Starting a marine aquarium – first considerations

When viewing images of a healthy marine fish or reef aquarium in books or only online, or better Moreover, in reality in a public aquarium will cause almost anyone to appreciate the beauty and general fascination with them. Some people wonder if I could be a part, and the thought will disappear soon. Others, however, will not forget so easily and will want to delve into the possibility of owning their own home aquarium.

If the potential aquarist knows a friend who already has a healthy marine aquarium, then it is a source of advice available now. The friend who already have gone through all research and considerations. Often, however, the potential aquarist will have to discover for yourself. That is very good, because the aquarium system is well understood. So there can be an amateur existing marine known, so what is the first step? Running a local store and buy an aquarium and a few bits of equipment that the shop says it takes is totally wrong.

The first step is to follow a schedule scaffold. This scaffolding will be the basis for all decisions that need to be made system construction. There are quite a few decisions along the way and things can be confusing, even for someone who has experience in the field of freshwater aquarium. The scaffolding will help.

The scaffold has to prepare the budding marine aquarist so that indicates a cost of basic equipment provision can be made. A Often marine aquarists have a computer laying about. This could have been caused by the update since the original equipment was inadequate and needed to be replaced. The money spent may not have to have been.

Therefore, the scaffolding below. The following is a list of items and base notes. Do not try and is not intended to open a full path from zero to a unique fish only or reef aquarium. What it does is give an advantage to continue on the path to an aquarium successful. No doubt additional considerations that arise in the path, and that is how it should be, means that planning work. Each stage of the planning needs of individual consideration, and often not more than one decision to make. Along the way, research with books and / or the Internet is useful or necessary.

Where practical the site of the aquarium?
Try to choose a place away from direct sunlight to help appropriate lighting control. There should be heavy and / or noisy traffic going home (reasonable traffic is acceptable). There needs to be a reliable supply of energy available, ie. outlets. In general, easy access to the aquarium is necessary. If floors are suspended, consider soil strength – aquariums filled with sea water is heavy!

What size aquarium?
The aquarium should not stand in the ordinary furniture, but in a well-designed mount. The aquarium may need a hood. These should be taken into account. Then the space available for the aquarium can be considered.

What kind of system?
The system may be just the fish or coral. This decision affects other decisions later. Most opt for a reef.

Sump or no trays?
A sink is a small aquarium attached to the principal. Provides additional water capacity to the system, and allows heaters, sand beds and protein skimmers to be kept away from the aquarium display. The sump can be next to or below the display tank. A well in any type of system is highly recommended. (If a sump is to be used, the main aquarium will be drilled to allow the pipeline to carry water from the sump tank. Then pumped back). Note: If an OSD (sand bed deep) or camera (in relief OSD) is to be used, the sand bed area must be at least 2/3rds of the base surface of the main aquarium. The sand bed should be at least 4 "deep. Consider the cost of the fine sand of the OSD. A DSB in the sump is recommended. Allow for an area divided by the return pump of seawater.

Enlightenment?
Does the system only or a reef fish? If only the fish, then two fluorescent marine sufficient. If the reefs then:

Hard corals.
Best halide lighting, supplemented by actinic fluorescent tubes. T5 fluorescent tubes can be used (Marine white and actinic also mixed), but do not penetrate the sea water as background.

Soft corals.
Is sufficient for the use of fluorescent lighting T5 (Actinic white and mixed). halide lighting can be used, however, not be detrimental (make sure corals exposed varieties are light demanding).

ability net seawater aquarium and sump (if used)? This is easily calculated once the size of the aquarium and the sump is determined. The gallonage is excessive and that, when rocks and sand are added, will be reduced. Therefore, reducing the amount by 10%. This will not remain correct but gives a reasonable amount for travel.

circulation of seawater?
The seawater in the aquarium exhibit will be distributed to health of the inhabitants are, but especially in a reef system. It is recommended that a minimum of two powerheads are used to achieve this. Turnover seawater on the reef has to be about ten to twenty times the net capacity of the display tank (excluding the sump) per hour, depending on the occupants of coral .. In fish only systems may be less.

