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Ensuring that the aquarium is level is important. Sometimes if it is slightly out of level it doesn’t matter as the water surface is often above the lowest part of the aquarium hood, or there is a black band on the aquarium to hide the water surface. If the water level can be seen it needs to be visually correct, and in any case it is best if the stand is level in any circumstance for support.
When I constructed my aquarium cabinet out of pine great pains were taken for strength and accuracy. An aquarium full of seawater, rocks and sand is very heavy. Improper construction could leave to a very unwanted disaster.
One of the questions which I am asked quite a lot is how do I hide all the plumbing and/or wires around the back of the tank so that they are not visible from the front. And I agree it does not look natural. You set your aquarium up and all the rock is aquascaped perfectly yet all you can see through the back of the tank is the wall, wires, pipework etc.
This is a question which I get asked quite a lot. I have my own personal preference but in reality it is down to you as an aquarist to make your own decision based upon your personal preferences. I suppose really it depends upon whether the aquarium has water in it or not.
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Amino Acids are quickly becoming one of the most popular additives to any serious reef keeper’s arsenal. There are many different reasons why they are being used and many why I suggest everyone should use them.
Many aquarist’s have been bit by the red bug, or the monti nudibranches or flatworms etc etc. In this article I will explain a few ways to prevent these mishaps.
As an aquarium professional I would like to discuss the pressure our hobby as put on the worlds reefs and what we can do to minimize damage. First and foremost we must promote responsible reef keeping by learning and researching these wild animals we wish to care for out of their natural environment. Management through collector and consumer education as well as captive farming and aquaculture we can make this hobby sustainable.
The seas and oceans cover the majority of the planet surface. Within those seas the wild reefs have grown and all of their needs are met, be that calcium or whatever
Most marine systems are set up to house tropical livestock, which means that attention has to be given to maintaining a moderately high seawater temperature
…..I need a very basic list of needs for the basic marine system There are a lot of individual items about setting up a marine aquarium in the blog and article areas on this website, but nevertheless flicking around locating topics for a beginner who has little idea of the basics could be confusing. So an ‘in a nutshell’ list could be of help. We’re told it will be anyway, so here goes! Remember this is basic. At the end I’ve put article locations which could be of use.
Whatever type of marine system is kept lighting is important. With a fish only aquarium the fish need a day cycle and of course need to see where they are going.
Disease in the aquarium is one of the main fears of aquarists. Once the presence of a disease is known the aquarist’s stress level shoots up and quite understandably so – at the worst there could be a full aquarium wipe-out.
These lovely and strange life forms are very endearing and become a household pet very easily. Children in particular seem to be fascinated by them. The care of seahorses is not to be undertaken lightly. They need very similar maintenance to a fish only marine system, so the requirement to carry out maintenance regularly needs to be accepted.
There is understandably great fascination with some anemones, mainly because of their well known association with clownfish. Seeing these colourful little fish nestling in among what are normally dangerous tentacles is amazing.
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Cover glasses of course are those sheets of glass that rest on the strengthening straps at the top of the aquarium. Sometimes they are fitted in plastic holders so they will slide, sometimes they just lay straight on the straps.
Stability in the saltwater aquarium is key to success (as well as research and patience). Stability is created by the aquarist and the filtration within the aquarium. The aquarist provides assistance in this area by ensuring that the correct care and maintenance is provided to the aquarium. The filtration within the aquarium allows for pollutants within the water to be processed, therefore producing a pollutant free environment. In the aquarium, however there are areas where Mother Nature can help a bit more!
In Part 1 a fish only aquarium will be covered. In Part 2 the reef aquarium will be looked at. It is assumed that the aquarium is fully set up with all necessary equipment running and checked, and the filtration is initially mature.
Mention the word algae to a marine aquarist and the first thought is usually ‘marine nightmare’. Hair algae usually meets this criteria. It is unloved and unwanted. Strange to think that in the very early days of the marine aquarium the aquarist would be pleased to see the algae growth as it would improve the water quality by feeding on nutrients. Under good lighting, the algae also produces a lot of oxygen. That was true and still is, but nowadays all the aquarist wants is rid of it, or at least the excess growth. There are better ways of maintaining water quality.
Everyone who goes to the seaside for a day out or a holiday and has a paddle or a swim knows that a mouthful of water is salty. This saltiness is important, and the level of it. Livestock that comes from the wild reefs is used to stability, and this stability requirement also applies in the aquarium.
Aquarium lighting for a reef aquarium is very important. It is second in importance only to seawater quality. The lighting system needs careful consideration if corals are to prosper. In a fish only system the lighting is not particularly important. The fish need to see and also be seen, that’s all. Two fluorescent tubes¸ one white and one actinic blue are sufficient. Two tubes are required in order to create a ‘dawn and dusk’ cycle. Of course, the aquarist could use more tubes if desired.
As we know aquarium live rock is an extremely effective filtration media to use within the saltwater aquarium. Not only does it provide filtration it also makes the aquarium look more natural. With so many different types of live rock available however which one should you choose and how much do you need.
Water quality (in which I include water movement) is top of the list in importance when it comes to keeping a saltwater aquarium. Closely following water quality is aquarium lighting, as much life on the reef depends on it. The lighting used for a reef aquarium is more intense than on any other type. The reason for this is that we are trying to simulate the sun as far as humanly possible. Reef aquarium lighting is normally more towards the blue end of the colour spectrum as we are trying to produce the lighting colours present at between 10m and 30m in water depth.
Many aquarist’s have been bit by the red bug, or the monti nudibranches or flatworms etc etc. In this article I will explain a few ways to prevent these mishaps.
A lot of people, when considering the possibility of starting their very own Salt water aquarium are initially put off because they either believe or have been told that keeping a marine aquarium is hard.