How To Set Up a Saltwater Fish Aquarium

We've all seen the beautiful saltwater fish swimming around at the pet store. We would all like to have saltwater fish, but fear the amount of work you have to do. In all honestly, saltwater tanks require the same amount of time as freshwater tanks.

It you are planning on having coral and live rock in your tank it may require a little bit more time. Saltwater tanks are a lot more expensive than freshwater tanks. If you are a beginner, I would get a 24 g Nano cube tank and stand. The filter is built right into the aquarium as well as the lights you will need.

Live rock is essential, because it helps to establish your tank and some types of fish feed on the tiny creatures that escape from the rock. If you have live rock, your tank also looks more ocean like. Coral will do much better as well as all the fish you add to your aquarium. You can also buy live show rock.

Live rock is essentialy rock and coral which broke off of a reef which is now being sold. You can check around for different prices but I would personally go through Dr fosters and smith. They have all the information you will need related to fish, coral, snails, rock, etc. If you have high enough lighting you will be able to get mushrooms and coral. There are a wide variety of things you could get. If you get some type of coral which needs a lot of light, move it up to the top section of your tank.

Make sure you buy fish which get along and require the same things. Check to see whether or not the fish is peaceful and what heat requirements are. You also need to make sure the salinity is the same for all fish. If you buy rock, make sure you have enough room for fish to get away from eachother. Make sure all salt levels are 1.021-1.026. You will need to buy filtered water, a thermometer, and a hydrometer.

The bag of salt that you purchase will have instructions regarding how to mix salt and water. When adding new fish always wait 30 days before adding a fish. Make sure to let the bag float in the aquarium for 15 minutes. Drip some water from the tank into the bag (slowly). I would recommend buying a "Dummy" book for saltwater tanks if you have more questions.