| Salt water tanks are sought after by many aquarium | | | | add anything to your tank for a month is to allow |
| enthusiasts, however they are more tedious to | | | | plenty of time for the salt levels to balance out. At |
| maintain so are not often undertaken. Keeping a | | | | this stage you have to install a protein skimmer, and |
| saltwater aquarium requires patience, and having live | | | | then you can go ahead and add some snails to the |
| coral in your saltwater tank requires patience and | | | | tank, or perhaps even a crab or two. During the next |
| knowledge. Patience, we say because the healthiest | | | | couple of weeks, you want to make sure that the |
| and hardiest path to owning a home coral aquarium is | | | | filters perform correctly. Also use this time to adjust |
| to grow you coral. | | | | the lighting. It is recommended that you don't keep |
| While it takes more time, growing your own coral | | | | the light on for more than 12 hours per day, because |
| makes it much easier to maintain the health of your | | | | too much light can lead to algae problems. |
| coral. You must become educated about the | | | | When you reach the six-week mark, you can finally |
| requirements for growing coral, and follow very | | | | begin to add some coral. There is a wide variety of |
| specific procedures, but if you can be patient for | | | | coral available for saltwater aquariums, and the most |
| approximately 12 weeks, you can grow your own | | | | popular include Bull's-eye Mushroom Coral, Button |
| coral for your home saltwater aquarium. | | | | Polyp Coral, Hairy Mushroom Coral and Yellow |
| The basic set-up of a saltwater aquarium is the same | | | | Mushroom Coral. When you place the coral into your |
| as a freshwater tank. You purchase a tank and filter, | | | | tank, attach it to the live rock that you placed at the |
| and then select the best location for your aquarium. | | | | bottom when you initially set up your aquarium. And |
| Once the tank is ready for water, there are several | | | | now we wait again; just two more weeks. |
| steps to follow: | | | | After eight weeks, you can add more coral, this time |
| 1. Fill the bottom of the tank with sand. | | | | aquacultured coral like Leather Coral, Pumping Xenia |
| 2. Now it is time to add the water. Your aquarium | | | | Coral, Spaghetti Finger Coral and Starburst Polyps. |
| water must be de-chlorinated. | | | | This coral should be placed into the live rock just as |
| 3. Next add the salt, making sure to mix it so the | | | | before. |
| gravity measures exactly 1.205. | | | | After another two to four weeks, you can begin |
| 4. Arrange any live rocks and plants you would like to | | | | adding some fish to your home saltwater aquarium. |
| include in the tank. | | | | In the realm of things, 12 weeks really isn't that long, |
| 5. Finally install the water heater and place the hood | | | | and the end result will be more than worth the wait. |
| on top of the aquarium. | | | | Because a saltwater environment is so fragile, it is |
| 6. And now you wait. About 4 weeks to be exact | | | | vital that you give this watery realm all of the time it |
| before moving on. | | | | needs to gain balance and begin living harmoniously. |
| Patience. Remember? The fours weeks will go by | | | | The healthy saltwater aquarium that results is a |
| quickly, and in no time your saltwater aquarium will | | | | wonderful accomplishment after just 12 short weeks |
| come to life before your eyes. The reason you don't | | | | of patience and care. |