No matter what kind of mixed-species tank that you setup, when you mix fish and invertebrates, you'll need to address some very important issues.

• Some species of fish eat invertebrates, and the reverse is true as well.


• You may have trouble treating your fish if they contact a disease because many of the common disease treatments, like copper, kill invertebrates


• Because invertebrates require very clean water that is low in waste, you're going to have to keep the number of fish to a very low number.


• Reef tanks require more sophisticated (expensive) filtration equipment.


• Reef aquariums require strong lighting

Don't let these aspects of the reef aquarium deter you from setting one up, because the pros far outweigh the cons. These tanks are the most beautiful aquarium setups that you will ever see, representing a balanced mini-version of the natural environment.

Choosing a site
I'm going to make an assumption here and assume the reason you want a reef tank is to enjoy it and share it with your friends and family. With this said there are a few things that you should be aware of.

• Light and temperature play a huge roll in the health of your aquarium. A tank to close to a window causes changes in the water temperature and promotes extensive growth of algae.


• Doors let drafts and sunlight in, causing light levels and temperature to fluctuate. Besides, a swinging door may hit your tank, and a cracked aquarium is a disaster!


• Keep in mind that saltwater weights 8.4 pounds. per gallon, so a fifty gallon tanks weights at least 420 pounds, and this doesn't include the live rock and other equipment.

The Aquarium

A saltwater aquarium is a big investment in money and time, so don't go halfway here. Buying the wrong tank will eventually lead you to either buying the right tank or becoming discouraged you from becoming a long time enthusiast, resulting in a waste of money either way. If you can't accommodate an aquarium that's at least 35 gallons don't make the investment.

Types of Tanks

Glass
Glass is the most common and practical to buy. However, glass is heavy so keep this in mind when finding a site for your aquarium. Glass also doesn't scratch easily.

Acrylic
Acrylic aquariums are molded as a single piece with few seams. Acrylic is lighter then glass, comes in more shapes and sizes and tends to be stronger than glass. However, acrylic tanks do scratch very easy and tend to be much more expensive.

Cover It

An essential part of any aquarium is a hood sometimes called a canopy. The hood preforms a variety of things that will make your life easier.

• Prevents unwanted items from falling into the tank.


• Slows the rate of water evaporation.


• Helps the aquarium retain heat, reducing the use of the heating unit.

Support

Iron
Wrought-iron or angle-iron stands are the simplest and least expensive to buy. The design of the stand is open, which doesn't provide any way to hide filter components, but they are very sturdy.

Wood
If you're willing to spend more then buy a wood cabinet stand. The aquarium sites on a cabinet that can house supplies and equipment behind doors.

My mini-reef setup has a little of everything I mention here. This is a 35 gallon tank setting on a sturdy piece of wood furniture. Below the main tank is a refugium which sadly does not have doors yet.

The most important part of a healthy mini-reef is clean water and the primary piece of equipment that removes toxic material from the aquarium is a filter.

Not all filters are the same nor does one filter remove all the harmful toxins from the water. There are basically three categories of filters: mechanical, biological and chemical and within each category there are several filtration methods.

Since we are setting up a reef aquarium we only need to focus on a few of all the many types of filters that are used in saltwater aquariums. In addition, these are biological (no chemicals) filtration systems.

Power Filters
A power filter is one of the easiest and least complicated filter systems for the beginning aquarist. The design is simple: a pump pulls water from the tank across the filter, generally contains an activated carbon, through a bio wheel and back into the tank.

Refugium

Refugium From Wikipedia

I use a refugium as a biological filtration system, as I avoid using chemicals for anything, and it's located in the cabinet underneath my tank. By confining the plants and creatures to the refugium, the main tank remains clean and aesthetically pleasing, while the biological filtration takes place in the refugium.

Basically the water flows from the aquarium down to the refugium, which is acrylic and has three separate compartments. The first compartment receives the water from the tank and then flows through a filter into the middle chamber where I have 4 inches of live sand, a plant and light. This is where the bio filtering is going on. From there it flows though another filter to a third chamber which is then pumped backed to the tank.

--Note
Reef aquarium filtration generally includes more of an attempt at controlling nitrates either through filtration like protein skimmers and denitrification filters, through the addition of live rock, or through more constant and larger water changes. It is also desirable to limit phosphates by using filtered top-off water and resins.

The most common marine aquarium are tropical coral reef species. The term tropical refers to natural habitats where the waters are warm year round.
Invertebrates, tropical marine fish and corals require that the aquarium temperature be maintained at 75 to79 degrees(F). It should come as no surprise then that you must heat your aquarium.

There are two types of heaters: hanging heaters and submersible hangers. Hanging heaters simply clamp onto the the rim of the tank. This type of heater is the old style aquarium heater. The submersible heater is the preferred heater of choice for saltwater aquariums.

