When setting up a saltwater aquarium you need to make a decision regarding how large aquarium tank you are going to get. For a beginner, a larger tank may be better. The reason is the more means a chemically more stable aquarium. Many experienced aquarists suggest 55 gallons / 200L or larger for a beginner when it comes to saltwater aquariums.

You will also have to choice between Glass and Acrylic aquarium tanks when preparing Setting up a saltwater aquarium. Glass aquariums will stay clearer over the years, though they do not insulate the tank as well, and are more breakable. Acrylic may scratch, but is stronger and insulates better (may require a smaller heater). Glass aquariums are usually the cheaper choice.

You should begin by deciding on the location where you will be setting up a saltwater aquarium at in your home. This is important for whether your saltwater aquarium setup will be successful or not. You do not want a location where there is too much heat changes during the day, or a location where the aquarium is subjected to large amounts of sunlight. This will not provide an environment that is constant in temperature for your fish, and might lead to too much algae (due to direct sunlight and its ultraviolet rays). You should also make sure that you place the aquarium so that it isn’t in the way in your everyday life.

When setting up a saltwater aquarium you want to consider that the tank might not be easy to move once the aquarium is full. Saltwater weighs about 8.5lbs per gallon and to that weight you can add gravel decorations etc. So be sure that it’s where you really want it before you start Setting up your saltwater aquarium.

Make sure the aquarium tank, aquarium stand, and other above aquarium equipment fit in the space you have chosen. Leave a gap behind for access to clean behind the aquarium and maintain the aquarium equipment. Setting up a saltwater aquarium is after all only the beginning. You will have to care for the aquarium once it is up and running too.

It is best to clean the tank thoroughly before use. Do not use cleaners, solvents, and the like as they may leave residues that can harm your fish. Tiny amounts of Pure Bleach may be used, such as one capful for 10 gallons of water, and make sure to rinse it very well afterwards.

Now you will need to decide what sort of population you want in your saltwater aquarium before setting it up. This might be Fish Only, Fish with Live Rock, or maybe a full Reef System. Fish only might be the easiest alternative if this is your first saltwater aquarium. It might however be relatively easy to upgrade to a full reef system later if you do a good and well planed job while setting up your saltwater aquarium tank. Setting up a saltwater aquarium offers many options.

Choosing an aquarium filter.

There are more then one type of filtration needed in a saltwater aquarium. These are biological, mechanical, and chemical filtration.

Biological filtration removes ammonia, ammonium, nitrite, and nitrates (some) created by fish’s biological processes and other activity in the aquarium. The process involves conversion of ammonia/ammonium to harmful nitrite. Then the nitrite converts to harmless nitrate. Live Rock which can support bacteria and Protein Skimmers are among top biological filtration systems.

Chemical Filtration is another important aspect of Setting up saltwater aquarium. They will remove various chemicals that are dissolved in the water. Visually, these remove the discoloration of the water that might occur without filtration.

Mechanical Filtration is also important for removal of matter such as excess uneaten food, fish waste, and other debris that might land in the tank.

Mixing saltwater.

Follow the instructions with the salt mix that you have chosen. Also, only add freshwater after the water is made. The water evaporates, while the salt does not which means that the salinity of in the aquarium fluctuates. You should therefore use a hydrometer to keep track of gravity(salinity), and add salt to bring up the salinity when needed. Remember; do not add salt when replacing evaporated water.

The first thing you should do when you have setup your aquarium and filled it with water is cycling the water. Let the filtration system run a week or longer before adding fish and there after introduce a few hardy fish. Damsels are one good choice for beginners.

Add fish to the aquarium at the rate of maybe 2 a week at most and preferable in pairs. You should not add more than 1 fish per 10 gallons, and remember that the amount of water will not be the full size of the tank, as other things in the tank (including your fish) take up space that are not available to the fish. Introduce new fish to your aquarium very carefully to avoid causing the fish unnecessary stress.

