How To Set Up A Saltwater Aquarium

If you've never owned an aquarium -- your best bet is to start small. It costs less to get going and you get to find out if an aquarium is something you like having. You can get inexpensive used tanks and equipment, if you know what to look for. Once you get your tank setup, it's the fish that will cost you the big bucks, unless you know someone who owns a shop specializing in saltwater aquariums and fish.

AquaPod Mini or Nano
The AquaPod Mini or Nano tanks are Ideal for anyone just starting out with a saltwater aquarium. A top pick, the AquaPod is a compact plug 'n play aquarium kit that combines ingenuity, technology, and an easy how-to in one small package. With sizes ranging from 2.5 up to 34 gallons each unit comes complete with built-in filtration and lighting systems, and many more unique features, thus reducing the cost of buying components separately and making saltwater aquarium ownership a whole lot easier.

Whatever size you choose in picking the right tank for your saltwater aquarium, remember that once it's filled, it will more than likely stay where you put it, so plan out where you want it go in advance.

Substrate sounds like what it is "strata beneath." Substrate is combined of many layers and for a saltwater tank, one of the finest substrates for a saltwater aquarium is considered to be ground coral. Ground coral is made up of coral pieces, clam, and/or snail shells, and is crushed into small pieces, albeit not small enough. Being composed of aragonite or calcium, aragonite softens or alkalizes the ph of your tank nicely.

Better yet is fine aragonite sand, which allows for a substrate that encourages bacteria growth. These bacteria in the substrate be they in fresh or saltwater tank, help to maintain a healthy environment in your tank and adds to the tank filtration. Great sanitation agents, these microscopic animals filtrate decaying and left over food, excrement, fish parts and other particulate biological matter.
Three brand names for aragonite are ESV, CaribSeal and Aragamax, For a cheaper method, check out Home Depot and look for Southdown Play Sand. It's a substantial savings for a greater quantity than you can get at a Home Depot.

Black Sand
You may prefer black sand, which certainly is striking. Black sand is silicate based and while it does not have the buffering capabilities of an aragonite sand, even with phosphate discharge, it's a safe alternative to Ground Coral or Aragonite Sand.
For a tank under 25 gallons you'll need about a 2-4 inch sand bed; 30 gallon tanks take a 5 inch sand bed (about 120 lbs of sand) whereas a 125 gallon tank will accept 400 lbs of sand for a 6 inch sand bed. A good rule of thumb is to take the tank gallonage and times it by 3.2.

Setting up the "saltwater" for your aquarium has gotten easier as time goes by. To make your fresh water into seawater you'll need to pickup synthetic ocean salt. The most well-known brand name is Instant Ocean and can be purchased at any pet food store that retails saltwater aquariums

Just follow the instructions for setting up the salinity of your tank. Instant Ocean Sea Salt Mix in the 8 pound box will treat up to 25 gallons of water.

Filtering your water is required if you want to run a saltwater aquarium -- it's required for any kind of aquarium. There are many different filter types available, it pretty much depends on the size of your aquarium (tank) by the gallonage. Along with that filter, you'll also need a pump (unless you buy a pre-made aquarium kit.)

The filter size depends on the gallons to be filtered and this detailed information can be found on the box or in the description specs of the filter. There are many brands, but right now we're preferring Whisper Power Filters.

Here's a very brief breakdown of the 6 BIG sections inside "Ultimate Secrets to Saltwater Aquarium Fish and Invertebrates"

Section 1: Setting up a Saltwater Aquarium:

Necessary equipment you need (nothing you don't), considerations in selecting the right tank, A-Z of aquarium design and layout, how to prepare water and maintain your aquarium and much more.

Section 2: Creating a Perfect Environment:

Understanding the importance of water quality, how to check the vital parameters and what they should optimally be, biological filtration explained, stocking level secrets, vitally important organisms that help your aquarium environment and much more.

Section 3: Popular Marine Fish Species Information:

Here you will find comprehensive, vital fish keeping information for the 16 most popular species, this is all you need to know.

Section 4: Corals and Invertebrates:

How to select, feed, place and acclimate your invertebrates, elements of husbandry specific to invertebrates, necessary aquarium conditions, common ailments and how to treat and much more.

Section 5: Fish Diseases and Health:

Secrets to successful fish selection, also how to spot sick fish in the pet shop, questions you must ask, everything you need to know about fish diseases and curing them, behavioural and physical signs of disease to look for, essential information on diet and health and so much more.

Section 6: Tank and Fish Troubleshooting:

How to recognize and prevent signs of stress and immunity problems, common tank problems and how to remedy, environmental and dietary problems and solutions for your marine life, aquarium problem prevention, combating algae and so much more.

To find out more click the Secrets To Underwater Aquariums

Most people use fluorescent lights when lighting an aquarium, but you can buy Power Compacts (PCs) or Very High Output Fluorescents (VHO) for your aquarium.

You need to make sure that you have a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet that you plug your aquarium into for your safety. Having this circuit "breaker" inline with your aquarium is not only safe, it could save your life one day.

A grounding probe is likewise a beneficial idea. It takes the stray electric potential that may be in your fish tank and routes it back to the electric outlet. This could also protect you from electrocution. It is cheap ($15) and you simply plug it in.

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