Glossary

basic

Of, relating to, forming, or being a base.

Used in 77 species profiles

Related terms

basicity
Being a base, or the extent to which a substance is basic.
gene
Basic hereditary unit comprising a sequence of nuceleotides within a strand of DNA or RNA and occupying a fixed position on a chromosome. Generally determines a particular character or trait present in an organism by directing production and activity of RNA.
nucleotide
Basic structural unit of DNA and RNA.
pH
Measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH around 7.0, solutions with pH of less than 7.0 acidic and greater than 7.0 basic or alkaline. Measured on a logarithmic scale of 0.0-14.0 whereby a change of a single unit represents a ten-fold increase in acidity or basicity/alkalinity, i.e., a solution with a pH of 4.0 is ten times more acidic than one of 5.0., and 100 times more acidic than one of 6.0. Some fishes require a relatively specific pH in aquaria, while others are more generalised, with the former requirement often-reduced in captive-bred examples.
sponge filter
A basic air-powered filter which draws water through a sponge before returning it to the aquarium. Typically used in small aquaria where gentle water flow is required, or when raising fry.
wet/dry filter
Type of filter normally placed under the aquarium, and often home-made. The basic premise is that water trickles vertically downards through separated compartments containing mechanical and biological filter media with spaces inbetween so that it is also exposed to the air briefly. It then collects in a base chamber or sump from where it is pumped back to the main aquarium. There are many commercial designs available, some of which are more effective than others. Not popular in marine reef aquaria due to the associated accumulation of nitrates as by-product.

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