| Maintaining a saltwater aquarium can be an enriching | | | | something that you should know about - as it will |
| experience as well as a stress-relieving hobby. It is a | | | | greatly influence the type of precautions you have to |
| soothing feeling to watch your fish move around in | | | | take, the cost of maintenance, and the frequency of |
| the tank slowly, and have your own chunk of the | | | | water parameter monitoring that you have to do. |
| coral reef right in your home. The bright and exotic | | | | The Fish Only type of aquarium is the least |
| colors of the fish aside - the entire aquatic world is | | | | expensive of the three - containing primarily fish but |
| so fascinating that there is no limit to what you can | | | | probable a snail or hermit crab to maintain algae |
| learn. However, if you are just starting out, you | | | | levels. However, this type requires more maintenance |
| should realize that there is a lot of responsibility and | | | | in terms of water changes and monitoring of the |
| hard work involved in keeping a saltwater aquarium, | | | | water parameters. |
| and that it is not just fun and games. | | | | The Fish Only with Live Rock type of saltwater |
| There are a lot of different points that have to be | | | | aquarium uses 'live rock' (a porous rock that has |
| kept in mind in setting up salt water aquariums, and | | | | micro flora on its surface) as a natural and biological |
| beginner's are prone to making mistakes that later | | | | filtration tool for the aquarium. The micro flora on the |
| harm your saltwater fish in the tank. Thus, your | | | | live rock greatly catalyses the nitrogen cycling in the |
| primary job is to read up on the setting up and | | | | aquarium. |
| maintenance of a salt water aquarium. Typically, | | | | Lastly, Reef Tanks (also called coral reef aquarium) |
| setting up your saltwater aquarium involves the | | | | are saltwater aquariums that mainly focus on corals |
| following steps - | | | | and anemones and other invertebrates. In fact, fish |
| - Deciding on the fish you want to keep - this will | | | | are just incidental in these aquariums. |
| help you decide on the size of the fish tank. | | | | You have to know that setting up a saltwater |
| - Decide on the aquarium size, location and ensure | | | | aquarium may even take about eight weeks |
| that light and temperature will be nearly constant at | | | | sometimes. So you have to go through all the steps |
| the chosen place. | | | | with diligence and more importantly, patience. Factors |
| - Decide on the type of saltwater aquarium setup | | | | such the water pH, temperature, ammonia, nitrogen, |
| you are going to have - a) fish only, b) fish only with | | | | hardness, etc. are vital and have to be maintained in |
| live rock, or c) reef tanks.as | | | | a tolerance range for the fish to survive. This |
| - Follow an appropriate guide that dictates each and | | | | involves constant monitoring and being able to take |
| every step of the aquarium setup. | | | | care of parameter levels in the tank immediately. You |
| - Read up on aquarium electrical safety before you | | | | should definitely talk to as many people as you can |
| proceed. | | | | and read as much material as you can before you |
| The three types of saltwater aquariums are | | | | setup your saltwater aquarium. |