| A well set up saltwater aquarium tank is the | | | | and are essential elements of saltwater fish |
| dream of those who love the hobby. It can be an | | | | natural habitat. |
| amazing and striking addition to your home or | | | | You can opt for real or plastic plants. However, |
| office and bring you hour of peaceful | | | | live plants help you bring Nature into your home. |
| entertainment. | | | | Live plants oxygenate the water in the tank. |
| If you are a beginner, starting with a saltwater | | | | Keep in mind that your fish will use the |
| aquarium can be a risky business, so I would | | | | decorations you place in the tank as shelter and |
| highly recommend getting the advice of a | | | | as playgrounds. So, for the benefit of the fish and |
| professional aquarium keeper before setting up | | | | to maintain the natural beauty of the aquarium, I |
| your tank. It takes a lot of work and planning to | | | | would advise to use real aquatic plants. |
| set up the tank just right even before you can | | | | Live rock is great for your saltwater aquarium. It |
| begin to introduce fish, corals, and anemones to | | | | helps formulate the aquarium's ecosystem, vital to |
| your new saltwater aquarium. | | | | aquatic life. Live rock is covered with micro and |
| You will need to monitor the water parameters | | | | macro organisms which filter the waste products |
| (temperature, nitrates, ammonia, etc) and some | | | | from the water, making it safe for your aquatic |
| of the aquarium equipment on your saltwater | | | | inhabitants. |
| setup. Once a week, or at least once a month, | | | | Some saltwater aficionados keep only living corals |
| you will need to perform aquarium maintenance | | | | and anemones in their tanks. This can be colorful |
| on your fish tank, especially water changes and | | | | and entertaining, at a more relaxed pace. You |
| water quality testing. The water in such an | | | | could keep fish in these tanks, but be aware that |
| aquarium needs to be at the perfect | | | | some fish view coral and anemones as food. |
| temperature, be at the optimum pH, and have | | | | Shrimps, crabs and snails will also eat any |
| the exact salt content before it is safe for living | | | | anemones you may have. |
| beings. Salt water fish and other life forms are | | | | Anemones look like plants, but they are living |
| quite expensive, so it would be wise to have the | | | | creatures that need to be fed, and feeding them |
| tank properly set up before you end up with a | | | | by hand can be a lot of fun. You place the food |
| tank full of sick or dying fish at a high cost. | | | | on top of the anemones tentacles and watch |
| There are different marine salt mixes in the | | | | them curl themselves around the food and draw |
| market and they are all made slightly differently. | | | | it into their mouths. |
| Unless you're considering a reef tank, most of the | | | | Before you bring in the inhabitants of your tank, |
| commonly available mixes should serve you fine. | | | | choose the type of fish that you want. The type |
| You will develop your own salt mix preference | | | | of fish will also decide the type of plants you use. |
| after you've worked with them for a while. | | | | You also need to research how the type of fish |
| Prepare and mix your salt water in a special | | | | you are interested in will get along with other |
| bucket and once you have the perfect mixture | | | | types of fish. Remember that the dynamics of a |
| you can add the saltwater to your tank. You will | | | | saltwater aquarium will be very similar to that in a |
| have to repeat this process until you have filled | | | | real coral reef. Don't mix pray and predators. Do |
| the aquarium. If it's a large tank you can mix the | | | | your homework. |
| salt in the tank, which can be a bit more difficult | | | | Some types of saltwater fish are poisonous, like |
| and messy. | | | | Lion Fish. They are beautiful to look at and it's an |
| The lighting on the saltwater aquarium is very | | | | awesome addition to your tank, but the spines on |
| important. You need light in the aquarium for at | | | | their fins are very toxic if you get stung. You |
| least half a day. Plants and livestock need a | | | | need to get medical help if this ever happens. |
| perfect cycle of oxygen and carbon dioxide. | | | | Deciding to have a saltwater aquarium is a lot of |
| A well decorated salt water aquarium will be an | | | | work. Keeping your fish and plants healthy will |
| asset for years to come, so it's worth it to spend | | | | require a commitment on your part and it will be |
| time and energy looking for the right | | | | a considerable investment. But if you want to |
| décor and ornaments for the tank. There | | | | invite Mother Nature into your home environment, |
| are many types of decorations for a saltwater | | | | there is no better choice. You will enjoy this |
| aquarium. Driftwood and sand look simply beautiful | | | | hobby for years to come. |