A Quick Introduction To Saltwater Fish Tanks
This introduction to saltwater fish tanks was designed with the beginner aquarist in mind. Many reasons exist for setting up a saltwater fish tank, not the very least of which is its beauty. The attractive colors of fish and coral, interesting algae, calming sounds of bubbling water and the fun involved in creating a fabulous marine world are typical reasons why keeping saltwater fish tanks gives people so much fun and pleasure. You can also enjoy the beauty of spectacular marine life on your computer with one of these free moving screensavers!
For the beginner even a brief introduction to saltwater fish tanks can seem a bit daunting. The reason being not only are marine systems a bit complex to set up and maintain they can be costly. Saltwater fish tanks are not for everyone and even the easiest marine tank could potentially cause headaches. Fish keeping can be tricky and marine fish in particular take lots of time and energy to keep healthy.
This is because marine species are far more sensitive to water quality and temperature changes so you will have to be informed about the needs of all your fish in addition to the tank itself. Saltwater aquariums require patience and a level of know-how to make it work. You should also ensure that you can afford to keep the tank in a healthful state.
Which saltwater aquarium tank you choose is dependent upon your aims for the tank along with your personal preferences. There are many different options available in terms of the fish and animals it is possible to keep in your tank as well as the equipment you can choose from. Some saltwater fish tanks aren’t suited for the absolute novice.
The first thing to decide when setting up saltwater aquariums is what kind of fish you want to keep. The next step is learning as much about each one that you can. Not every marine species are suited to beginners so you might have to adapt your wish-list to suit your level of expertise. Never undertake species that are for advanced fish keepers or you will well encounter trouble.
There are two main varieties of saltwater fish tanks namely 1) ‘fish only’ or 2) ‘fish only with live rock’ OR ‘reef tanks’.
The first is probably the easiest saltwater aquariums to attempt. Simply because in saltwater aquariums of this nature, lighting isn’t a concern and use a simple tank with its usual equipment and only a couple of extra bits like protein skimmers, powerheads and live rock or sand.
These kinds of saltwater fish tanks will usually be either a community tank containing species like clownfish, damselfish, gobies, wrass, and dottybacks, or an aggressive tank where you will find species like lionfish, triggers, eels, groupers, and larger predatory species.
Before you decide to choose your fish, ensure you know precisely which species live well together to avoid your tank turning into a complete massacre. If you are a newcomer to saltwater fish tanks start with a fish tank that’s at least 10 gallons in size. This is because most if not all of your fish will easily grow out of the fish tank.
Go for the biggest fish tanks you can afford. The bigger saltwater aquariums are easier to retain in tip-top shape.
Most important to the health of saltwater aquariums is water purification within your tank. This means that the tiniest level of impurities within the water can hurt your fish. Remember many of these animals are found in natural coral reefs where the water is very pure. So you will need to make sure that the water ınside your tank is clean at all times.
In small (10 gallons) saltwater aquariums you can utilize a Brita filter or water purifier column or you can use distilled water. These methods won’t work in bigger tanks, however. The best bet for just about any size tank is an RO/DI (reverse osmosis/deionization) system.
Filtration is rather complicated in saltwater aquariums but depends to a large degree on the species of fish you intend to keep and how many. In a fish only tank you can use a freshwater filter for example canisters, power filters and the like. You can also try a wet-dry trickle filter. If you decide to keep a reef tank you might like to utilize a natural filtration like live rock or sand or maybe a refugium.
Protein skimming is also important in saltwater aquariums and it’s also strongly recommended that you do it, particularly if you have lots of fish ınside your tank. A protein skimmer uses foaming bubbles to separate fish waste that floats up to the water column from the water’s main flow.
The foundation in your tank will require the laying down of live sand. In saltwater fish tanks sand doesn’t only behave as a substrate it’s also the breeding ground for an incredible number of essential bacterias. These microbes help the nitrogen cycle to work efficiently. The sand is additionally home to the tiny creatures which help control the waste material inside your tank.
The best sand for saltwater fish tanks is calcium carbonate (aragonite). You can obtain this from crushed corals, or finer sands. You can also use silica and quartz sands yet they’re not nearly as good.
What about live rock? Probably just about the most expensive attributes of saltwater aquariums, prices may turn away many a future marine aquarist. Live rock can be obtained by the lb and it is expensive simply because it’s the real thing. While in the sea, live rock makes up a reef structure with little calcium carbonate structures produced by corals. Since live rock is gathered from nature and regulations govern this harvesting you can start to understand the reason why it is so expensive.
Live rock is very important to saltwater aquariums for the bacteria it introduces into your tank. These types of little organisms keep your water filtered just like it does in nature. Additionally, it acts as a home and shelter for your fish and a spot for coral formations to grow. It is definitely worth the high cost to you. ‘Fiji’ rock is a superb choice provided you can find it. Stay away from any live rock with a mantis shrimp on it because they multiply quickly.
Let’s move on to the lights in saltwater fish tanks. In a fish only or fish and live rock tank lighting isn’t a major issue. Inside a reef tank, on the other hand, it is critical. The reason is , light is needed for the majority of corals and anemones to grow. Special lighting is necessary for a marine tank so use one of the following:
Power Compact Fluorescent (PC)
Very High Output Fluorescent (VHO)
Metal Halide (MH)
Don’t forget you’ll still need to cycle your fish tank and carry out the necessary water quality testing before you add any of your livestock. So there you have it – the basic principles of what things to start thinking of as you build saltwater fish tanks. We advocate doing plenty of further research to assure you know exactly what you’re really doing before you get started.
Marine tanks aren’t for just anyone, so make sure they suit you before you spend lots of money. Plus remember that you can start looking at impressive life like fish right from your computer’s monitor using these impressive moving screensavers for free!
