By David H. Urmann
Setting up your own saltwater is easy and inexpensive. They make beautiful home decorations.
Many people have the misconception that it is difficult to maintain saltwater aquariums compared to freshwater setups. But this is not true. In reality, species of saltwater fish including invertebrates are easy to maintain with just a little bit difference in requirement. You just have to know the basics to better understand how to maintain saltwater aquariums.
There are so many species of attractive saltwater fish which you can choose. the main reason why many of the hobbyists would love to setup their own marine aquarium.
In this article, we are going to provide you with some of the basic steps in setting up, maintaining and choosing the saltwater fish and invertebrates for your marine tank.
There are several ways in setting up an aquarium which all depends on your interest and chosen species of fish. Hobbyist usually tags each type of aquariums to differentiate the requirements and the type of tanks to be used.
The Fish Only Tank
Fish only tank is a type of tank used to maintain fish without plants, clams and corals. This tank may also contain invertebrates which help in keeping the tanks clean. This is one of the easiest, and is less expensive setup compared to the reef tank.
Reef Tank
Reef tank is designed for a more variety of fish which needs anemones or corals. This system needs a special setup. Reef tanks can be classified as large polyp stony (LPS), small polyp stone (SPS) and the softy tanks. All of these have different needs and are therefore set up differently.
After choosing your setup and the species of fish for your marine aquarium, you also need to know how to maintain your saltwater tanks. This is very important in order to maintain the environment of your fish.
Here are some important tips for maintaining your marine aquarium.
Ammonia and Nitrate Monitoring
Usually after six weeks, your tank will show the common cycle process. This is the most critical part of your marine aquarium. You should be very keen in observing the nitrate and ammonia content in the tank. If you notice any stress from the fish inside the aquarium, you need to change the water. If worst cases where the fish really looks bad, it is a must to relocate them into other storage to prevent intoxication. It is recommended to have enough supply of dechlorinated and salt mix for immediate water changes.
PH Monitoring
Besides careful monitoring of the nitrates and ammonia, it is also vital to monitor the pH at all times. There is a great tendency of pH dropping over a period of time. If this occurs, you need to raise it immediately. In order to do this, add one tablespoon of baking soda with one cup of dechlorinated water and pour it into the tank with at least one hour interval. Baking soda will effectively fall the pH inside the tank.
Water Monitoring
Normally, water level will diminish as time goes by and you need to replace it. This is normal due to water evaporation. So make sure you keep the water at a constant level always.
Algae Cleaning
Soon as the tank will reach its third week, the formation of algae will be noticed. These are brown algae which tend to cover up the entire area of the tank. You need to clean these algae once a week. When green algae develop, it will soon outdo the brown algae and will cause it to disappear. But in case the green algae do not surpass the brown algae, you need to employ additional light for this process to workout.
Water Change
After sometime, it is necessary to change the water at least 50% of the total water content in regular intervals. You could change water once a week. You should also clean the gravel at the same time.
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