Protein Skimmer?
A protein skimmer is essential for most systems (*) in particularly when there is lack of experience. The device is very useful as it helps greatly to water quality high. The protein skimmer must be of a size of about twice the net capacity of sea water in the tank, sump well (if used). Now that the use of a sump (or not) has decided to consider possibility of using a skimmer or independent wing.
(* Some designs based on the mud system, do not require a spoon.)

Heating?
The net gallonage of the system is known, so the need for heating may be considered. (Note: it is better to buy two heaters as it is a good measure of security for Each heater aquarium inhabitants should. be half of the heating requirements.) In hot climates, where temperatures are consistently above 80 º F the use of a seawater cooler (refrigerator) will replace the heaters.

Back bomb?
This only applies if you use a sump. Water sea, once it has flowed to the sump, we must return to the main aquarium. A pump is needed for this. As a guide, the flow through the sump should be two or three times the net capacity of the system per hour. In considering the pump, remember to consider the lift, which is the height from the pump level to the highest point that water the sea reaches back before entering the main aquarium.

'Live' roll.
This is used for filtration purposes (that is excellent for this) and for the construction of the reef. You can also use a system of fish. Allow 1 ½ pounds per gallon that is found throughout the system. There are other methods filtration, but "live" rock, along with a DSB in a sump is highly recommended.

Reverse osmosis (R / S) of the unit?
The I / O is a unit of tap water filtration device that removes nearly all contaminants (around 95 to 98%) not allowed. Therefore the mixture of sea water is its best from the beginning. It is highly recommended that the I / O of the water is always used, even the first filling of the tank. I / O units are on different outings gallons day. Remember that usually fills the tank completely once. The normal amount of routine water change is 10% of the gallonage weekly network system.

Dry salt?
There are several brands on the market. If keeping a reef system, get one that is "designed" to reefs, the attention has been given fish, etc calcium content of the systems can only use "standard" mixes or as described above.

Make a list.
As each element has gone through, discover and record the likely cost. If electric power also write (W).

Evidence. When all items have a price, add up. This is a general guide to the cost of installation. If electrical power is added. Divide the total power in 1000, this will kilowatts. The electricity cost per kilowatt will be released. Multiply the number of kilowatts, including any fraction thereof, by the cost per kilowatt, This is the approximate cost of electricity per day system operation. For weekly, multiply by seven. Monthly, multiply by four. Etc. (Note: The lights can be considered as 50% of the day heaters / coolers will not be on all the time, but it is difficult to determine a guideline. percentage.)

OK. The list is there and that indicates the reference aquarium equipment cost and operation of the electrical cost. These will not be completely accurate, but close enough to deter or the desire to have an aquarium or move on. There are other costs, of course. For example, did not take into account fish and / or living in corals that are going to the aquarium. Then additional equipment, often referred to later, you might get, as a calcium reactor, a nitrator of, or a cartridge filter, gravel etc Perhaps coral ½ to 1 "deep, will be used as decoration in the display tank.

However, the scaffolding has achieved its purpose, which is generally to guide the new aquarist on a road that cuts its way through what can be a confusing start.

After the scaffold, there is still much to do. Many answers can be found in the articles listed on this site (http://www.aquaristsonline.com).

appropriate items can be worked through one at a time. Any other questions can go to the forum. The Internet is an excellent resource for knowledge. Typing a name, for example, marine aquarium lighting, etc, in a search engine should produce a good response. Then of course there are books. Nothing like an hour of reading bedtime!

About the Author

Peter Cunningham and John Cunningham combined have been keeping salt water aquarium’s for nearly 35 years. Visit their site ‘Aquarists Online’ if you are interested in the saltwater aquarium hobby.

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