Saltwater Aquarium Guide

How many fish can I put in a 30 gal saltwater tank is a common question asked by new aquarium owners? With the growing popularity of saltwater aquariums more and more people are venturing into the hobby. Most of these people seem to gravitate to smaller systems under 40 gallons mainly for cost reasons.

While small tanks maybe affordable they can also severely limit your fish choices due to the nature of many marine fish.First you have to realize the saltwater fish are not like freshwater fish. They are territorial and some will protect that territory to the death.

With that in mind you will need to provide your marine fish with ample room to call their own. As a very basic rule of thumb you can have one small fish per 10 gallons of tank volume. This is dictated however by the tank shape and fish type.

Tips For Adding Fish To Your Tank

• A critical step in stocking a smaller saltwater aquarium is to research your fish choices before you shop, never impulse buy saltwater fish! Once you see some fish that you like you can dig further into their characteristics and see how they may get along with other tank mates.

• Do not let size fool you, some of the most brutal and violent fish are small. Fish like some dottybacks and damsels will attack fish twice or even three times their size, and often times kill them in the process.

• If you feel one of your choices maybe a little aggressive you may want to add them last. Often times adding a semi aggressive marine fish last will eliminate some of the territory battles that can take place. It is not guaranteed to work this way though because fish like people have different personalities.

• A good saltwater aquarium guide will be able to help you determine the types of saltwater fish you can keep in a smaller tank. Then you will want to go to the local fish store and see them in person and see if they look and behave how you want.

If you are setting up a new Saltwater Aquarium and feeling a little confused then you need to have our marine aquarium guide on your side. Our marine aquarium guide will give you a complete step by step plan to follow for a successful marine aquarium full of healthy thriving fish. You can learn more by visiting www.saltwatermethods.com

Many new saltwater aquarium keepers have had red slime algae appear in their once pristine tanks. And once it appears this algae can literally make a tank look terrible which is why so many marine aquarium keepers wonder how to get red of red slime algae in a reef aquarium?

What Is This Red Stuff Anyway

Red slime algae is a naturally occurring growth that is actually a cyanobacteria and not an algae. It is common in nature and in saltwater tanks. While it can and does appear in older tanks it is more prevalent in newer marine systems that are under six months old.

What Makes It Appear

This red goo is the result of to many nutrients like nitrate and phosphate in the aquarium water from uneaten fish food and fish waste. In newer marine aquarium systems it is a sign that biological equilibrium has not yet been reached in your system.

If you are experiencing red slime algae in a newer system give it some time as it will more then likely disappear in a few short weeks. If it is appearing in an older established system it may be a sign that something is not right and needs attention

How To Get Rid Of Red Slime Algae In a Reef Aquarium

The first method many people turn to to fight the problem is chemicals. While they will work they are only a temporary fix and can actually make matters worse. The algae is feeding off of something and be killing it off temporarily you are allowing the food source to accumulate in the tank. Once the red slime grabs a foot hold it will be much worse then before because the of the build up in the water.

To avoid this problem the best methods are to make sure your saltwater tank is not overstocked with fish and that you are not overfeeding.

The next thing is to make sure you clean your filters and protein skimmers every month and do not let them become clogged up with gunk.

Vacuuming the gravel in your tank will also help to remove fish waste uneaten food and other pollutants that are in the tank that can lead to red slime growth

One often overlooked contributor is the water you use to make your saltwater,. If you use tap water you could very well be adding phosphates into the tank with every water change. This is because most communities put phosphate in the water supply to stop pipe corrosion in the delivery system. To get around this you can use reverse osmosis water systems or buy distilled water.

To create an easy-to-maintain saltwater aquarium grab a copy of our Saltwater Aquarium Guide This illustrated guide will show you step by step how to properly set up your marine aquarium correctly. It’s filled with effective tips and secrets that the pros use to create stunning marine displays! Learn more at http://www.saltwatermethods.com

Caring for saltwater tanks is not a hard or complicated process like so many people think. All it really takes is a good maintenance plan and the ability to follow through with it. Below you will find a very simple marine aquarium maintenance plan that if you follow will help you keep a healthy saltwater aquarium for many years.

Good Saltwater Tank Care

Before you dive into taking care of your saltwater tank you need to separate the things that need to be done into daily, weekly and monthly tasks. By doing this you will be more efficient in your aquarium care as opposed to trying to get it all done one day a month.

