Oceanic Aquarium Parts

Fish, coral from off-limits Hawaii come to Waikiki

HONOLULU (AP) — Hundreds of rare fish and coral pieces from one of the most remote parts of the planet have arrived in bustling Waikiki.

The Waikiki Aquarium 's newest permanent exhibit, opening on Monday, showcases specimens gathered from the pristine atolls of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands — an area so well-protected it's generally off-limits to everyone but researchers and Native Hawaiians performing cultural rites.

It promises to be a special treat for scuba divers and fish enthusiasts only rarely able to see species like the white-and-black-colored masked angelfish or table corals — corals that spread out like tabletops around a central stem.

It should also appeal to those curious about the 1,200-mile long string of atolls so highly valued the United Nations named them a World Heritage Site last year and then-President George W. Bush designated them a marine national monument in 2006.

"Given the challenges in getting to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands for the vast, vast majority of people, this will be their only chance to see a taste of some of the wonders that exist up there," said Andrew Rossiter , the aquarium's director.

The islands are all so small they're inhospitable to human settlement. But this has also meant people have mostly left them alone and in their natural condition.

The limited signs of human presence include ancient Hawaiian heiau, or shrines, lining the top of a ridge running along the spine of Mokumanamana island.

The Navy once had a base at Midway Atoll — the site of the famous 1942 battle between the U.S. and Japan that turned the tide of World War II — but turned the island over to the Fish and Wildlife Service for a wildlife refuge in 1993.

Oceanic Aquariums » Aquavista 500 Wall Mounted Aquarium with ...

The instructions are pretty skimpy, but not much assembly is required since most accessories (heater, air pump, lamp, background) are built into the unit.

After securing the wall bracket and putting the bio rings on the filter sponge, the book says to fill it with water, then hang it on the wall bracket. I thought, why risk a crippling back injury? Hanging it BEFORE adding the water seemed more sensible, and using a bucket and step stool was easier for me.

It comes with a net, the gravel, a long-handled “grabber”, a suction hose for water changes, a scrubber, 3 sponge filters and about 50 bio-rings for the filtering system. The air pump for the bubbler is a little loud, but you can turn it on or off with the electric control. The temperature, lights, and filtering are all controlled with the side panel, either automatically or manually. You always have to reset the clock should you need to turn the tank off, but your other settings are retained and the constant temperature readout is in nice big numbers.

The T-4 lighting tube didn’t work from the getgo, so I attempted to unscrew the lamp cover and check the connections. The screws are tiny T-9 torx-head, but the fixture was DOA. Customer service did send me a new one, however.

The top flips up for access, and the unit has a 3/8″ thick 6 ft. electrical cord. I wanted to hide it with cord cover, but it’s a little big so I’ll probably just paint it grey to match my wall.

There’s not much floor space for decor and plants, but adding a few is good for the fish and adds depth and beauty to the background. On top, the small surface area of water-to-air restricts the amount of water oxygenation, so use the air pump a lot to compensate.

Being only about 4 inches wide limits the choice of occupants who can actually turn around in it. The booklet suggests several species that would be too large within a couple of months, so please disregard unless you plan on buying a larger aquarium soon. After cycling the tank through its deadly ammonia spike, I finally decided on 4 fancy guppies. They’re a small but hardy and active species, and come in beautiful colors. It might also make a good Betta tank, since the filtering system is gentle, but they don’t like rapid water movement or air bubblers.

Keep in mind that the small water volume is less forgiving and can quickly turn poisonous from fish waste, so plan on doing more frequent water changes and maintenance than the book suggests. I siphon out 1/3, or two gallons, every week and replace it with fresh, dechlorinated tap water of the same temperature.

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