about 580 species of aquatic life. Public aquaria reproduce the home aquarist's hobby on a grand scale — the Osaka Aquarium, for example, boasts a tank of 5,400 m³ (1.4 million U.S. From the 1850s, when the predecessor of the modern aquarium was first developed as a novel curiosity, the ranks of aquarists have swelled as more sophisticated systems including lighting and filtration systems were developed to keep aquarium fish healthy.

Aquarium keeping is a popular hobby around the world, with about 60 million enthusiasts worldwide. An aquarium (plural aquariums or aquaria) is a vivarium, usually contained in a clear-sided container (typically constructed of glass or high-strength plastic) in which water-dwelling plants and animals (usually fish, and sometimes invertebrates, as well as amphibians, marine mammals, and reptiles) are kept in captivity, often for public display; or it is an establishment featuring such displays.