Marine Aquarium Care Broken Down

Daily Requirements

• The fish must be fed but not overfeed
• Look over your fish for any signs of disease,injury or stress
• Make sure all fish are accounted for and remove any that may have died
• Look at the tanks temperature and make sure its in the safe range
• Give all filters and pumps a quick check to make sure they are working properly

Weekly Requirements

• Add freshwater to replace any water that has evaporated
• Using aquarium safe cleaners wipe off the stand and the outside of the aquarium
• Clean the front glass using aquarium safe cleaner
• Using a magnetic cleaner clean the glass on the inside of the aquarium

Monthly Requirements

• Perform a 20-25% water change, this can actually be done in two smaller changes if you have a large tank.
• Clean the tanks gravel by vacuuming it when changing the water
• Clean your filters and pumps and replace all filter pad material and filter media like activated carbon
• Complete water tests to monitor nitrate and phosphate levels
• Sit back and enjoy your saltwater tank. This is something that not to many people actually do this and instead get caught up in caring for saltwater tanks.Watching your tank is one of the best parts to owning a marine aquarium so enjoy it.

If you want a beautiful easy-to-maintain saltwater aquarium grab a copy of our saltwater aquarium guide. This illustrated guide will show you step by step how to properly set up and stock your aquarium. It’s crammed with tips and secrets that the pros use to create stunning marine aquariums! Learn more at http://www.saltwatermethods.com

Salt water aquarium filter systems can seem a bit overwhelming at first. There are so many choices and some of the equipment looks like it might go on the space shuttle instead of a marine aquarium.

Choosing Your Salt Water Aquarium Filter Setup

The first part of choosing your saltwater aquarium filter is to determine the fish you are going to keep and the size of the aquarium you are going to keep them in.

This is extremely important because some fish like larger predators produce much more waste then smaller fish like clown fins. A larger tank also needs larger filtration because of the extra water volume.

Types Of Salt Water Aquarium Filter Systems

Canister-This filter is a pressurized canister that takes in water, scrubs it of dirt and debris and returns it to the aquarium. Many canister filters also allow you to use some sort of biological filter media and other medias like activated carbon to keep your tank in great shape.

There are now canister filters that can support tanks over 200 gallons and have a high gallons per hour ratting (GPH). Many filters can go about a month between cleanings and still flow well.

However their intakes and outlets of this salt water aquarium filter setup  will protrude into your tank and not look natural. Plus if they ever develop a leak the potential is there for a large flood.

Hang On Tank Filters- These are very basic filters and the function like miniature canister filters. They use much smaller pumps and have less filtration area. You should limit these to tanks no more then 40 gallons. However you can go slightly bigger if you use multiple units.

There main drawback is the filter pads get clogged fast reducing their water flow. They also are easy to see because they hang  on the tank and can detract from the look of your system

Sump Filter- The most popular salt water aquarium filter setup with advanced hobbyists is the sump system. These are often referred to as wet dry filters. Although they can be set up a variety of ways.

These filters use an overflow box to take water from the aquarium and take it to the filter below.The water is then returned by a pump. These filters almost resemble another small aquarium.

They can be filled with anything from bio balls, live rock or various filter pads. They are nice because they give you extra water capacity and give you a place to put all your other equipment like heaters and other equipment that can take away from the appearance of a tank.

For additional information on filters for your saltwater aquarium grab a copy of our Saltwater Aquarium Guide This illustrated guide will show you step by step how to properly set up and stock your aquarium. It’s crammed with tips and secrets that the pros use to create stunning marine displays! Learn more at www.saltwatermethods.com

Are you not sure about taking the plunge and getting a new marine aquarium because the thought of starting a beginner saltwater aquarium makes you nervous. Well relax because this article will briefly cover what is needed to set up a new marine aquarium as a beginner.

The very first thing that you have to establish is the size of the tank that you can and want to keep. Take into consideration, your budget, and the room you have in your house. If yo have the room and money try and start with something over 55 gallons but under 125. This range will give you a stable tank but it will not be so big that its overwhelming to care for.

Once the appropriate size tank as been picked you need to figure out what kind of saltwater fish you want to keep in it. Saltwater fish are much different then freshwater varieties, putting the wrong fish together could result in constant fighting or worse yet one of the fish could eat the rest.

You can find information on marine fish at a fish store in your area or through aquarium guides and books. Once you have decided on some fish that seem interesting to you do some more research and eliminate the ones that will not fit in your tank, are to hard to care for and ones that may not fit with your other choices.

After settling on the saltwater fish choices you must move on and plan your filtration system. If this is a simple fish only tank then you can look at canister and hang on type filters. Just make sure to buy the right sized filter for your tank, and if you can afford it buy one slightly bigger then recommended because as the get dirty their performance drops off.

Next you must decide how your beginner saltwater aquarium setup is going to be decorated. Are you going to use live rock or just artificial decorations? Most new saltwater aquarium keepers are not sure of this part of the plan.

