snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
Welcome to the wonderful world of Saltwater Aquariums! If you are reading this, you are probably thinking about setting up a saltwater aquarium. It's easy, fun, and very rewarding. There are a few things that you should know about the hobby. For starters, it can get kind of expensive, but the rewards are vast. The wonders and thrills of the ocean can be brought into your livingroom, and shared with your family, friends, and guests. So, anxious to get started? Here we go. This is a method that has worked for me for a long time. I, unfortunately, will not go in to detail about brands and types of equipment you should get. That is reserved for other articles.
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Look at some different types of aquariums and decide what LIVESTOCK you want to keep. Pick out some pretty fish and if you want, coral, and then ask a forum/ message board about the livestock you want. Ask if it is all compatible, ask what size and type of aquarium you will need. Once you know that, then you can start budgeting.
[*]
Start a budget. If you don't already have a budget drawn up, start looking at some of the stuff you will need to invest in. Keep in mind that you will need an aquarium, a filter, a protein skimmer, live rock and live sand. You will also need a stand to put it on, and something to light it up with. This does not include all of the basic maintenance equipment. Basically, once you know your livestock, figure out what equipment and tank you need and go from there.
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Decide where your new tank will go, if you haven't already. The best place to put an aquarium is in a room that you spend the most time in. The best position in that room is where it meets these conditions: A: It has to be out of direct sunlight. B: It has to be out of direct air conditioning. C: It has to be set on a steady, solid floor to account for weight. Saltwater weighs 8.2 pounds per gallon!
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Buy all of your equipment and have it available. Don't set up the tank and buy one thing at a time. Avoid that if at all possible. Basic equipment for a sumpless aquarium includes filter, protein skimmer, heater, and one or two powerheads.
The next step is to put the stand in place. Before you put your tank on top of the stand, please consider using a leveler, to make sure it sits absolutely level. Also, a great idea is to add 1/2” of styrofoam on top of the stand, underneath the aquarium, to level out any irregularities. With your aquarium being so level, it should keep it solid and leak free for years to come.
Place your tank on your stand and put your filter, skimmer, and heater inside of it. Install your powerheads on either side of your tank, and set up your electrical system with all safety precautions in place. Adjust your light timers. Do not turn anything on yet. Fill the aquarium with fresh water and leak test it for 24 hours. The next day you can move on to step 7.
Obtain saltwater. Either mix it yourself in a separate container or buy it from your live fish store.
Obtain all of your sand (if any), a few pieces of base rock, and live rock. Place the base rock down on the glass bottom first. This provides a solid foundation for your live rock to sit on. Then, pour your sand over the top of your base rock. By doing this, if you get any sand sifting fish, they won't make your liverock shift around in your tank without your permission. Next, add your live rock on top of it. Aquascape as you see fit. Aquascape means to adjust your live rock into caverns, holes, dips, loops, swirrels, whatever you want. Place a small plate inside of your aquarium.
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Pour your saltwater onto the plate to keep the sand from being stirred up tremendously. Keep aiming for the plate until the tank is filled.
[*]
Pour saltwater into your filter and skimmer body. Turn on your powerheads, filter, and heater. Make sure you have read all of the instructions to your skimmer before plugging it in.
Add your lights over the top of your tank, and make sure they are on a light timer for no longer than 8 hours per day.
Add a small piece of shrimp to the tank, such as a shrimp tail to get your first “cycle” started.
Now is a good opportunity to start reading, researching, and getting to know saltwater aquariums more. Read a few good books, starting with “The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Bob Fenner. If you are looking into getting some corals, I highly suggest reading “Aquarium Corals, Selection, Husbandry and Natural History by Eric Borneman. There are also a couple of guide books that you should obtain on marine fishes and marine invertebrates that will come in handy for future reference. Also, now is the time to find some message boards that you feel comfortable in and start asking questions to things that you haven't found the answers to. This is a very rewarding hobby, and it's definitely something worth sticking to.
If you would like to read more of my articles and threads, please visit this link: Snake's Methods.
[*]
Look at some different types of aquariums and decide what LIVESTOCK you want to keep. Pick out some pretty fish and if you want, coral, and then ask a forum/ message board about the livestock you want. Ask if it is all compatible, ask what size and type of aquarium you will need. Once you know that, then you can start budgeting.
[*]
Start a budget. If you don't already have a budget drawn up, start looking at some of the stuff you will need to invest in. Keep in mind that you will need an aquarium, a filter, a protein skimmer, live rock and live sand. You will also need a stand to put it on, and something to light it up with. This does not include all of the basic maintenance equipment. Basically, once you know your livestock, figure out what equipment and tank you need and go from there.
[*]
Decide where your new tank will go, if you haven't already. The best place to put an aquarium is in a room that you spend the most time in. The best position in that room is where it meets these conditions: A: It has to be out of direct sunlight. B: It has to be out of direct air conditioning. C: It has to be set on a steady, solid floor to account for weight. Saltwater weighs 8.2 pounds per gallon!
[*]
Buy all of your equipment and have it available. Don't set up the tank and buy one thing at a time. Avoid that if at all possible. Basic equipment for a sumpless aquarium includes filter, protein skimmer, heater, and one or two powerheads.
The next step is to put the stand in place. Before you put your tank on top of the stand, please consider using a leveler, to make sure it sits absolutely level. Also, a great idea is to add 1/2” of styrofoam on top of the stand, underneath the aquarium, to level out any irregularities. With your aquarium being so level, it should keep it solid and leak free for years to come.
Place your tank on your stand and put your filter, skimmer, and heater inside of it. Install your powerheads on either side of your tank, and set up your electrical system with all safety precautions in place. Adjust your light timers. Do not turn anything on yet. Fill the aquarium with fresh water and leak test it for 24 hours. The next day you can move on to step 7.
Obtain saltwater. Either mix it yourself in a separate container or buy it from your live fish store.
Obtain all of your sand (if any), a few pieces of base rock, and live rock. Place the base rock down on the glass bottom first. This provides a solid foundation for your live rock to sit on. Then, pour your sand over the top of your base rock. By doing this, if you get any sand sifting fish, they won't make your liverock shift around in your tank without your permission. Next, add your live rock on top of it. Aquascape as you see fit. Aquascape means to adjust your live rock into caverns, holes, dips, loops, swirrels, whatever you want. Place a small plate inside of your aquarium.
[*]
Pour your saltwater onto the plate to keep the sand from being stirred up tremendously. Keep aiming for the plate until the tank is filled.
[*]
Pour saltwater into your filter and skimmer body. Turn on your powerheads, filter, and heater. Make sure you have read all of the instructions to your skimmer before plugging it in.
Add your lights over the top of your tank, and make sure they are on a light timer for no longer than 8 hours per day.
Add a small piece of shrimp to the tank, such as a shrimp tail to get your first “cycle” started.
Now is a good opportunity to start reading, researching, and getting to know saltwater aquariums more. Read a few good books, starting with “The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Bob Fenner. If you are looking into getting some corals, I highly suggest reading “Aquarium Corals, Selection, Husbandry and Natural History by Eric Borneman. There are also a couple of guide books that you should obtain on marine fishes and marine invertebrates that will come in handy for future reference. Also, now is the time to find some message boards that you feel comfortable in and start asking questions to things that you haven't found the answers to. This is a very rewarding hobby, and it's definitely something worth sticking to.
If you would like to read more of my articles and threads, please visit this link: Snake's Methods.
