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03-31-2008, 07:06 PM
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How to set up your very own saltwater aquarium in six pages Owning and caring for saltwater fish is very time consuming and should not be undertaken by those who are not serious about caring for these beautiful creatures or those who do not have the time. For those who believe they do, I am here to hopefully unravel some of the mysteries of how to both successfully keep saltwater fish as well as invertebrates and coral. Many would be surprised to know that after a tank has been established for 3 months the only time required of it is daily, or every other day, feeding and occasional cleaning or water checks. I not only hope to achieve the goal of allowing readers to successfully keep marine fish, but to hopefully have their specimens thrive To start off you need an aquarium. The three factors to consider when purchasing an aquarium are cost, size, and material. Cost and size go hand in hand, since, in general, the larger the tank, the more expensive it is. I recommend, provided there are no cost restraints, that a new aquarium owner goes with the largest tank they can possibly house. This is because with a larger tank you have a greater allowance for more leeway in water parameters, which, for new aquarium owners at one point or another, will be less than perfect.
Once you have the glass there are several other pieces of mechanical equipment required to run a saltwater tank. They are a heater, a/multiple filters, a protein skimmer, and powerheads (these are basically jets that help with water circulation). Each one of these provides an essential and unique purpose for the health and well being of your tank inhabitants
The heater keeps the water warm. Provided that you are housing tropical, or warm water, fish then your tank should ideally be kept in the range of 76 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit. If you choose to variate from the warm water tank you should inquire at a local fish store as to what temperature your tank should be kept at. Heaters come in the hang-on-back and completely submersible styles, both work equally well which you choose is a personally preference. All heaters are rated for aquarium size on the box. If you pick up an appropriately sized heater your tank will have no trouble achieving your desired temperature. Your heater should be placed in an area where the water is frequently circulated so as to maintain the entire tank at a constant temperature.
Filters remove waste from your tank. There are many different types of filtration including mechanical, chemical, and biological. In order to truly have a tank thrive you must use all three in combination. The first, mechanical, can be achieved with any common filter rated for aquariums, this is the removal of visible waste particles form your aquarium by passing the water continuously though some fine material such as a sponge or tightly woven cloth. The second, chemical, can also be achieved by any filter rated for aquarium use. A carbon bag that comes in most common filters slowly reacts with chemical pollutants, causing them to either be removed from your system or to change them into a non-toxic substance. The third is achieved by a process called cycling which will be covered later.
Protein skimmers are, albeit, not an essential part of an aquarium. I say this very loosely though and only because it is possible to maintain a saltwater tank without one. If you truly wish for your inhabitants to be happy and health a protein skimmer is a necessary part of the home aquarium. A protein skimmer takes water from your tank and then proceeds to pump air into it, forming bubbles. Theses bubbles are forced up into a collection cup where they are then filtered out of your aquarium. You may be asking yourself “Why do I want bubbles to be first introduced then removed from my water? That seems a bit unnecessary.” You would be completely wrong. Dirt and oils, as well as other nasty molecules that we can’t see, have both hydrophilic (attracted to water) and hydrophobic (repellent of water) ends. This means that when a bubble is produced all the unseen toxic materials in your water become a part of that bubble. By forcing the bubble into a collection cup it can easily be removed from your system.
Powerheads help circulate your water. Water circulation is an important factor in the home aquarium because, for those of us who have never actually seen the ocean, it has lots of waves and currents that mix everything up. Circulation also serves another purpose that is much more important than just re-creating a natural habitat for your specimens. It also prevents the build-up of detritus on your love rock and in your water. Detritus is organic material that most often cannot be seen by the naked eye. By circulating your water powerheads allow all parts of your tanks water to be filtered. Not just the parts where you have your filter intakes. There are many types of powerheads that all do the same thing, move your water around. The important thing to consider when purchasing a powerhead is to determine whether or not any of your planned livestock can be sucked up into it and killed. This problem can be avoided by placing a bio-ball (a small plastic ball which is easily found at a local fish store) over the intake of the powerhead.
Once your have purchased all of your mechanical equipment you can now finally begin to mix, or buy, your salt water. If you are mixing your own be sure to purchase a marine aquarium salt. They contain trace elements such as calcium strontium and iodine that are essential for marine life and are not in your average table salt. Once you have the water in your tank you will begin to notice a buildup of salt on the dry parts of your aquarium. It is important to add this re-crystallized salt back into your water by mixing it with tap water and the pouring it back into the tank. Different salts crystallize at different rates so if you simply keep adding more salt then your salt balance will be skewed. Also, it is important to keep in mind that salt does not evaporate so when adding water one should add fresh water so as not to increase your salt levels by ridiculous amounts.
In order to measure the salt content of your water you will need to either take your water to your local fish store or, and this is the choice I recommend seeing as your will be checking your salinity quite often, you must purchase a hydrometer. Hydrometers are not complicated and easily kept. The ideal salinity (amount of salt in the water) is 1.019-1.026.