If you are not sure the best thing you can do is make a trip to a fish store in your area and look at their marine aquarium setups and see what you like. Once you settle on a style you buy your decorations and begin setting up your new saltwater aquarium and that is where the fun begins!

If you want to create an easy-to-maintain saltwater aquarium grab a copy of our Saltwater Aquarium Guide. This illustrated guide will show you step by step how to properly set up and stock your aquarium. It’s crammed with tips and secrets that the pros use to create stunning marine displays! Learn more at http://www.saltwatermethods.com

MYTH

Cycling a Saltwater Aquarium Takes A Long Time

FACT

It used to be that people used fish like damsels to cycle their saltwater aquariums and this used to take 3-6 weeks. Today however with the wide use of live rock and live sand cycling can take as little a few days.

MYTH

Huge Water Changes Are needed To Control Nitrates And Algae

FACT

Today advanced protein skimmers and other methods like refugiums, deep sand beds and live rock have all proven to be effective ways at keeping nitrates and algae low and within safe levels. While water changes are still needed they do not need to be any more then 20% of the tanks volume every month.

MYTH

Your local fish store is the best place for information on saltwater fish tanks

FACT

While their are many good saltwater fish stores across the country that give good advice many of them actually are not versed very well in saltwater. To determine if your store is knowledgeable in marine aquariums look at their displays, are they crystal clear or full of algae and dirty? A good marine aquarium store will have healthy algae free tanks.

MYTH

Large Water Changes Are Harmful To Saltwater Fish

FACT

As long as the salinity, temperature and PH of the new water is the same as the water it is replacing this will have no negative affect on your fish

MYTH

Saltwater fish Tanks are Hard to Take Care Of

FACT

With todays advances in equipment and understanding of saltwater animals keeping a saltwater aquarium has never been easier. In fact if you choose some of the easier species keeping marine aquariums today is as easy as keeping freshwater fish.

The easiest way to create a stunning and easy-to-maintain saltwater aquarium is to grab a copy of our Saltwater Aquarium Guide. This illustrated guide will show you step by step how to properly set up and stock your aquarium. It’s crammed with tips and secrets that the pros use to create stunning aquatic displays! Learn more at http://www.saltwatermethods.com

Setting up a salt water fish tank setup is not a hard thing to accomplish, it just takes the proper planning in order to get it right the first time. If you research and learn a little bit before you act you will be able to learn how to set up a salt water aquarium that will give you little trouble and be enjoyable.

The First Step For Setting Up Saltwater Aquariums

Really the first thing you need to do is learn a little bit about the types of saltwater fish that are available and decide what type you would like to keep. This step is often overlooked by new people that are setting up saltwater aquariums and one that can end up costing you a lot of money.

The benefits to picking your saltwater fish before anything else is that you will be able to pick your tank size and filter sizes based on the fish you wish to keep.

For example if you decide on a larger tank with a few bigger predatory fish like triggers or lion fish you will have to invest much more in a larger filtration system then you would for a smaller tank with a few clown fish.

Because many marine fish will eat or fight with each other you can eliminate the possibility of putting predator and prey in the same tank, or mortal enemies for that matter.

Once you choose your fish you will have to decide on the filters and decorations you will use in your salt water fish tank setup.

The best thing to do to help you deiced is go to a good local fish store and look at their displays and see what you like. Take notice what fish they have in the tanks and how the tank looks.

If it is similar to what you want to have talk to them about the equipment they use because it maybe the right salt water fish tank setup for you.

Buying the right equipment only once will help ensure you do not get frustrated with the hobby of saltwater fish tanks and quit for the wrong reasons.

To create a stunning and easy-to-maintain saltwater aquarium grab a copy of our Saltwater Aquarium Guide This illustrated guide will show you step by step how to properly set up and stock your salt water aquarium. It’s crammed with tips and secrets that the pros use to create stunning successful displays! Learn more at http://www.saltwatermethods.com

Starting a saltwater aquarium can be a very rewarding experience or a dreadful one. The level of success and the health of your saltwater fish will greatly depend on the choices you make in the very beginning of the project

When starting a saltwater aquarium the first decision you need to make is how big of an aquarium are you going to setup? If this is your first tank you may want to keep your choices over 40 gallons. Larger tanks have more chemical and temperature stability and when it comes to saltwater aquariums stability is critical!

The next step when setting up a saltwater aquarium is choosing between a glass or acrylic aquarium. Glass aquariums are by far the more popular choice, they are more durable but they also do not insulate as well and the seals eventually wear out.

Acrylic aquariums are clearer then glass, insulate better and are much lighter then glass. They do however scratch very easily. The scratches can be fixed but it does require physical effort to do so. They do however last almost forever so they never have to be replaced.

