| A saltwater reef tank can be amazingly breath taking. | | | | and require no light at! But we will get more into |
| When done properly, they can make you feel like | | | | types of lighting, and types of corals in future articles. |
| you are sitting on a reef in the middle of the ocean. | | | | The good thing about coral and other invertebrates is |
| Saltwater reefs can be more expensive to start up | | | | that they basically add nothing to the bio load of the |
| and maintain than your typical fish only tank however. | | | | tank, so you can absolutely pack coral in your tank, |
| This is because it is necessary to have a powerful | | | | no limits on the number of colonies |
| light over your tank to keep your corals alive. You will | | | | Saltwater Reef Tanks |
| also have to test the water's parameters and dose | | | | Pros: More diverse, more interesting to view up close, |
| the chemicals that are needed to maintain ideal sea | | | | more challenge, greater livestock, no bio load worries |
| water conditions (something you should be doing with | | | | with coral even in a tiny tank, there is more color, |
| a Fish Only tank, to a lesser extent). The type of | | | | and more individuality in a reef tank, as well as the |
| light required depends on the type coral you want to | | | | joy of watching your coral grow from little frags in |
| keep, and their individual requirements. | | | | to large mother colonies. |
| Some coral requires very intense lighting such as | | | | Cons: More expensive, can be more difficult, requires |
| metal halides or T5HO lighting, while some do fine | | | | greater knowledge to maintain, greater risk, greater |
| with a lower powered light, like power compact | | | | challenge. |
| florescent lights; some coral are non-photosynthetic | | | | |