Once you have your salinity down you can finally begin to put live things in your tank, although you probably won’t even see them. I am of course talking about the millions of different types of bacteria and small shellfish that are essential to keeping a saltwater aquarium, copepods and amphipods. First, in order to get some of these little buggers in your tank initially, you must purchase live sand, and live rock. It is vital to have, at minimum, one pound of live rock in your tank per gallon of water. It is essential to purchase live rock that has already been “cured”. All this means is that all the die off (dead microorganisms) has been removed from the rock which will prevent problems that would occur if it were not removed further down the road.
Live sand is a matter of controversy in the aquarium world and it ultimately comes down to personal preference. Some people prefer deep sand beds, some shallow, and some prefer no sand at all. Keep in mind, however, that what type of sand bed you have may limit your selection of livestock you can keep. Some fish, such as the goby family, survive off food that they filter through their gills from live sand. It should be noted that no fish require the absence of a sand bed so it is most likely in your best interest, as a new aquarist, to have one. Usually 1-2 pounds of sand per gallon of your tank is sufficient but your aim is for a 2-3 inch sand bed.
After you have introduced both live rock and live sand you can finally….. Wait for approximately three months. This is so your tank can cycle. If, while this process is going on, you wish to monitor this cycle you can either buy your own test kit or take your water to the local fish store to be tested. Cycling can be noted by rises in ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites. Your water will encounter rises and falls in all of these compounds over the cycling period. The reason cycling is necessary is because it allows bacteria to grow that transform ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites (which are all toxic to your livestock) into less harmful substances. This is the biological filtration that was alluded to earlier. Your cycling process is complete once all of theses toxins are at minimal amounts or preferably zero. If there is one thing that is absolutely one hundred percent essential to the survival of your saltwater fish, it is the cycling process.
If you wish to move the cycling process along faster, you may introduce a damselfish or put in some dead shrimp. The damselfish will give you something to watch at least and is the preferred method of advancing the cycling process. Damsels are the only fish that are hardy enough to endure the ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite spikes that your tank will go through during the cycling process. By allowing the bacteria to feed on the waste of the fish they will multiply at a quicker rate, thus speeding up the cycling process. The shrimp method works the same way in that the bacteria will feed on the shrimp and multiply at a faster rate.
During the cycling process you should begin to plan what livestock you wish to keep. This can be one of the most fun aspects of setting up your aquarium. It is important to research each fish you are considering buying thoroughly to examine its dietary needs, the size it will grow, and how aggressive it will be toward other tank mates. There are many sites online that offer compatibility charts of fish and are a great tool to those planning there new tanks. Keep in mind that there are some species that are nearly impossible to keep in a home aquarium due to size requirements or feeding habits. Always ask what a fish needs to survive and never purchase a fish you cannot care for.
When purchasing fish from a store they need to be properly acclimated. There are several methods of acclimation but the simplest is to float the bag that the fish has comes in, (in your aquarium, while the fish is still in the bag) and every fifteen minutes add about one fourth of the amount of water in the bag from your own tank into the bag. Once you have completed this process catch the fish in the bag and place him in the water. Do not add any water from stores to your tank as it may contain copper, a useful medication for fish, but once the copper gets into your tank it will kill any invertebrates and coral that you have and is nearly impossible to get out of your tank.
If you are considering developing a reef tank (one that includes coral) then you must buy specialized lighting. If you are only keeping fish and certain invertebrates, no special lighting is needed. Types of lighting include Power Compacts, VHOs, Metal Halide, and HOs. HOs are nearly obsolete and I would not recommend using them. VHOs will allow you to keep almost all corals with the exception of Acroporas and will allow you to keep almost all inverts with the exception of clams. If you have your heart set on keeping either of the aforementioned species, they can be kept under metal halide lighting but metal halides also happen to be the most expensive lights. Power compacts do not offer as much versatility of species that can be kept but are often much cheaper than the other forms of light. Lighting is very expensive but it is also one of the most essential parts of keeping coral and some invertebrates. It is better to buy good lights the first time than to buy bad ones and then have to upgrade them later.
The next question you need to ask yourself is how much lighting do you need? Lighting is measured in wattage. Four watts per gallon is enough to keep the hardiest corals but some can require up to 10 watts per gallon. When choosing lights you must consider what species you plan on keeping in order to properly care for them.
When choosing coral it is important to keep in mind what they need. For example, how much light (if any), feeding (if any) and how much water movement they like. Be sure you choose a coral where you can satisfy most if not all of the corals needs.
Unless you can accurately fulfill all the needs of housing marine aquatic species, don’t. The ocean is already in poor shape, and unknowledgeable aquarists who slaughter thousands of marine beings every year are a large contributor to that sad fact. Although marine aquariums can be extremely rewarding and exceptionally beautiful, it is important to acknowledge the work that goes into them. With that good luck with your aquarium and may your fish swim happily. [/font]
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