How To Care For And Clean A Saltwater Aquarium
1) Most tank owners think setting up a saltwater fish tank absolves them of all after care - after
all, the same fish in the regular marine life take jolly good care of themselves, breed and lead a
happy, long life there, so why should there be any special need for aftercare when they are kept
in a home aquarium? But, here's where they make the mistake of not realizing that proper
cleaning and care of a marine tank is very essential to avoid future health problems the fish may
face and to maintain its general upkeep. Begin with purchasing a device to keep the tank water
clean, which by the way should only be filtered water - you can buy a reverse osmosis kit,
available at the local pet store or on the net. The other alternative is to use regular water at
required temperature for the kind of marine fish in the tank, add chemicals to remove chlorine
from it and other stuff and ensure cleaning is done at least once a month!
2) Caring for your saltwater fish tank requires regular maintenance and cleansing, if possible,
once every 2 weeks; but, it is as important to understand that you do not clean out the good
bacteria from too much cleansing.
3) If your saltwater aquarium is relatively new - please remember to let it sit for at least a month
before adding fish or plants or even decorations to it. This period is for resting and testing the
waters of the tank for the inmates to come: invest in some inexpensive test strips to check
chlorine and pH levels in the tank water if you do not want to lose your precious Piscean pals to
imbalance in the water levels they usually prefer! After you have ensured that the saltwater
aquarium has been set-up properly and the water conditions in it are conducive to keeping fish
and other marine creatures or even botanically beautifying it, do not indulge in removing gravel
to clean the tank as this can upset the delicate chemical balance in the aquarium.
4) Any kind of cleaning supplies you invest in should be thoroughly researched as being
advantageous and safe for tank inmates' health and cleanliness levels and should be effective
in cleaning the saltwater aquarium without upsetting its chemical balance, especially if you own
an acrylic tank.
5) Learn about the simplest ways to clean tanks and control build up of scuff and algae that dirty
up the saltwater aquarium; you may use phosphate drops to cleanse the marine fish tank water,
which prevents build-up too soon or buy a pair of hermit crabs and snails to keep algae at bay!
These versatile marine creatures also clean out rocks and gravel in the tank and are often
referred to as a tank's clean-up crew! For yourself, you can invest in a good pair of gloves,
scraper or scratch pad to shine the glass as algae is difficult to remove with any old cleaning
tool.
In closing, please remember that aiming a filter (if using one) should ideally be done downwards
- into the tank water to avoid build-up of excess salt on the hood of the aquarium. Learn about
ideal tank lighting (no more than 6 hours daily at a set time, keep tank away from direct sunlight
etc.) for the kind of marine fish you have, the best water filter for your tank needs and the
situations that make algae thrive so you know what to avoid and what actions to follow for good
marine tank hygiene.
Saltwater Aquariums From A-Z: Purchasing An Aquarium
1) Remember, there is no dearth of variety when it comes to the kind of aquariums you can
buy for keeping saltwater residents in them; there are only two main consideration you should
consider - your budget and the time and effort you can spare to learn about the potential
inhabitants of your marine tank and whether you are up to seeing to their regular upkeep.
2) There is a wide variety of the types, construction material, size and ornamentation
available for saltwater aquariums that really end up making consumers feel number of choices
available and the belief that there is no sure-shot formula for success when it comes to building
a saltwater aquarium, it can be very difficult for fish tank enthusiasts to decide which type of fish
tank they should buy. There are many factors to be considered before anyone with any plans of
setting up a fish tank should consider before ever setting foot inside a pet store.
3) The next consideration is the size of the tank. If you are a beginner you should opt for a
small size aquarium and set your skills on maintaining the tank and the inhabitants. You will get
a fairly good idea within a couple of months, on how many fish a particular size aquarium will
hold and how to go about taking care of it.
4) Choose the fish for your aquarium wisely. If you are going to keep even the smallest
variety of saltwater carnivore fish in the tank you should ensure that they have plenty of space
to swim around. If the tank is crowded and small the small variety of shark will get aggressive
and damage the other show fish in the tank.
5) Choose the material the tank is made of wisely. Aquariums are made of two materials,
glass and acrylic. Glass is the better choice as it does not scratch easily, though care must be
taken to prevent cracking. While cleaning the aquarium acrylic is very easily scratched and in no
time at all you will feel the need to replace it, An expensive proposition.
6) Never keep more than 10 fish in a 2 cubic foot tank. If you want to keep more fish you
should purchase a larger tank.
7) The foliage in the tank should be natural. Do not go for the artificial aquarium plants as the
natural plants serve as breeding grounds for bacteria the fish feed on as well as help clean the
aquarium water.
8) Ensure that the tank comes with an aerator and water filter. There are many electric
accessories that are easily available to choose from.
9) Gravel is an important part of an aquarium. It not only helps the water filter keep the water
clean but it also adds to the beauty of the tank.
10) Lighting should be adequate and not too strong. A small florescent tube will suffice.
Ensure that your tank has all these accessories before you begin to put fish into it. Your
aquarium will not be complete if any of these items are missing.
