Marine Aquarium CareSetting up a salt water tank can be a pleasure or a pain. Knowledge is the key to having

success, and a commitment to testing and cleaning of the tank. Lives, fish lives that is, are

relying on you. So have fun learning, and enjoying your marine aquarium.

When the tank has been cycled and all water tests are correct it's time to decide what system you would like.

Fish Only SystemA fish only system basically consists of fish and not much else. You can add some dead coral, living rock, organic rocks, imitation coral, seashells and ornaments to dress it up a bit.Pros of this system include:They are the simplest type of saltwater tank to set up, they cost less in set up and maintenance costs and may require less stringent filtration.Cons of this type of system include:The potential to overstock the tank with fish thereby over crowding the fish and causing metabolite pollution and wipe out. Other cons include that you can't keep corals, which are often very pretty and provide a focal point of interest in the tank.

Reef Only SystemA reef tank consists of fish, corals, invertebrates and other organisms that live in a carefully balanced environment.Pros of this system include:Easier to maintain good and consistent water quality. They require a few rules regarding lighting, filtration-resultsand set-up. A reef system is also very beautiful, more interesting and challenging.Cons of this type of system include:They are more expensive, and can be more time consuming to set-up and maintain.

Checklistk Tankk Tank Hood & Standk Lighting & Bulbsk Heaterk Thermometerk Filterk Protein Skimmerk Syphon to clean sandk Sand & Accessoriesk Salt Mixk Live Rockk Test Kits to measure: pH,

nitrite, nitrate & ammonia levels in the water

k Hydrometer to test salinity in water

k Water Treatments ie: chlorine & chloramines remover

What To ConsiderMaintaining a saltwater tank will be more complex, costly and time consuming than a freshwater tank system.Before getting a saltwater tank decide where the tank is to fit and take measurements. Make sure there is a power supply. The position of the tank should be easily accessed for maintenance, and also out of direct sunlight otherwise there maybe unsightly algae growth in the tank.

Creating A Saltwater TankMaintenance of your tank will need adequate time and dedication. Think about how much time it will take weekly to do this. Although this doesn't take a great deal of time, it does require daily and weekly care. Roughly expect to spend about 20 to 30 minutes a day and then about 3 to 4 hours a week maintaining the tank. On top of that, expect to spend an additional 3 to 4 hours every few months for a full tank cleaning. Also consider that if you go on holidays someone will be needed to care for the tank in your absence.When buying a tank bigger is always best, and surface area is more important than capacity. Larger tanks are easier to care for. The toxic substances released by the biological or nitrogen cycle are more dispersed in the larger volume of water, so the water quality will be better for a longer period of time. Larger tanks are also less likely to have wide temperature fluctuations. Rectangular shaped tanks are best because they provide the largest surface area, and tanks that are taller than they are wide don't provide much swimming room, fish prefer to swim horizontally not vertically.

LightingA standard hood with a fluorescent light should be sufficient for marine fish. If you are setting up a reef tank then special high output fluorescent lights or a metal halide lamp will be necessary.FiltrationAs with any fish tank you will need a good quality filter that is of the appropriate size and power for your tank. For the marine tank you will need a protein skimmer.What Is A Protein Skimmer?A protein skimmer removes waste products and organic compounds from your aquarium (in addition to your regular filtration system). The molecules of these waste products have a bipolar charge. The protein skimmer is a water filled chamber that produces small bubbles. The bubbles rise through the chamber, and because of the charge, the bipolar waste products are attracted to the bubbles. The bubbles/waste products then rise to the top of the chamber and produce a brown foam. The foam spills over into the collection cup on the skimmer and you simply discard the waste as needed.

SubstrateYou will need some sort of substrate to cover the bottom of your aquarium. Don't use gravel commonly used for freshwater tanks. Instead, use crushed coral or sand (not sandbox sand!)

Synthetic Salt MixYou can buy quality packets of synthetic salt mix that approximate the conditions of seawater at Boylans Garden and Pet. Remember sometimes the cheapest salt mixes aren't the best for your fish. Also, keep in mind that you'll need to do frequent water changes and so you'll need enough salt to accommodate these

HydrometerFor the marine aquarium you will need a hydrometer to measure the specific gravity of the water. This allows you to determine the salinity of the water.

Chlorine/Chloramines RemoversBecause tap water has been treated with either chlorine or chloramines to make it safe for human consumption you will need to use a chlorine/chloramines remover to make the water safe for your fish.

Cycle The AquariumOnce you have everything set up with the water and filtration running, live rock in place etc., then leave your aquarium running, but empty of fish until it cycles. You need to let your tank have enough time to acquire the proper levels of nitrifying bacteria that break down fish waste before adding the fish. You can jumpstart this process with bacteria, available from Boylans Garden and Pet. If you add the fish before your tank cycles they will not survive.

Water Test KitPurchase a water test kit that measures the pH, nitrite, nitrate and ammonia levels in the water.

Live RockLive rock serves as a biological filter. This is because live rock is colonised by beneficial bacteria that feed on waste products and change them into compounds that aren't harmful to the fish. The rock isn't alive, but it's full of microorganisms that are.

HeaterAs with any aquarium (saltwater or freshwater) you will need an aquarium heater and a thermometer. In general, the water temperature should be kept at 26 degrees Celsius.

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