Types of Saltwater Aquariums - Three Common Saltwater Tank Setups Examined

Saltwater fish only tanks are types of saltwaternitrifying bacteria as well as small critters that live in
aquariums that are set up with the emphasis on thethe ocean. Live rock has been know to help stabilize
marine fish and often have no invertebrates or otherwater conditions and keep nitrates low, it also adds a
marine life. They are often very basic setups and arereal reef feeling to the tank.
decorated with dead coral skeletons or syntheticIf you do not want a full blown reef aquarium this is
corals.the set up for you, the best part is you can jump to
As with any marine aquarium a fish only setup has toa reef tank later on just by adding some better
have good water quality and proper maintenance butlighting and a few other pieces of equipment.
requires less cash and expensive equipment to setMini Reef Tanks
up. When combined with hardy saltwater fish thisThese are the most advanced and also the most
type of aquarium system is a great beginners tank.beautiful types of saltwater aquariums that you can
Fish Only With Live Rock (FOWLR)setup, they are also the most expensive. Mini reef
The fish only with live rock saltwater tank is onetanks use live rock, high water flow and intense
step beneath the reef aquarium. It uses the samelighting systems to keep live corals alive and growing.
principles of the fish only set up but adds live rockThe emphasis is normally on the corals and the
and usually some simple invertebrates like crabs, snailsrealistic look of the reef and not so much on the fish.
and star fish.In fact most reef keepers under stock their tanks
Live rock is actual pieces of the wild reef that arewith fish in order to keep harmful nitrates and
collected in sizes small enough that the will fit intophosphate at very low levels.
aquariums. This ocean rock brings with it tons of