Good luck

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Click the links to read more about marine aquarium fish like the ever popular clownfish

Written By: William Berg

Wild Clown Loaches inhabit densely grown waters in Indonesia and will therefore appreciate a planted aquarium or an aquarium with plenty of rocks and caves which the Clown Loach can hide among. A combination of both plants and caves are ideal. Adult Clown Loaches like to nibble on plants and you should therefore ideally choose tough and fast growing plants like Java Fern and Anubias. Juvenile Clown Loaches can usually be kept with all types of plants as long as they appreciate the same water conditions as the fish. The Clown Loach loves to squeeze it self into caves, rocky formations and other tiny places that can barely fit it. To put it simple: the more decorations the better. The aquarium must be decorated when you bring your Clown Loach home from the fish store, since it is most likely quite stressed from the long journey from Indonesia. A majority of the Clown Loaches available in the aquarium trade is caught in the waters of Sumatra and Borneo. If you place your Clown Loach in a barren aquarium, it will not have a chance to recuperate. It will instead become more and more stressed. Stressed Clown Loaches are very susceptible to a parasite called Ich (White Spot Disease).

Don’t be afraid if you notice that your Clown Loach has squeezed itself behind a piece of aquarium equipment, chances are that it is not at all stuck, it just likes to feel safe. The Clown Loach is also found of digging itself into tiny places. It is therefore important to use a substrate without any sharp edges in the aquarium. In the substrate your can place a wide range of different things for your Clown Loach to explore and hide among. You do not have to limit your self to plants and rocks; PVC pipes, flower pots, roots and ceramic and plastic aquarium ornaments will also be highly appreciated. It is important that the decorations have no sharp edges, since the Clown Loach will like to squeeze itself into the smallest places possible. If you place floating plants in the water they will dim the light and make your Clown Loach less shy and more active during the day.

Vigorous filtration is necessary since Clown Loaches are sensitive to poor water conditions. A combination of mechanical, chemical and biological filtration is recommended. Change 25 percent of the water at least once a week. Smaller and more frequent water changes are even better. Even a slight disturbance in the water quality can harm you Clown Loach and in a community aquarium the Clown Loach is usually the first fish that falls ill or die when the water quality drops. Since your will find the live Clown Loaches in streams and rivers, the aquarium should ideally also have strong water circulation. The aquarium must have a will fitted lid since Clown Loaches are vigorous jumpers.

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Read more about clown loaches like for exampel what to think about when buying clown loaches and the best clown loach aquarium setup.

Written By: William Berg

Heaters are an essential part of your aquarium because if you have any kind of tropical, they need hot water to survive, anything cooler than twenty degrees Celsius for a period of time will kill them. The temperature needs to be around twenty six or twenty seven degrees. Choosing a proper heater is essential when it comes to heating issues, if you buy a heater with too low voltage it will not substantiate a large tank, and a heater that has to high a voltage will only fry your fish! Always ask your fish shop staff what the best choice is for your tank.

Filters are a big part of aquarium equipment, without a filter all the bad bacteria in the tank will build up and make it hard for your fish to breath, this is known as new tank syndrome. When you haven’t left your tank long enough to cycle there isn’t enough bacteria to kill the ammonia and nitrates that the fish produce in their waste. Once the waste builds up it makes it hard for the fish to breath. If you have enough bacteria in your filter however then your fish waste will be broken down in the filter and the water that is put back out of the filter will be clean and pure.

Aquarium equipment is essential in maintaining your tank and its fish, if you leave the tank to keep it clean then it won’t work, if you leave the tank to heat itself it won’t work. You have to make sure that you supply the tools the tank needs to keep your fish happy and healthy; otherwise you are looking at a tank of dead fish!

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William Nabaza of http://www.Nabaza.com specializes in domains, webhosting, webmaster’s tools, netpreneur’s articles and resources. Stands out as a freebie provider, business opportunity provider and the like. Visit his site at http://www.nabaza.com or contact him directly at william@nabaza.com There’s more pet resources here: http://www.nabaza.com/pets.htm

Written By: William R. Nabaza of http://www.Nabaza.com/pets.htm