This article will give you helpful tips in setting up your saltwater fish aquarium. We hope that the information and tips discussed here will be of help for the various questions in your mind.
Picking and Spotting the Fish – The first that comes in mind when setting up an aquarium, whether it is fresh water or salt water, is the wonderful and colourful fish that will swim in your aquarium. Imagine the splashes of various colours swimming and floating in your saltwater aquarium is very amazing and truly eye candy. Identifying the fish that you will put in your aquarium will answer your next questions on what to do next. The next important tip is the location or the spot where you will place your saltwater aquarium. It is very, very important that the location is away from direct sunlight because saltwater aquarium are temperature sensitive and should be monitored on a daily basis.
Getting the Materials – moving forward, you may now choose the different materials that are needed for setting up your saltwater fish aquarium. These include, among others, hydrometer, thermometer, salt, lighting, filters, powerheads, buckets, stones, plants, hoses, bleach, heater, chiller, and live rocks. Make sure that these materials are in perfect condition. Look for damages and weak spots before making any purchase.
Setting Up Your Tank – in setting up your tank, you have to prepare first a balanced base that can support the entire weight of your aquarium. Styrofoam is a good choice for your base. After this, you may now proceed with the cleaning of the tank itself. When you are cleaning the tank and other materials mentioned in this article previously, do not use any detergents, solvents or any other cleaning agents because it may leave residues that can be harmful for your fish and other marine creatures. Just add one teaspoon of bleach for every five gallons of water and that is enough. After this, rinse everything thoroughly using non-chlorinated water. After cleaning, put your saltwater aquarium in your chosen spot. Install the filtration systems following the instructions very carefully. Then gradually add salt into the buckets while you are checking the salinity of the water. The ideal salinity level ranges from 1.020 to 1.030 levels. Then pour the saltwater into the tank.
Buying and Cycling the Fish – in doing this, put the thermometer in your aquarium and install the heater or chiller. The right temperature should be between 70F to 80F. You may also install the powerhead and the nitrogen cycle will start. You can leave this installed for at least three days. Some experts will suggest to keep it running for 4 to 6 weeks.
Introducing The Fish – in doing so, place your fish in the fish bag into your aquarium. Then after thirty minutes, start pouring saltwater from the tank into the fish bag. Add another ¼ cup of saltwater every fifteen minutes. Do this for an hour until the fish bag overflows.