The first step is to purchase an aquarium and the equipment you'll need to set everything up. You have a choice when it comes to filtration equipment, but it's recommended to stay away from undergravel filters, which are unnecessary and can cause a lot of problems. Live rock is a more efficient biological filter perfect for use in saltwater tanks. For mechanical and chemical filtration, a simple filter works best.
The protein skimmer is the next big part of the installation, and an integral part of the whole aquarium. Spend the extra money and invest in a high quality protein skimmer that will do the job right. Next, look for a heater that can handle the size of aquarium you plan on creating.
Once these key pieces of equipment are on hand, you can move on to other aspects of the aquarium setup, such as adding the live rock, sand, and a power strip. Typically, a saltwater tank can take about 1-2 pounds of live rock per aquarium gallon and ? pound to 1 pound of sand per gallon of water. Avoid sandbox sand because you don't know what other material may be present in the sand that could harm your fish. Aquariums require live sand, an aragonite based sand, or crushed coral.
Setting it all up
Now that you have the equipment ready to go, it's time to set everything up. Rinse the tank with water but don't use any soap, as the residue that gets left behind is often harmful to fish.
Add your chosen background to the tank or paint it an appropriate color. If you choose to paint the aquarium, allow the paint to dry for a couple of days.
Once this is accomplished, install the heater, filter, protein skimmer and anything else you have decided to add to the aquarium. Use a drip loop on all the power cords for safety reasons.
Before you plug anything in, go ahead and add pre-mixed saltwater to the aquarium. There are many mixes available on the market, so the one you choose depends on your own personal preferences. This step is very easy ? just follow the instructions on the package. Make sure to test the saltwater with a hydrometer or refractometer before adding it to your tank.
Once this is done you can turn on the aquarium ? let it circulate for a few days before adding anything else to the tank.
If you've decided to use live rocks, they will have to be cured before you add the fish to the aquarium. This can take a long time, but it's worth it for the filtration benefits derived from live rocks. Once the rocks are ready, you can move on.
Add the substrate (make sure you turn the power off first) and then wait a few days for the tank to settle down. Test the water and make sure all the readings are where they should be.
After the tank has cycled, add the saltwater fish from a quarantine tank. Add only a few at a time so that the filtration system has time to adjust.
The first thing that needs to be done after the purchase of a new aquarium is to cleanse the tank itself and all of its accessory parts with freshwater, sans soap, and a soft cloth. This will remove any dust and chemicals which it may have accumulated while in the factory and prevent them from harming the fish. Once all of the parts have been cleaned the tank should be set upon a level stand which has been placed an appropriate distance from the wall to enable the electrical cords to reach an outlet plug with a minimal risk of minor amounts of sloshing from the tank causing an electrical fire. A soft cloth should be placed beneath the tank to keep the condensation from the saltwater aquarium from causing damage to the surface of the stand beneath it.
Once the aquarium has been properly installed it should be filled with saltwater. You can either purchase an already made saltwater solution or make your own. Once you have filled the tank you should let all of the equipment run for 24 to 48 on a test cycle to ensure that everything is working properly. Take this opportunity to test the temperature, salinity and pH of the water to ensure that the conditions are optimal for the breed of saltwater fish which are going to be inhabiting your aquarium (it is best to research this ahead of time-not all saltwater fish thrive in the same conditions).
At this point you can now do your landscaping. Remove approximately one half of the water and decorate your aquarium with whatever landscaping tools you choose (rocks, plants, etc.). It is important to first remove the water in order to make the landscaping easier and to prevent spillage. Once you are finished, replace the water up to the fill line (if the tank does not come with a fill line you can use a permanent marker to make your own on the side facing the wall).
Red-brush algae is a variety of algae that loves aquariums that have a high PH. It is incredibly difficult to manually remove red-brush algae from aquariums.Blue-green algae is deceptive because it's not an algae at all. It is really a cynobacteria. When it appears in the aquarium it looks like a slime that is taking over the tank. Blue-green algae can be fatal to aquarium plants and can jeopardize the health of the fish.
Aquariums are beautiful in their own right, particularly ones which are large enough to make the viewer feel as though they have been transported into an underwater wonderland. For many individuals the inside of a clear glass aquarium is as close as they will ever come to the wonders of the world beneath the ocean's surface, and for that reason an aquarium which is as close to the natural habitat of its inhabitants as possible is a joy unto itself.
The first is size. As trite as it may sound an aquarium is a definite example of a time when size matters. The size of the aquarium must be sufficient to hold the types and number of fish which the owner intends to place inside. Just as you would never attempt to place a large goldfish inside a small bowl neither should you attempt to place a large saltwater fish in a small aquarium. This is particularly true if you are attempting to add a small carnivore, such as one of the smaller breeds of shark, to your home. These predators need space to swim or they will slowly make themselves mad and perhaps even perish from the confinement (a bit melodramatic and Victorian, but true nonetheless).
Stock your tank with algae eating fish. In saltwater tanks this will be; hard star fish, Yellow Tang fish, Blennies, Turbo snails, Angel fish, and small Hermit Crabs.
Acrylic tanks come with their own advantages. There is almost no limit to the shape and size that an acrylic tank can take, allowing for a greater amount of creativity in tank design. It is also considerably more durable than glass, an important consideration if the aquarium is going to be displayed in a public place or if the owner has small children. Where a small bump may crack or otherwise damage a glass tank acrylic tanks are made of hardier stuff. It is also easier to adjust the filtration options on an acrylic tank, as it is not necessary to have the number of special tools available that are necessary to cut glass.
Both Devin Gilliland & Roger Gordon are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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