Saltwater aquariums

Choosing the right saltwater aquarium tank

There are some factors involved when choosing the type of saltwater aquarium setup. Some major factors include what type of species do you want to stock, how much space do you have available, what is your spending power? A tank that fits your lifestyle and environment is the first goal when setting up your saltwater aquarium.

The first priority is to the comfort of your saltwater fish and any other species as they grow in your aquarium. The marine life in your aquarium require plenty of oxygen to survive and room to exercise and swim. To determine this we look at the tank size. So when you finally opt for the freshwater aquarium set up you want then remember this and give your fish a chance to grow.

Oxygen is an important part of your saltwater aquarium setup. The surface area of your tank is the major contributing factor to the amount of oxygen it holds. This equates to the area of water exposed to the atmosphere at the top of the tank. Having a greater surface area for your saltwater aquarium means oxygen has more of a chance of transferring from the air into the water.

The surface area of your saltwater aquarium is not only for the intake of oxygen but also to let harmful substances like carbon dioxide t leave. The aquarium will be much healthier the more this process is allowed to develop. Another factor which determines the amount of oxygen in the water is temperature. In general the lower the temperature the more oxygen it will hold.

Less oxygen will be available for tropical fish as they prefer temperatures above 75 degrees which means less oxygen would be available in the aquariums water. This is why it is most important to have a larger surface area for your saltwater aquarium or else you may have to stock smaller or less marine animals. The bigger the tank you can acquire makes it much better for your marine life.

Saltwater aquariums come in all shapes and sizes so how can you determine your requirements? It is the shape that determines the surface area not the size or volume. Because of its shape a tank can have less surface area even though it holds a larger volume. For the gas cycle tall narrow aquariums do mot have the ideal area. The exchange of gas will be much better in a short wide tank.

With this in mind and your aquarium tank chosen, its time to move on to the inhabitants. Like we mentioned depending on the size of the tank will determine the amount of inhabitants you can keep in comfort. Overcrowding is one of the worst things you can do to your saltwater aquarium setup. Too many inhabitants in your aquarium can overload and effect filtrating efficiency. One of the major causes of fish death and disease is cramped conditions that stress the fish.

Do not rush and stock up you fish slowly. Introduce only a small amount at a time. Calculate what amount of water your aquarium holds in gallons. In the beginning and up to six months for every four gallon of water introduce one inch of fish. 15 fish would be the amount of fish in a sixty gallon saltwater aquarium. After the six months you can increase the amount of fish and have one inch of fish for every two gallons.

An example of a 60 gallon aquarium would be:-

Two 1-inch clownfish
One 1-inch Beau Gregory’s
Two 3-inch queen angel
Two 1- inch gobies
Two 1-inch blennies
One 2-inch Tang (surgeonfish)

Or any variables of these with your own favourite choices. After the six month period you can increase you fish to 30.

As with any creature when you get them young they will grow so be aware of this when buying new fish and adjust the amount in your tank to suit. Not only is the fish size an issue but also the shape. For heavier fish you should have a lower amount of fish in the aquarium.

Development of your saltwater aquarium takes time and is not an instant product. They are not cheap to buy and maintain so do not cut corners. It does not matter how much time and effort you put into your tank eventually you will have problems that need solving. with a bit of thought getting the right aquarium from the start is better than having to change it because you choose wrongly. Think before you buy, a small tank at the beginning is probably not the best idea. Before investing in you saltwater aquarium wait until you can invest in at least a 30 gallon tank.

The choices of saltwater aquariums are vast starting with do you get a glass or acrylic tank? Depending on choice it could be a reef tank already adapted for all your accessories? It’s up to you to get advice and choose correctly. Common popular tanks like glass sealed with silicon are a good start. The range is vast from unusual hexagonal and octagonal shapes to the more conventional rectangular types. Although more prone to scratching acrylic tanks are becoming more popular than the glass variety.

There is a difference in the weight of acrylic and glass tanks. Large glass tanks are very heavy and hard to move. These tanks have quite thick glass. However a glass tank with a plastic frame is quite stable. Tempered glass is stronger but plated glass is shatter proof.

The popular option is an acrylic saltwater aquarium setup with moulded seems which are more transparent. One fault is that your view at the corners is distorted. The acrylic tanks on the market even outdo the glass variety in the amount of different shapes and sizes you can have. The downsides are they cost more and scratch easily. The things to watch for to avoid scratches is be careful with decorations and when removing algae. The good news is that scratches can be removed using special kits.

Whichever type of aquarium you purchase the priority is the health of your fish. It needs to be kept in good order and cash is needed to maintain it properly. One up and running you will have hours of relaxation watching your new fishy pals cavorting in the water. Your saltwater aquarium will give you much enjoyment and pleasure