Elements and Performance Criteria

RANGE STATEMENT
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Aquaria may include:
fresh and marine aquaria, pools and water features.
Aquascape design may include:
air pumps and water pumps
lighting
mechanical and electrical devices
natural and artificial features
substrate material.
Heating, lighting and filtration equipment used in an aquascape may include:
advanced systems, including ultraviolet (UV) and ozone
energy requirements of pumping system and its suitability for aquaria selected
heating systems, including gas, electric and solar
infrastructure, including seepage pits and permaculture considerations
lighting systems, including UV, fluorescent, incandescent, metal halide and mercury vapour
mechanical, chemical and biological filtration systems.
Plants and features may include:
natural and artificial plants.
Tools and equipment may include:
surveying and levelling equipment:
levels and pegs
notebook, pencil and calculator
tools:
hammers
hose and hose fittings
rakes
rollers
shovels and spades
wheelbarrows
OHS hazards associated with the installation and maintenance of aquascape systems may include:
disturbance of utilities and services
hazards from the use of hired equipment
moving machinery, powered equipment and hand tools
solar radiation, dust and noise
uneven surfaces and holes
working in confined spaces and water hazards.
Personal protective equipment may include:
animal handling gauntlets
gloves
overalls
hard hats
hearing or eye protection
respirators or face masks
sun hats and sunscreen lotion
work boots.
Water sampling and testing may include:
tests for pH, salinity, chlorine, electro-conductivity, chloride, calcium carbonate, iron, turbidity and biological oxygen demand.
Service and repairs may include:
cleaning a range of aquaria surfaces, including glass, concrete and plastic
maintaining a range of filtration, pumping and heating systems
maintaining seepage pits and permaculture environments
salinity control, pH correction and chlorine neutralisers
water stabilizers.
Complex faults may include:
problems that are beyond the scope of service personnel and require the services of a licensed electrical tradesperson:
construction issues
power supply issues
plumbing issues
water quality issues.

EVIDENCE GUIDE
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit. Assessors should ensure that candidates can:
identify client's needs and produce a range of aquascape designs that provides a suitable environment for the selected species and desired features
construct aquascapes in accordance with OHS and organisation policies and procedures
identify cause and effect of environmental problems and implement corrective action
apply correct cleaning and maintenance techniques
maintain records and required documentation.

The skills and knowledge required to design, construct and maintain aquascapesmust be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts and include the ability to deal with unplanned events.

Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment of this unit is to be practical in nature and will be most appropriately assessed in companion animal workplaces that design, construct and maintain aquascapes for clients or in a situation that reproduces normal work conditions.

There must be access to a range of aquatic species or breeds as well as the relevant information, materials and documentation.

Method of assessment
To ensure consistency in one's performance, competency should be demonstrated, to industry defined standards, on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances, cases and responsibilities, and over a number of assessment activities.

The assessment strategies must include practical skills assessment. Suggested strategies for this unit are:
written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge
observed, documented and firsthand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks
simulation exercises that reproduce normal work conditions
workplace documentation (e.g. aquascape design plans)
third-party evidence
portfolio.

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role.

Guidance information for assessment
Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy and numeracy demands) and the needs of particular target groups (e.g. people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people with a language background other than English, youth and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds).