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Aquariums are an excellent addition to any environment. They are soothing to look at and they always have that way of catching a person's eye. But, are they really relaxing? For the novice, the answer is generally, "No." What can start as a stress reducer seems to create even more as you begin to find yourself checking for casualties on a daily basis. Marine setups are best described as temperamental in comparison to freshwater setups. Slight fluctuation in water temperatures and chemical bacteria levels will cause a visual holocaust. Some turn to professional set-up and maintenance. This can cost in the vicinity of $150.00 for a monthly visit. However, in time, a novice can certainly develop the skills to maintain their own tank by following basic advice.
First, most dealers will recommend starting with a freshwater tank for these reasons. Keep in mind that they don't want to be responsible for any failures. Unlike freshwater tanks, you have to make a few decisions before beginning.
* Decide on the type of tank you want; reef or fish only.
* Factor your spaces; take into account outlets etc.
* Selecting fish; get rough ideas of the species you like and what they cost.
* Prepare yourself for the fact that marine tanks must cycle, averaging six weeks. You won't be able to introduce your selected fish to the tank until this happens! This is probably the most disappointing fact about these tanks. However, there are some things you can do during this interim so that you have something halfway pleasant to look at rather than a barren wave tank.
* Saltwater tanks and maintenance are usually double, if not more, the cost of freshwater tanks. Average costs of a marine set-up without fish is $1500.00. (based on a fifty-five gallon acrylic tank with stand)
Reef Tanks
These are some of the most beautiful setups, primarily housing live reef and corals. They are also the most difficult to cultivate. They require extra equipment and tending than a fish only tank. Not to say a novice could not successfully maintain one, it just takes a lot of on the job training. Normally, the best advice would be to begin with a fish only tank, once you get the hang of these systems, you can always upgrade.
Fish Only Tanks
The term is misleading, making it sound sparse, they needn't be. Ceramics and live rock can be used in place of live reef, giving it a similar appearance. The focus is just primarily on fish species than on the inverts of a reef.
Tanks
The same maintenance principles will apply to any size, or style, tank you choose. Figure out what space you have, including the location of outlets. You're going to need more than a freshwater tank, and there's nothing worse than having spent $1000 to $2000 and up, on this thing of beauty and having a cluster of ugly wires and contraptions in and around it. The tanks are built from glass or acrylic and the usual choice for marine is acrylic because the design is more contemporary. Now, glass tanks are heavier and sturdier so they do not scratch as easily, yet, they only come in traditional shapes. Acrylics come in very interesting ones from the traditional rectangles to various cylindrical and entirely round designs. They do scratch easily, during set-up, while placing decor, and from certain species of fish, especially parrot-fish. Exterior scratches can be buffed out easily. But, to fix interior ones, you have to "take-down" the tank. In either case, it averages about $150.00 to have scratches removed professionally.
Lights and Filters
Lights are standard but there are several types of filters. The retailer should be helpful with selecting the right kind. There are canister, under-gravel, and a unique filter to marine tanks called wet/dry. Wet/dry filters are the common choice and they're great for first time enthusiasts. They do sit outside the tank so they are easier to access and clean. If you decide on one of these, you might get a rough idea of where you are going to place it so you know how much hose you will need. Normally they sit at the base of the tank somewhere, but, if you plan to hide it in a "nook" or "hidey" hole, get a length of hose that will reach. Otherwise, the standard length of hose may be too short.
Water Circulation
Unlike aerators that are used in freshwater, marine tanks are aerated by water turbulence, which is variety and wave like motion. Your filter will provide enough of this via the water import and export hoses attached to it.
Protein Skimmers
These are not necessary for fish only tanks, but they do make the water amazingly clear. Saltwater tanks develop this foamy "crud" on the top as a result of the turbulence. You can liken this to that white foam you see on the sand at the beach, when the tide rolls out. A protein skimmer sucks this off the top of the water.
Other Supplies
A hydrometer, thermometer, heater, algae scrubber, salt, and chemicals.
The thermometer and heater are standard issue. The hydrometer is unique to a marine tank and so are some of the chemicals. The hydrometer is inexpensive and it measures the specific gravity in the water; translation, it tells you if you have enough salt in the water. They are easy to read and clearly marked. For chemicals, you will need a pH kit, marine test kit, salt and marine buffer. These various kits measure the levels of ammonia and nitrates in the tank. This is the hardest part, keeping these levels within normal ranges. The levels are checked daily and they are also easy to read, but, slight fluctuations can wreak havoc.
