Choosing your tank for a saltwater aquarium
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Saltwater Aquarium setup: Choosing the right tank
There are some factors involved when choosing the type of saltwater aquarium setup. Including how much space and what environment you have other factors include the type of fish you want to keep and how much they cost? Buying the largest saltwater aquarium setup you can afford which will fit within the environment you have chosen to use should be your first goal.
The first priority is to the comfort of your saltwater fish and any other species as they grow in your aquarium. The marine life in your aquarium require plenty of oxygen to survive and room to exercise and swim. This is determined from the size of your tank. You can give your fish a great chance with the right saltwater aquarium setup.
One important aspect of your saltwater aquarium setup is oxygen. There are a number of factors that determine the amount of oxygen in your tank the main one being the surface area of the tank. The surface area on top of the tank which is exposed to the atmosphere above is what we are talking about. Having a greater surface area for your saltwater aquarium means oxygen has more of a chance of transferring from the air into the water.
As well as taking in oxygen a large surface area for your saltwater aquarium also allows toxic gases like carbon dioxide to escape. The aquarium will be much healthier the more this process is allowed to develop. Another factor which determines the amount of oxygen in the water is temperature. In general the lower the temperature the more oxygen it will hold.
Less oxygen will be available for tropical fish as they prefer temperatures above 75 degrees which means less oxygen would be available in the aquariums water. You may have to stock less marine animals if you do not have a large enough surface area for your saltwater aquarium. The bigger the tank you can acquire makes it much better for your marine life.
Saltwater aquariums come in all shapes and sizes so how can you determine your requirements? It is not the size or volume of the tank which determines its surface area but the shape. A tank could have a much larger volume but less surface area than a smaller tank because of its shape. Tall and narrow aquariums will not have the ideal area for the gas cycle. A shorter wider tank will have a better exchange of gas.
With this in mind and your aquarium tank chosen, its time to move on to the inhabitants. The amount of marine inhabitants for your tank is directly determined from the size of tank you have purchased. Overcrowding is one of the worst things you can do to your saltwater aquarium setup. Your aquarium relies on an efficient filtration system and too many inhabitants will overload it. Stressed fish living in cramped conditions is on of the major causes of fish death, diseases and illness.
Do not rush and stock up you fish slowly. Only a small amount should be introduced in one go. Calculate what amount of water your aquarium holds in gallons. For the first six months introduce fish at one inch per fish for every four gallons of water. A sixty gallon saltwater aquarium setup would therefore have 15 fish. After the six months you can increase the amount of fish and have one inch of fish for every two gallons.
A 60 gallon tank example would be:-
Two 1-inch clownfish
One 1-inch Beau Gregory’s
Two 3-inch queen angel
Two 1- inch gobies
Two 1-inch blennies
One 2-inch Tang (surgeonfish)
You can mix and match as long as you get the basic sizes right. Then you can increase your fish to 30 after the six month period.
As with any creature when you get them young they will grow so be aware of this when buying new fish and adjust the amount in your tank to suit. Not only fish size but shape is also an Issue. For heavier fish you should have a lower amount of fish in the aquarium.
{The development of your saltwater aquarium takes time}. They do cost money and cutting corners is not the answer. It does not matter how much time and effort you put into your tank eventually you will have problems that need solving. with a bit of thought getting the right aquarium from the start is better than having to change it because you choose wrongly. Think before you buy, a small tank at the beginning is probably not the best idea. Wait until you can afford at least a 30 gallon tank or bigger before investing in your saltwater aquarium.
The choices of saltwater aquariums are vast starting with do you get a glass or acrylic tank? Will it be a ready made reef tank already suitable for all your filtration and other equipment? It’s up to you to get advice and choose correctly. Common popular tanks like glass sealed with silicon are a good start. They come in all types of shape whether they are a standard rectangle, hexagonal or octagonal. Glass tanks are less prone to scratching than an acrylic tank although the acrylic aquarium is becoming more and more popular.
There is a difference in the weight of acrylic and glass tanks. Large glass tanks are very heavy and hard to move. The glass is quite thick. However a glass tank with a plastic frame is quite stable. Glass types are tempered which is stronger or shatter proof plated glass.
The popular option is an acrylic saltwater aquarium setup with moulded seems which are more transparent. Your view in the corners may be distorted which is a small problem. The acrylic tanks on the market even outdo the glass variety in the amount of different shapes and sizes you can have. They cost more money and scratch easier which is a downside. The things to watch for to avoid scratches is be careful with decorations and when removing algae. The good news is that scratches can be removed using special kits.
Whichever type of aquarium you purchase the priority is the health of your fish. You need time to look after it properly and also enough cash to keep it in good order and properly maintained. One up and running you will have hours of relaxation watching your new fishy pals cavorting in the water. Your saltwater aquarium will give you much enjoyment and pleasure
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