Helpful Steps in Setting Up Your Saltwater Aquarium
Posted: Saturday, February 06, 2010
by Peter Dranitsin
Petes Original Art Inc.
Picking the Spot and the Fish Picking a fish and all other marine creatures you want or need should always be your first step in setting up an aquarium. Selecting the fish beforehand gives you enough heads up on what appliances you will need. This does not mean you should buy the fish already.
Select a spot for your aquarium. Make sure it does not receive direct or indirect sunlight. Uncontrolled lighting will bring you algae problems later. Also, make sure there will be enough clearance above the tank. You will need this space for maintenance.
Check all the paraphernalia before buying them. Make sure your tank doesn't leak and your lights do light up, et cetera.
Setting up the Tank Find an adequate base for the tank. Make sure it can support the weight of the tank, the water and rocks in it. Put a soft support on top of it. Styrofoam will be a good choice. This will ensure equal weight distribution at the base of the tank, preventing accidental breakage.
Clean the tank with a solution of one teaspoon of pure bleach for every 5 gallons of water. Scrub the tank, plastic decorations and rocks gently. Rinse everything several times with clean non-chlorinated water. Do not use detergents. Don't bleach live rocks or anything living for that matter. Wash the substrate (usually gravel) thoroughly.
Place the tank in the spot you selected. Install filtration systems carefully following the instructions from the maker. Place the substrate, rock, plants and ornaments in the tank. Make sure the plants are securely anchored to the substrate or rocks.
Fill the buckets with non-chlorinated water and have your hydrometer ready. Gradually add salt into the buckets, continually checking the water's specific gravity (salinity). Aim for a specific gravity between 1.020 and 1.030. Slowly pour the saltwater into the tank without disturbing the substrate, plants and ornaments as much as possible.
Cycling and Buying the Fish Install the heater or chiller and the thermometer into the tank. Aim for a temperature between 70F and 80F. If you have a powerhead, install it properly and turn it on. This will start the nitrogen cycle in the tank. Allow this whole assembly to run for at least three days. Experienced aquarists even suggest running this setup for four to six weeks. This is to make sure that ammonia and nitrite levels in your tank are at zero which indicates cycle stability.
While starting the tank cycle, buy your fish. If the pet store owner agrees, leave it to their care for a couple of weeks. Check on the fish regularly watching out for signs of sickness or unexplained weakness. Unhealthy fishes usually die a couple of days after transfer due to stress caused by a sudden change of environment.
Introducing the fish
Place the fish bag on the aquarium. The temperature of the water inside the bag will gradually match that of the aquarium. After 30 minutes, pour saltwater from the tank into the bag. Every 15 minutes thereafter, add another cup of saltwater. Do this for an hour. If the water in the bag is near overflowing, take out some of the water from it avoiding spillage into the tank (the water in the bag will most likely contain unwanted microorganisms).
Lastly, prepare a bucket of dechlorinated fresh water with similar pH and temperature as that of the tank. Capture the fish with plastic netting carefully avoiding spillage into the freshwater bath. Place the fish in the freshwater bath for 3 to 5 minutes. This will remove parasites that cling into your fish. Closely observe the fish for any signs of stress. Once the fish stops swimming or starts to float to the surface, transfer it immediately to the tank.
That's it and you are set!
Cedric James is a lifelong saltwater aquarium expert. For more great tips to learn about 10 steps to aquarium setup ,visit http://www.saltwateraquariumeasy.com
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