Decorations
The dealer will have a section devoted to marine oriented tanks. Two rules of thumb here, nothing metal, so that pirate chest is out, and you will use sand instead of gravel.
Putting It All Together
Set everything up and start adding the saltwater. You might use luke-warm water to fill it to decrease the job on your heater. Mix the salt with the water according to the instructions on the bag, use your hydrometer to make sure you've added enough. Fill the tank near the top and then start running your filter. You will notice a big difference in the water level once you turn it on, especially with a wet/dry. From there, you can add more water accordingly. Once its filled, check your pH levels, adjust accordingly, check temperature and adjust heater accordingly, and add the marine buffer. Temperatures will vary depending upon the fish you are getting. Seventy-six degrees though, is a good setting for now. Anything over eighty degrees will be too warm for any species. That cloud of sand will also begin to dissipate after the filter runs; it may take a few days.
Cycling
From here, it's hurry up and wait! For most, this is the biggest draw back and the most disappointing fact about these tanks. With freshwater tanks, you could start introducing fish immediately but, marine tanks have to cycle. This is when a new tank goes through a period of growing beneficial bacteria that is absolutely necessary to marine fish. You'll lose them otherwise. It takes a good six weeks for a tank to cycle. There are some things you can do to speed it along and at least have something halfway pleasant to look at, rather than a barren wave tank. You can buy another chemical called a biological supplement. These add some of the needed bacteria. You can also add live rock, if available. Unlike coral, this is not temperamental, it doesn't need the intense lighting or chillers. It's also a great source for biological filtration too. The rock contains important enzymes and bacteria as well, which aid in the breakdown of fish waste. This translates into less deaths, the biggest problem associated with unsuccessful tanks. Between these two methods, you can shave a couple of weeks off the average cycling. It may still be worth your while to wait it out, just to be on the safe side. The last thing you want at this point is the risk of losing these fish. They are going to average in price, about $20.00 each and up! Clown fish for example, can easily cost $100.00 each. You can however, add damsels. These are hearty marine fish, although passive, that are used to help cycle a tank. Their waste assists in that bacteria growth, and all dealers have them. They are typically bright neon blue with yellow fins or jet black with a couple of bright white spots. They're small but, very pretty. In most opinions, for such a simple marine fish, they are more beautiful than any freshwater fish. In fact, some people keep their tank to damsels after cycling.
(Remember though, to keep checking your chemical levels through-out this period.)
After Cycling
Once this is all over, you'll do a partial water change, the first of many. After the growth of the needed bacteria, nitrates, a waste by-product, builds up in the water. This is a major contributor to the death of fish, and the only way to lower this level is by changing a third of the water periodically. Just remember to add more salt and that marine buffer if necessary. Re-check all of your pH and nitrate levels as well as the temperature. You might also collect a sample of your water into a small glass container to bring to the pet shop. They can conduct a more thorough test to see that your tank is ready for new residents (it may cost about $10 for this test).
Now, you can begin to add different fish, if you like. As far as the damsels in your tank, most fish will eat them unless you're getting really passive species of a similar size. Fortunately, a lot of dealers will actually take them back and give you credit towards your breed of choice! These policies are specific to damsels since people will buy them just for cycling. Of course, the dealer will recommend one fish per every five gallons. Use your judgement here, since this seems to apply regardless of the fish size. There's a huge difference between having ten little clown fish in a fifty gallon tank than ten spotted puffers in it. Also, there are some breeds, as with freshwater, that just don't mix well. The dealer will be very helpful in the basics of this integration. Just keep in mind there are always exceptions to the rule, so just because you're told you shouldn't have that fish with this one, doesn't make it gospel. It's based on aggressive, non-aggressive factors. If you have "hidey" holes etc., you can get this combination to work. It may take some experimenting and you'll probably lose somebody in the process, however, it does make for a far more interesting tank. Get advice and recommendations from a few sources ahead of time. It's good to do this while you're actually cycling your tank.
If you start to lose a lot of fish, it's not always a result of something you did or didn't do. If this is happening, determine whether it's caused from that unusually fat carnivore roaming your tank, or from your water. You can always bring a sample of it to the dealer, as mentioned, and they will do a complete test. There have been occasions where the enthusiast simply had "bad" freshwater. They actually had to take-down their tank and re-fill it with bottled water. Then other times it's just nature, beautiful and deadly at the same time and marine aquariums seem to be the best in home example of it. So, keep checking those chemical levels, at least every other day.
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