Salt Water Fish Tank Set Up |
Salt water fish tanks require additional time to set up when compared to fresh fish tanks but it well worth it.Setting up a saltwater fish tank involves 5 essential steps. Following these steps, together with proper maintenance, will assure you will have a wonderful fish tank experience.
1) Preparing the saltwater fish tank
The first step is to clean the tank using water only and a cloth or sponge that will not cause abrasion. Subsequently, you can apply a paper background to the outside back part of the aquariurm. Be sure to use tape throughout the top back of the background in order to stop any salt from showing up between the tank glass and the background. Another option for the outside back part of the tank is to paint it in a deep blue shade, giving an impression of depth.
The aquarium should then be taken to its permanent location, near an electrical plug, but sufficiently distant from the plug in case of a water leak. It is a good idea to place a pad under the fish tank for leveling and cushioning purposes. Now you can connect the heater, filter, protein skimmer and other equipment
2) Testing its system
This step is actually optional but would make any problematic issues that may come up in the setup simpler to fix. The test is done by loading in the solution of saltwater inside a bucket first or mixing it inside the tank directly. If white residue drops to the lower parts of the tank, the water ought to be discarded. Subsequently, the tank is to be turned on and run for a day, and in the meantime the owner can check to make sure that all the equipment is running correctly, determine the best temperature, and make salt balance modifications as necessary. It will not be possible to detect whether the protein skimmer is fulfilling it task since there is no waste, but you can still check for the production of bubbles.
3) Substrate and Quarantine
This depends on what type of soil and decorations you are using and can be done at this stage.You will need approximately 1/2 to 1 lb. of substrate per a gallon of water. For best results, use either live sand or an aragonite based sand or fine coral. Adding soil can be done by first mixing it in a bucket with the tank water and then adding it slowly to the bottom of the tank. As far as adding rocks, keep in mind that tiny animals live inside live rock, and can cause organic matter buildup as well as accumulation of harmful ammonia. As a result, it is important to cure the rock before placing it in the fish tank.
Live rock can be expensive but is the best form of biological filtration for your fish tank. Curing the rock can take from 1 week to 2 months, based on the initial condition of the rock. For curing, place the rock in the middle of the tank and rub it with a brush that has plastic bristles, such as an old toothbrush, for removing the debris. Do so every few days with the power off in the tank. Remove the dirty salt water and replace it with a clean supply. The curing process may cause the tank to exude strong smells and when it smells more like the ocean you will know that you are getting close to completion. Use your test kits to confirm that the tank is indeed cycled, with nitrite and ammonia reading at zero and a good amount of nitrates, as described below.
Also, you have to decide whether you wish to create what is known as a quarantine tank, which is separate from the main tank. Many fish experts recommend doing this in order to find whether you have a sick or contaminated fish before it is introduced to the entire aquarium environment. If you choose this method, the fish ought to be quarantined for 2 weeks and watched regularly prior to being added to the aquarium.
4) Cycle and Check water parameters
Before putting in the fish, complete cycling the tank and make sure the aquarium parameters are:
temperature: 75°F - 80°F (24°C - 27°C)
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 20 ppm or less (especially for invertebrates)
carbonate hardness: 7-10 dKH
specific gravity: 1.020 - 1.024
pH: 8.0 - 8.4
5) Add the fish
It is quite common for marine fish to be added safely only 4 to 8 weeks after you start the set up. Only add one or two saltwater fish at a time to lighten the biological load on the aquatic environment. When you bring a new saltwater fish, first dump it and the water in to a 5 gallon bucket, followed by a cup of aquarium water every 10 minutes for an hour. This will reduce the environmental stress on the new fish. You can then dump the contents of the bucket into the aquarium.
Your fish tank is now ready and is ready for routine maintenance, as described in a future article.
1) Preparing the saltwater fish tank
The first step is to clean the tank using water only and a cloth or sponge that will not cause abrasion. Subsequently, you can apply a paper background to the outside back part of the aquariurm. Be sure to use tape throughout the top back of the background in order to stop any salt from showing up between the tank glass and the background. Another option for the outside back part of the tank is to paint it in a deep blue shade, giving an impression of depth.
The aquarium should then be taken to its permanent location, near an electrical plug, but sufficiently distant from the plug in case of a water leak. It is a good idea to place a pad under the fish tank for leveling and cushioning purposes. Now you can connect the heater, filter, protein skimmer and other equipment
2) Testing its system
This step is actually optional but would make any problematic issues that may come up in the setup simpler to fix. The test is done by loading in the solution of saltwater inside a bucket first or mixing it inside the tank directly. If white residue drops to the lower parts of the tank, the water ought to be discarded. Subsequently, the tank is to be turned on and run for a day, and in the meantime the owner can check to make sure that all the equipment is running correctly, determine the best temperature, and make salt balance modifications as necessary. It will not be possible to detect whether the protein skimmer is fulfilling it task since there is no waste, but you can still check for the production of bubbles.
3) Substrate and Quarantine
This depends on what type of soil and decorations you are using and can be done at this stage.You will need approximately 1/2 to 1 lb. of substrate per a gallon of water. For best results, use either live sand or an aragonite based sand or fine coral. Adding soil can be done by first mixing it in a bucket with the tank water and then adding it slowly to the bottom of the tank. As far as adding rocks, keep in mind that tiny animals live inside live rock, and can cause organic matter buildup as well as accumulation of harmful ammonia. As a result, it is important to cure the rock before placing it in the fish tank.
Live rock can be expensive but is the best form of biological filtration for your fish tank. Curing the rock can take from 1 week to 2 months, based on the initial condition of the rock. For curing, place the rock in the middle of the tank and rub it with a brush that has plastic bristles, such as an old toothbrush, for removing the debris. Do so every few days with the power off in the tank. Remove the dirty salt water and replace it with a clean supply. The curing process may cause the tank to exude strong smells and when it smells more like the ocean you will know that you are getting close to completion. Use your test kits to confirm that the tank is indeed cycled, with nitrite and ammonia reading at zero and a good amount of nitrates, as described below.
Also, you have to decide whether you wish to create what is known as a quarantine tank, which is separate from the main tank. Many fish experts recommend doing this in order to find whether you have a sick or contaminated fish before it is introduced to the entire aquarium environment. If you choose this method, the fish ought to be quarantined for 2 weeks and watched regularly prior to being added to the aquarium.
4) Cycle and Check water parameters
Before putting in the fish, complete cycling the tank and make sure the aquarium parameters are:
temperature: 75°F - 80°F (24°C - 27°C)
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 20 ppm or less (especially for invertebrates)
carbonate hardness: 7-10 dKH
specific gravity: 1.020 - 1.024
pH: 8.0 - 8.4
5) Add the fish
It is quite common for marine fish to be added safely only 4 to 8 weeks after you start the set up. Only add one or two saltwater fish at a time to lighten the biological load on the aquatic environment. When you bring a new saltwater fish, first dump it and the water in to a 5 gallon bucket, followed by a cup of aquarium water every 10 minutes for an hour. This will reduce the environmental stress on the new fish. You can then dump the contents of the bucket into the aquarium.
Your fish tank is now ready and is ready for routine maintenance, as described in a future article.
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