You already have some experience with aquariums, but you always had a freshwater tank until now. You thought it would be great to have a saltwater tank this time. The first thing you must do is to find out everything about saltwater aquarium setup. Before you start your saltwater aquarium setup, read as much articles as you can on everything you have to consider. There are differences between the saltwater aquarium setup and the freshwater one which will be explained in this article.
TANK TYPES
Before starting your saltwater aquarium setup, you have to check what kind of tank you prefer. There are three different types of tanks that you can choose from – the type of tank where you will have only fish, or the type where you will have both fish and live rock, or maybe you would prefer to have a reef. Of course, depending on the type you want, the price will go up. The cheapest saltwater aquarium setup is of course the one that has only fish, while the reef type is the most expensive saltwater aquarium setup.
THE START
The saltwater aquarium setup is a bit more complicated than the freshwater setup. There are various reasons for that, and the primary one being that you have to watch the salinity of the water, especially if you are using tap water and a sea salt mix. Also, you have to buy a salt water measure kit in order to be able to check if every aspect of the water is good for your fish. Another problem with the saltwater aquarium setup is setting up the live rock and reef. The live rock is a good filter, and many species of fish get their food from it too. So it’s very important to have some in your aquarium too, because it will make the whole system more stable. It’s also a good basis for the corals and a good hiding place for the fish. After you have chosen what kind of base you want and got all the things you need for the aquarium, it’s time for the next step in your saltwater aquarium setup.
TIPS BEFORE YOU ADD THE FISH
One thing you have to consider before your saltwater aquarium setup is that maintaining a saltwater aquarium is more expensive, so you have to be ready to pay a pretty penny for all the equipment and animals you want to have in your new aquarium. Another thing that is very important in the saltwater aquarium setup is not to add the fish too early. First you have to give it a little time for all the other things to adjust, like the live rock and the corals and other invertebrates you bought. After a day or two, it’s a good time to bring your saltwater aquarium setup to the final stage by releasing fish into the new habitat. This should be done with caution too – you have to quarantine them first, and you have to be very patient while feeding this fish because most of them are wild caught and not used to flaky foods.