Setting Up A Saltwater Aquarium & Fish Tank Cleaning (part 1 of 4)

Setting up a Saltwater Aquarium and Fish Tank Cleaning (part 1 of 4)

Setting up a Saltwater Aquarium

Saltwater aquarium set up takes time but can be an exciting adventure. It usually takes 4 to 8 weeks before you can add any saltwater fish safely to your saltwater aquarium. I know it is disappointing to wait that long before you can start putting fish into your saltwater aquarium, but you wouldn't want to risk losing them as they can be quit pricey. So I would say that patience is the key!

Before setting up a saltwater aquarium, think about these things first:

STEP 1: Choosing your location, aquarium size and aquarium stand and preparing for fish tank cleaning

The first step in saltwater aquarium set up is choosing a location that is nowhere close to natural lighting sources. Close to windows, entrance that has a clear door where sun rays can come in and patios are a BIG NO!

Intense sunlight can produce excessive algae which is a common problem for the beginning aquarist. A cooler room temperature that is well-ventilated would be the best. Choose a large enough location for your aquarium. Set up a level and well supported area for your aquarium and stand, this is highly preferred. Make sure to leave enough space for electrical connections and other equipment as well as around the aquarium for maintenance and cleaning. A properly selected location will help in the overall success of the saltwater aquarium and "set up" will be a breeze. It's not as hard as it may seem. The first requirement is a proper glass tank! It's a mistake to buy a small aquarium "just to get started." My suggestion is to get at least a 50-100 gallon tank to start with. It's actually better generally for first timers.

Make sure it will fit your space and of course your budget. Larger aquariums are more forgiving of beginners' mistakes and provide a much more stable environment. If you buy a small aquarium, I'm pretty sure that you will just upgrade to a bigger one later on anyway. Surface area of the aquarium should also be taken into account in aquarium set up. Oxygen enters the water and, more importantly, noxious gases such as carbon dioxide escape into the air at the water surface. So the larger the surface area, the more efficient the exchange of gases will be. Another important consideration in aquarium set up is the shape of the aquarium. There are now too many unusual shapes to choose from in addition to the usual rectangular shape. From hexagonal to octagonal, bow-fronted and even trapezoidal aquariums are available.

But all tanks have their problems. They can be difficult to light, the saltwater fish may find it hard to establish territories or even swim properly or make viewing distorted and are harder to clean. The surface area could be compromised by an unusual shape. Next is choosing something to stand it on. Choose a sturdy stand that is capable of supporting the weight of a filled aquarium. If you don't follow this simple step, you are likely to have a huge mess or worse, a broken aquarium if it hits your floor. Make sure that the aquarium will fit perfectly on the stand you chose.