Few Steps to Saltwater Aquarium Setup

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Saltwater aquarium setup is a challenging and interesting task for most aquarium hobbyists. It is challenging in such a way that there are many options that you can do and requires creativity. You can make your saltwater aquarium more colourful and lively by setting corals, anemones, sponges and many other marine creatures. The only drawback in setting up saltwater aquarium especially for beginners is that it requires greater maintenance.  However, few steps could help you start out with a saltwater tank. These steps ensure to provide life support system for its dwellers.

• Select the right size of tank – Selecting the right kind of tank as habitat for your saltwater creatures is the first decision to make. Saltwater occupants have a big-size requirement that is why it is always good to select large tank.
• Set up the tank in the proper location. Unless you house a continental shelf inhabitant by nature, direct sunlight is unnecessary for saltwater fish and other inhabitants. No direct sun rays are needed but adequate light should be provided.
• Set up the tank bed – Saltwater aquarium setup includes the aquarium bed and you have to assure that the bed has live matter. Aquarium gravel is a good tank bed because it contains biological media. Bacteria is an example of biological media that help maintain the necessary cycles in the tank for proper living condition and health of the fish and other marine creatures. If the water gets too cloudy, you have to clean out this biological media. Live rock can also be included in your tank bed as well as air stones that help to circulate bubbles of air inside the tank.
• Check out the necessary lighting – Keep in mind to have 4 watts of lighting per gallon of water in your saltwater aquarium. You can choose from the various kinds of lights available such as the fluorescent lights and the metal halide lights. A fluorescent light are better because the light is spread out over the aquarium. Lighting requirements increases if you have corals because they are light sensitive and grow healthier if there is adequate lighting. Likewise, if you have plants in your aquarium you need to consider the lighting proportion. For beginners, it is not ideal to keep corals and plants, as it is tough to preserve.
• Choosing a fish – the last step in saltwater aquarium setup is choosing the right kind of fish suitable in your tank. Select fish that can go along with other fish. It is a good idea to keep one fish and let it live alone for a week before adding another one. Saltwater aquarium setup is indeed challenging yet rewarding if you will do it with patience.

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