Friday, April 29, 2011

Unfetter Your Inspiration And Start Up A Marine Fish Aquarium

By Louise Reyes


There's no comparison between a fresh water and marine fish tank, when it comes to the captivating mixture of exotic beauty, shapes, sizes and motion of colors that a marine fish tank offers for a home or office.

It's unlimited to what you can do with a marine fish tank, if you know what you're doing. If you're ready to realize your creative potential then, you need to stay away from fake coral and decorations that would pale in comparison to many marine tanks that are common at restaurants, dentist's offices and even at private homes.

When it comes to selecting a marine fish tank, you should get, at the minimum, a 125 gallon tank. But, keep in mind that the larger the tank the better. Because the of many options available, there are many different ways you can set up your tank. You should always find a tank that has a sump underneath the aquarium. The sump is essentially an extra part of the tank where you can place all the necessary equipment where it is readily available but, out of site.

The most important step in setting up your marine fish tank is in proper planning. It can take a great deal of time and money to set one up properly. For, if you do not plan properly you can defeat the whole purpose very quickly and waste all your efforts. In the planning stage, you will want to make decisions on what type of marine fish tank you want. This will depend on the type type of fish, corals and invertebrates you plan on maintaining and/or breeding. These determinations will dictate what type of filtration and lighting system you will be needing.

Have a lot of consideration towards where you plan to place your fish tank. Keep in mind that the tank will be filled with water and can weigh hundreds of pounds. You won't be able to place the tank on wheels so, make sure you put it in a location where it won't have to be moved. Also, take into consideration easy access to electrical outlets, locations of heating and cooling vents that could affect the delicate temperature of the tank, windows that could place direct sunlight and cause algae to grow, and closeness to your water source.

After filling the tank up with water, it is required to cycle the water for around six weeks. However, you can cut this time by introducing a sturdy type fish, like a damsel, that will provide some biological activity. Always, make sure you keep a close eye on the temperature and salinity. The temperature should remain between 71F to 79F and the salinity levels should be kept between 10.21 and 10.25. Additionally, you will know that your tank is ready when the nitrate level reaches zero.

Once your tank is ready you can begin to add the livestock. It's common practice to begin with the cleaning types fist such as snails and crabs before you add the fish. When it comes to adding the fish, be sure you do this slowly to allow the filtration to build up allowing it to properly handle the new tank mates. It might be difficult to resist however, you may want to wait a few more months before adding corals or anemones to allow the tank to mature first.

It doesn't have to be very difficult or very expensive to own a phenomenal and creative marine fish tank. It's very important however, that you get the right source. Be weary of books from pet stores or common places as they are more motivated in getting you to spend unnecessarily. The best source will be found online and written by a passionate expert who is motivated to share their knowledge.




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