Salt Aquarium

There are five easy steps is setting up a saltwater aquarium.  You may have the impression that setting up one is easy and hassle free.  I must say, it is not that easy.  You need to have careful assessment and good decision making skills to make your saltwater aquarium a success.

So here are the five steps that you must consider:

A. Picking the Fish and the Spot
The first thing that you must think about is the types of fish and other marine creatures that you would like to be in your saltwater aquarium.  Identifying the kinds of fish will give you a heads up on the other materials or equipment that you will be needing moving forward.  However, it does not mean that you purchase the fish right then and there.  Choosing the perfect spot for your aquarium is not an easy task.  You have to carefully check if the spot that you are looking at will not receive direct or indirect sunlight.  Having your aquarium in a spot where there are a lot of sunlight will make it prone to algae presence and can affect the entire ecosystem of your saltwater aquarium.  Please have extra space above the tank for maintenance purposes.

B. Purchasing the Materials
Now that you have identified the kind of fish and other marine creatures for your saltwater aquarium, you may now proceed in materials shopping.  Take note of the following in your checklist: Powerheads, lighting, filters, hydrometer, thermometer, salt, non-chlorinated water, bleach, fish net, heater, chiller, stones, rocks, decorations and other accessories, hoses and pH testing jars and strips.  Double check all these materials before you purchase them.  Look for damages and weak spots so you can have it changed from the suppliers.

C. Setting Up The Tank
Have a stable base for your saltwater aquarium that can support the entire weight of your aquarium.  You can get Styrofoam. After this, clean the tank with one spoon of bleach for every five gallons of water.  Remember not to use any detergents or solvents that can contaminate the water.  DO not bleach the rocks and other living things.  Scrub the tank, decorations and rocks with care.

D. Cycling and Purchasing the Fish
Put the thermometer, heater and chiller into the tank.  Set the temperature between 70F to 80F.  Install the powerhead properly and allow this to run for at least three days.  This process will start the nitrogen cycle in your aquarium. 

E. Introducing your Fish
By introducing your fish, you place the fish in the aquarium and the temperature of the water inside the bag will eventually match that of the aquarium.  After thirty minutes, you may pour saltwater from the tank into the bag and for every fifteen minutes, add another one fourth cup of saltwater.  Do this process for an hour until the water in the bag overflow.  Then prepare a bucket of dechlorinated fresh water and get the fish into the freshwater bath for about three to five minutes.  Check for any stress, once the fish stops swimming, return it to the tank immediately.