COST AND TIME

Before choosing to set up a salt water fish tank, it’s important to ensure that you have adequate time and money to begin this project. A salt water aquarium can cost from four to five times more than a fresh water tank setup, so it’s essential that you have extra money set aside. In addition to this, setting up and maintaining a salt water fish tank requires a large investment in time. Most salt water aquariums may need to operate for four to six weeks before they are able to sustain any living organisms. In addition to this, there are some daily and weekly maintenance procedures that are specific to salt water tanks.

PURCHASING SUPPLIES

For the initial setup of your salt water fish tank, you will need to begin by purchasing all of the supplies that you will need. This includes a tank, tank stand, aquarium substrate, saltwater hydrometer, live rock, heater, aquarium filter and protein skimmer, just to name a few. There are several published books that are specially designed to help you to become more familiar with the setup requirements of salt water aquariums, which are usually available for purchase in the fish pet care section of most pet supply stores.

AQUARIUM SETUP

Rinse your aquarium, aquarium substrate, decorations and supplies thoroughly in soap-free water. It’s best to first check your aquarium for leaks by entirely filling it with water before any other setup procedures are completed. Install your filter, heater, protein skimmer and all other equipment that you are using for your salt water fish tank. IMPORTANT – Do not plug any of this equipment in until you have added the salt water mix to your aquarium’s water. Once your water is properly mixed, allow your aquarium to operate for 2-3 days.

LIVE ROCK

A very important part of any salt water aquarium is the inclusion of live rock. Live rock is usually relatively expensive, and needs to be ‘cured’ for a period of time before it can be safely kept in your tank with your fish. It’s best to have your live rock fully cured before you even consider purchasing fish for your tank. To cure live rock, have it sit in your tank while all of the filtration equipment is fully functional. Every few days, scrub the outside of the rock directly in your aquarium with a stiff-bristled brush (such as an old toothbrush). Remove as much of the debris from the cleaning process as possible, and then refill your tank with clean pre-mixed salt water.

SUBMERGED HEATER

There are certain types of aquarium heaters that are designed to be completely submerged at the bottom of a fish tank. The effectiveness of these heaters depends on the natural process of warmer water rising to the top of the fish tank. As this heated water rises, it produces a natural circulation of the water in the tank. However, some people argue that this creates a constant and noticeable disparity between the temperature at the bottom of the tank and the temperature at the surface. Because of this, thermometer readings of the tank’s overall temperature may be affected depending on where they are placed on the tank, making it harder to maintain an average temperature.

ENCASED HEATER

Some fish tank heaters are designed to be placed in a fish tank while still being attached to the top of the tank. This is accomplished by a glass tube that encases the portion of the heating mechanism that extends below the surface of the water. Since this could also result in an uneven distribution of heat, some encased heating systems include a thermostat which can be placed in the opposite end of the tank from the heater. This ensures that the heat produced by the heating mechanism has to be adequately circulated to reach the thermostat which controls the heater’s operation.

IMPORTANCE OF THERMOMETERS

It’s very important that you keep more than one thermometer that is constantly monitoring the temperature of your fish tank. It’s possible that one of your thermometers may malfunction, as some thermometers have slightly different temperature readings. When reading two thermometers, it is usually best to take the average of both temperature displays as the actual temperature of your tank. Many fish are extremely sensitive to changes in temperature, which can cause a significant amount of stress on their internal systems.

PLACEMENT OF YOUR FISH TANK

In order to ensure that your tank’s heater is able to operate properly, it’s best that you place your fish tank in an area that is not subjected to any variations that could possibly affect temperature. This means that it is usually best to place your fish tank away from direct sunlight, heating monitors, drafty areas or places where there is a door leading to the outdoors. This will greatly help you in maintaining a comfortable temperature in your fish tank.

ADVANTAGES OF ACRYLIC FISH TANKS

WEIGHT

One of the most commonly cited advantages of acrylic tanks is that they are much easier to lift. If you are purchasing a tank that will hold a large volume of water, you may want to invest in an acrylic fish tank. This will make the tank much easier to move, and may prevent you from having to hire expensive assistants to aid you in setting up the tank. If you move frequently, purchasing a lighter fish tank may better suit your needs.

SHAPE

If you are looking to purchase a fish tank in an exotic shape (such as a hexagon) acrylic tanks are usually a much better choice. Since acrylic tanks are actually fused together with a special type of acrylic soluble cement, they are virtually leak-proof along their seams. This makes it much easier for a fish tank to be constructed in different shapes that may suit your décor requirements.

INSULATION

An acrylic fish tank insulates approximately 20% better than a glass fish tank, which means that the interior temperature of the tank will remain much more stable. This can also decrease some of the costs associated with heating your fish tank, especially if you have fish that need to be kept in high temperature environments.

DISADVANTAGES OF ACRYLIC FISH TANKS

PRICE

Acrylic fish tanks tend to be significantly more expensive than glass fish tanks. Since they are more expensive to manufacture, this means that you may pay from 2-4 times more for an acrylic fish tank that is the same size as a glass fish tank. If you need some price comparisons, check the fish care supply section of your local pet care supply store. Most pet stores have a variety of tanks available, and you will be able to figure out if the price difference of an acrylic fish tank is above your budget level.

