Aeration is provided by a bubble wand attached to the back of the tank. To help satisfy their requirement of lower light levels, the light is attached to the back of the aquarium stand above the tank and a thick growth of Water Sprite is maintained on the water surface. This arrangement reduces the light intensity significantly while still providing enough light for adequate viewing. The adult Blackbanded Sunfish will be wintered outside in my shed and housed in a 20 gallon high aquarium. Filtration is provided by an adjustable flow Visi-Jet 100 internal power head attached to a sponge filter and an air driven sponge filter.
Lighting is provided by a florescent tube suspended above of the tank.
The light intensity can be lowered to appropriate levels by adjusting the distance the light is above the tank. An inch and a half of gravel is provided along with the aquatic plant Elodea or Anacharis as it is sometimes called. This plant grows especially well during the winter when the water temperature is below 50 F. Minimal heating is provided using a submersible heater set on a timer. This arrangement prevents freezing or major drops in temperature. The heat is manually controlled and used only when excessively cold.