The next step is deciding where you will be setting up a saltwater aquarium. Location of the tank is a critical step in determining the success of your saltwater aquarium setup.

If you place it in an area that gets to much direct sunlight you will more then likely be battling algae for the life of the tank. So make sure you place it an an area that is not over exposed to sunlight.

You also want to make sure you do not place the aquarium in a location that has inconsistent temperatures like near a drafty door or window. Temperature swings are bad for saltwater fish and you may need larger heaters or water chillers to keep the temperature stable if you put it in the wrong spot.

Before setting up a saltwater aquarium setup you need to realize that if you decide you want it in another spot you will have to drain the tank completely in order to move it. So before you commence starting a saltwater aquarium be 100% positive that the location is the one you are happy with.

And remember when setting up a saltwater aquarium to leave a minimum of three inches between the tank and the wall for equipment and to make maintenance easier.

You will then need to plan on how you want your marine aquarium decorated. Will you have live rock in the tank or just artificial decorations. These are things you need to decide on before you add water or fish. One of the best places to see some examples of different decorations is a good local fish store.

The next step is in starting a saltwater aquarium is choosing the type of saltwater fish you want to have in your aquarium. The types of fish that you can keep could fill an entire book. It is best to consult a aquarium guide or marine fish book to help you decide.

But if this is your first set up stick with hardy easy to keep saltwater fish. You can the progress to more exotic species as your skill increases.

To create a stunning and easy-to-maintain saltwater aquarium grab a copy of our Saltwater Aquarium Guide. This illustrated guide will show you step by step how to properly set up your aquarium. It’s crammed with tips and secrets that the pros use to create stunning saltwater displays! Learn more at http://www.saltwatermethods.com

Many people who are thinking of setting up a marine aquarium wonder how long saltwater aquarium maintenance will take. Using a 40 gallon tank as an example you will be able to see how easy taking care of your saltwater aquarium is and how little you really have to do to keep it in top shape.

Monthly Cleaning Tasks For Your Tank

The list below should take you no more then 45 minutes to one hour to complete every month.

• Pre mix new saltwater to add the tank during a water change
• Vacuum the gravel bed to remove excess debris, remove about 20% of the tanks water during the gravel cleaning.
• Add the pre mixed new saltwater to the tank
• Remove and clean any artificial decorations that are in the tank.
• Clean your filters to make sure they are running properly
• Replace any filter media and or filter pads with fresh one
• Wipe the aquarium stand and outside glass down with an aquarium safe cleaner

This saltwater aquarium maintenance program will be adequate for most marine aquariums. If your tank is slightly bigger or smaller the time may vary slightly.

Daily Tasks For Saltwater Tanks

For daily maintenance of your marine aquarium all you really need to do is clean the inside of your tanks glass and feed your fish. The nice thing is that you can do this without having to put your hands in the tank. Just pick up a magnetic cleaner at your local fish shop.

These cleaners have two pieces, one goes in the tank the other outside the tank and the magnetic force make them stick together through the glass. Slide it down the tank it it will remove and settled dust from the inside glass panel. These tasks should take you about 1 minute or less per day.

To create a stunning and easy-to-maintain saltwater aquarium grab a copy of our Saltwater Aquarium Guide. This illustrated guide will show you step by step how to properly set up your aquarium. It’s crammed with tips and secrets that the pros use to create stunning displays! Learn more at http://www.saltwatermethods.com

Fish jumping out of saltwater tanks is a problem that many marine aquarium keepers have to deal with. While not all fish are prone to jumping out of the tank there are some that are more likely to do so the others.

Unfortunately knowing what fish you have that may jump is hard to tell. Most times you only find out when you find them dried up on the carpet or behind the tank.

How To Cheaply Stop Fish From Jumping From Your Tank

The best bet to stop the problem and keep your fish in the tank is to use the glass tops that the tank manufactures supply with most new aquarium set ups.

However not all saltwater tanks can accommodate these tops. This is especially true in reef aquariums where many people run with no tops to keep water temperatures down.

Additionally the tend to get full of salt creep over time and many people dislike having to replace them or constantly clean them.

If you fall into this category and cannot use the glass tops the easiest thing to do is to grab a screen kit that is available at any hardware store and custom make the screen to fit your marine aquarium top and use this a a barrier to stop the fish from jumping out.

This will not trap heat, allow good gas exchange and also stop fish jumping out of saltwater tanks that you own. Just remember to use nylon screen because saltwater will quickly rust metal screen materials.

To create a stunning and easy-to-maintain saltwater aquarium grab a copy of our Saltwater Aquarium Guide. This illustrated guide will show you step by step how to properly set up your aquarium. It’s crammed with tips and secrets that the pros use to create stunning displays! Learn more at http://www.saltwatermethods.com