Whether you choose a hanging heater or a submersible heater, look for the following features;

• Thermostat


• Temperature control


• Thermal protection

Lighting for your aquarium by far is one of the most important aspects of a healthy reef aquarium. Reef invertebrates, like coral, are very dependent on short wavelengths of light like blue and violet and even ultraviolet. This light is very important because the animals have photosynthetic algae living on them. These are called zooaxanthellae, and they are able to take waste from the coral, harness the energy from the sun, and convert it to energy for the host.

What does that tell you? You need to increase the intensity of your light and include light from the blue side of the spectrum.

Lighting in a reef aquarium is generally much more intense as it is trying to simulate sunlight in the tropics. The spectrum is also bluer to simulate conditions at lower ocean depths. Many of the corals require light of this intensity and color to grow and flourish.

Aquarium lighting comes in two general types of fixtures: strip lights and hanging spotlights. Strip lights are simply long light fixtures that are either built into your hood, sit on top of your glass canopy, or hang suspended over your tank.

Most hanging fixtures are high intensity lights that generate a lot of heat and cant be kept on top of the aquarium. These lights are also very expensive to run and with a typical light cycle of 10 to 15 hours a day this can add up on the power bill.

While fishy tanks don't lend themselves well to live rock, a reef tank, by definition, has live invertebrates, including live coral and live rocks. I have to admit the first time I heard the term 'live rock' I definitely was scratching my head. The rock is not actually alive, rather, provides a home for all kinds of small living sea life, from bacteria to starfish.

Live Rock
Live rock is coral rubble or reef rock that's covered with living material and is harvested from wild area like Fuji and Tonga. It's sold in a couple of different forms based on its quality. Less expensive live rock is often referred to as base rock. and as the name implies, it's used as the foundation or bottom layer of the min-reef. Decorative live rock is the expensive stuff. This is live rock that is teaming with life.

Water movement is important in a reef environment for several reasons. Many of the corals and anemones are filter feeders, which means they get some or all of their nutrients from the water column. Currents also carry away wastes produced by these animals. Detritus should not be allowed to accumulate on the rock and substrate, another good reason for water currents.

There are many different ways of simulating the water movement in an ocean environment. Some of the more interesting simulate the "surge" of water in a natural environment by pumping water to an overhead storage tank and then periodically "dumping" it back into the tank. Powerheads can also be put on timers so that varying currents can be achieved. At the very least you should have at least one good (400 gal/hr) powerhead in aquariums less than 60 gallons, and two or more in 60 gallon or larger tanks.

Salt Water

Unless you live by the ocean chances are you are going to have to make your own salt water. You will first need to condition the water and then add synthetic sea salt.

Conditioning tap water

Your going to need fresh water to make your salt water. Forget the idea of filling your tank with bottled water - it's too costly. I hate to tell you this but you tap water isn't pure water. In most places, the local water company chemically treats the water for health reasons.

These chemical need to be removed before adding the water to your aquarium. The easiest way is to let the water sit for 48 hours and let the chemical percolate out. This method works just fine if your water does not have heavy medals, toxins, nitrates or phosphates.

If your local water supply has toxins present a more efficient way to condition your tap water is to purchase a water-purification unit. These are known as reverse osmosis and deionization units. This equipment attaches directly to your faucet and removes a number of unwanted chemicals. I will warn you, these units can be expensive.

What type of salt?

I use Instant Ocean, which is free of nitrates and phosphates, and dissolves quickly. The method I use for premixing involves mixing the salt water in a separate container. I use 5 gallon plastic buckets (new) for this. I drop in a heater to warm the water and mix in a synthetic sea salt, checking the water with a Hydrometer until the specific gravity of the water reaches 1.022.

Hydrometer

A hydrometer is an inexpensive measuring device used to determine the correct level of salinity or specific gravity in your aquarium. I use what is called a Swinger style to monitor my specific gravity. This is basically a small plastic box with a needle in it that pivots when the box is filled with salt water and has a nice little gauge stenciled on it for making sure the range is accurate.

Every day

• Turn on your lights. The best way to keep on and off in a consistent pattern it's best to use an automatic timer.


• Check the fish and invertebrates for signs of stress, disease, or death.


• Check the water temperature and adjust heater if necessary.


• Empty the protein skimmer as needed.


• Check the water level and top off.


• Check all aquarium systems: heater, filters and protein skimmer. Make sure everything is working properly. Make sure to check intake and siphon tubes for leaks.

Once a week

• Remove excess algae.


• Clean glass inside and out. Do NOT use glass cleaner.


• Conduct water tests weekly after the water matures and the nitrogen cycle is established. Record all test results.


• Clean all filters. Do not clean until the point of sterilization as these media help maintain correct bio.

Every two weeks

• Change 20 percent of the water.

Every month

• Clean the protein skimmer.


• Clean the outside of the aquarium, removing salt and calcium deposits, dust and dirt.


• Clean any tank decorations that suffer from excess algae.

Every three month, conduct a thorough examination of all aquarium systems, including lighting, heating, filtration and tubing. Replace or clean any parts as needed.

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