EASILY SCRATCHED

Though technically acrylic tanks are much stronger than glass tanks, they can also be scratched easily. Because of this, most acrylic fish tanks need to be cleaned with a special sponge in order to avoid excessive scratching. Scratches will eventually affect the opacity of your tank, and may give it a ‘clouded’ appearance even if the water is clean.

PURCHASE SUPPLIES

Before anything else, you need to purchase all of the supplies that you will need in order to set up your fresh water fish tank. Decide on the size of tank you wish to have before anything else, since this will affect the type of filter that you will need. Try to purchase a water filter that cycles the total volume of your tank four times per hour, in order to ensure that your tank’s water stays clean. In addition to this, you can also choose to purchase aquarium substrate (rocks), decorative plants or rocks, fish food specific to the type of fish you plan to keep, and water testing supplies, among other things. Most of these items are available in the fish care section of pet care supply stores.

SET UP YOUR AQUARIUM

Begin by washing your tank, decorations and aquarium substrate in clean, soap-free water. Soap residue can be very harmful for fish, so it’s very important to avoid using it at all costs. Once you have checked your tank for leaks, you can begin by adding gravel, decorations, rocks and other items to your fresh water fish tank. When adding water to your fish tank, you can avoid disrupting your decorations by placing a small plate in the center of the tank, and directing the water flow onto the plate. Install all equipment (water filter, heater, etc) and wait approximately fifteen minutes before you plug it in. Once your aquarium is running, it’s best to wait approximately two to five days before you bring home fish for your tank.

ADDING FISH TO YOUR FRESH WATER TANK

Once your tank has been running for several days, you can begin selecting fish for your aquarium. It’s best to first start with hardy species of fish, so that you are able to ascertain if your tank is habitable. Danio fish, goldfish, cherry barbs or some species of catfish are good first choices for a new tank. Be sure to select your fish carefully, and note any discolorations or odd behavior (since this could be a sign of disease). Float the bag containing your fish in your tank for approximately fifteen minutes before opening the bag, since this will allow the fish to adjust to the water temperature in your fresh water fish tank.

TAP WATER

In general, using tap water for your aquarium is the best choice for the safety of your fish. However, simply adding water to your aquarium does not necessarily mean that it’s habitable for your fish. The most important factor that you have to consider when using tap water for your home aquarium is that it often contains levels of chlorine which are unsafe for your fish. To help remedy this, it’s important that you have a de-chlorinating agent that will allow your tank to be habitable for fish. Some of these de-chlorination agents require a set amount of time to fully treat your tank, so it’s very important that you take this into consideration when setting up your aquarium.

FILTRATION

To keep the water in your aquarium of high quality, you will want to make sure that it is adequately filtered. In general, it’s best to use a filter for your tank that is able to cycle the entire volume of the water in your tank at least four times per hour. This is the absolute best way to ensure that your fish are being subjected to proper fish care, and greatly reduces instances of health problems created by contaminated tank water. There are many types of filtration systems available, though most new tank owners opt to use one that utilizes activated charcoal as a filtration medium. Activated charcoal filter replacements are relatively easy to purchase, and are available in the fish care section of most pet care supply stores.

WATER TESTING

To ensure that the water in your aquarium remains habitable for your fish, it’s recommended that you test the water in your tank at least three times per week. This is especially true if you have opted to use distilled water in your tank, since distilled water is relatively unstable, and may change pH levels rapidly without any warning. Try to avoid using distilled water in your tank, and use de-chlorinated tap water instead. Test the hard/soft qualities of your tank’s water, the pH, nitrate levels and ammonia levels on a regular basis to avoid potential health problems in your fish. If you detect that any of these levels are above or below the recommended levels for your fish, you need to take action immediately. Though many hardy species of fish are able to survive variations in their environment, some fish are very sensitive to changes in their water’s quality.

TANK SIZE

Different types of filters are designed to handle filtration of specific amounts of water. For example, if you purchase a filter that is designed to filter 10 gallons, but put it in a 20 gallon tank, your filter will have to work much harder in order to keep the water clean. This can result in internal damage to the filter’s components, which can sometimes require the purchase of an entire new filter. It’s best to first keep in mind the total water capacity of your tank, and then use this as a guideline when purchasing a new filter. Most filters will have a specific gallon range printed on the outside of their packaging, which you can use as a guide for your tank’s filtration needs.

NUMBER AND TYPE OF FISH

Some fish are well known for expelling a significant amount of waste, which should be taken into consideration when purchasing a filter. If you are keeping fish such as cichilids or goldfish, you will have to factor in the additional waste these types of fish produce. In this case, it’s nearly always best to opt for a more powerful filter, in order to provide your fish with the best possible pet fish care. In addition to this, you also have to consider the number of fish that you will be keeping in your tank. If you plan to keep twenty or more fish, you need to factor in the total waste production that may require you to purchase a more powerful fish tank filter.

FILTER FLOW RATE

Many commercial filtration systems will have a ‘flow rate’ which is the measure of how much water a filtration mechanism will be able to process per hour. As a general rule, you need to purchase a filter that will completely clean all of the water in your fish tank at least four times per hour. This is an approximate value, though it is always better to purchase a more powerful filter for your tank. For example, if you have a 20 gallon tank, you will want to purchase a water filter that is designed to handle 80 to 100 gallons of water per hour. If you have a 50 gallon tank, you will need a filter mechanism that can run through 200+ gallons per hour.