Your Home Aquarium: October 2008

Saltwater Aquarium setup: Choosing the right 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 invertebrates and fish which will be in your tank require room to swim and grow but also need an environment where there is plenty of oxygen in order to survive. 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. There are a number of factors that determine the amount of oxygen in your tank the main one being the surface area of the tank. This equates to the area of water exposed to the atmosphere at the top of the tank. As oxygen transfers to your saltwater aquarium from the surface of the tank the greater that area is means there is more chance of oxygen 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. Water temperature is one more factor that determines the amount of oxygen it holds. 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. You may have to stock less marine animals if you do not have a large enough surface area for your saltwater aquarium. 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. The amount of marine inhabitants for your tank is directly determined from the size of tank you have purchased. Overcrowding is one of the worst things you can do to your saltwater aquarium setup. Your aquarium relies on an efficient filtration system and too many inhabitants will overload it. Stressed fish living in cramped conditions is on of the major causes of fish death, diseases and illness.

You should start slowly when stocking up with fish. Only a small amount should be introduced in one go. First calculate how many gallons of water your aquarium holds. For the first six months introduce fish at one inch per fish for every four gallons of water. A sixty gallon saltwater aquarium setup would therefore have 15 fish. More fish can be added after six months at an increase of two gallons for every inch of fish.

A 60 gallon tank example 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)

You can mix and match as long as you get the basic sizes right. 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 fish size but shape is also an Issue. In an aquarium with heavier fish you should have a fewer number of fish inside.

{Saltwater aquarium development is not quick and time is needed}. They are not cheap to buy and maintain so do not cut corners. Problems will occur even when you have spent lots of time developing your tank. Make sure you have the correct aquarium from the start because it can be a little disheartening if you choose wrongly and then have to buy another one. It is best not to dive in and get a small tank. 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. Glass tanks are less prone to scratching than an acrylic tank although the acrylic aquarium is becoming more and more popular.

Acrylic tanks are much lighter than there glass equivalent. 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. Glass types are tempered which is stronger or shatter proof plated glass.

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. Certain ornaments and decorations can easily scratch the inside of the tank and the same applies when trying to remove algae. However you can buy kits that will help remove the scratches.

The health of your fish is the priority whatever type of saltwater aquarium you go for. You need time to look after it properly and also enough cash to keep it in good order and properly maintained. One up and running you will have hours of relaxation watching your new fishy pals cavorting in the water. You will obtain much pleasure and enjoyment out of your saltwater aquarium

Your Home Aquarium

Friday, October 24, 2008

Choosing your tank for a saltwater aquarium

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Salt Water Fishes

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