Dynamic Aquaria: Building Living Ecosystems (Paperback)

by Walter H. Adey (Author), Karen Loveland (Author) "Some of the material in this chapter is a summary of the appropriate chapters (2,3,5,6,8) of the first edition of Dynamic Aquaria..." (more)
Key Phrases: wild analog, rare reef lobster, impellor pumps, New York, Gulf of Maine, Florida Everglades (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Praise for the First Edition
"Adey and Loveland target their book towards scientists and those interested in aquaria for their own sake. The latter group will find in this book a delightful description of the basic biological and ecological principles which function in their own systems...To their credit, the authors present mainstream ecological research (both aquatic and terrestrial) alongside the practical issues of aquaria construction and maintenance. Rarely have I ever seen real ecology made so accessible to the layperson. Adey and Loveland have succeeded in conveying a myriad of exceedingly complex issues to the uninitiated...The authors have successfully taken on two difficult tasks--conveying complex ecological issues to the aquarist, and describing new water-handling technologies to the scientist. This book successfully presents the essential biological, ecological, and physico-chemical aspects of ecological systems in an accessible fashion."
--James A. Drake, University of Tennessee, in Ecology

"Dynamic Aquaria is a beautifully presented and attractive book which is a mine of useful and practical information for anyone wanting to set up aquaria on virtually any scale...Where the book succeeds most effectively is in its practical sections...this is ultimately a likable and useful book, and one which contains indispensable source material for building aquaria. Community ecologists who want to make mesocosms work will find the appropriate sections excellent starter material."
--Michael T. Burrows, Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory, in Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology -- Review

Review
Praise for the First Edition
"Adey and Loveland target their book towards scientists and those interested in aquaria for their own sake. The latter group will find in this book a delightful description of the basic biological and ecological principles which function in their own systems...To their credit, the authors present mainstream ecological research (both aquatic and terrestrial) alongside the practical issues of aquaria construction and maintenance. Rarely have I ever seen real ecology made so accessible to the layperson. Adey and Loveland have succeeded in conveying a myriad of exceedingly complex issues to the uninitiated...The authors have successfully taken on two difficult tasks--conveying complex ecological issues to the aquarist, and describing new water-handling technologies to the scientist. This book successfully presents the essential biological, ecological, and physico-chemical aspects of ecological systems in an accessible fashion."
--James A. Drake, University of Tennessee, in Ecology

"Dynamic Aquaria is a beautifully presented and attractive book which is a mine of useful and practical information for anyone wanting to set up aquaria on virtually any scale...Where the book succeeds most effectively is in its practical sections...this is ultimately a likable and useful book, and one which contains indispensable source material for building aquaria. Community ecologists who want to make mesocosms work will find the appropriate sections excellent starter material."
--Michael T. Burrows, Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory, in Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 498 pages
• Publisher: Academic Press; 2 edition (October 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0120437929
• ISBN-13: 978-0120437924
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,314,047 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Aquarium Ecosystems, May 20, 1999

By A Customer

While best known for describing the use of turf algae as a natural absorber of aquarium pollutants, the book 'Dynamic Aquaria' shines as a plea for the re-evaluation of how we appreciate aquarium systems and their micro-ecologies. Rather than the display of just a few select specimens, it proposes more emphasis on (and therefore replication of) the fascinating interactions between species and environment. It does a splendid job of discussing the difficulties in scaling down nature's beauty to fit an aquarium's limited volume.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars excellent groundbreaking work on natural aquariums, March 28, 1998

By	Cliff Landesman (Brooklyn, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Dynamic Aquaria: Building Living Ecosystems (Hardcover)

This book explores aquarium systems as models of natural eco systems. Adey and Loveland's technique relies on algae scrubbers to reduce nitrate levels in the tank. By removing new growth of algae, one can avoid frequent water changes. The book includes extensive discussion of important aspects of marine eco systems, such as wave motion, light, and food chains, to name just a few.

The book is more about the science of building marine microcosms than a cookbook for building home marine aquariums.