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? First goal is to buy a saltwater aquarium setup you can afford and will fit into your lifestyle and environment.

The first priority is to the comfort of your saltwater fish and any other species as they grow in your aquarium. The invertebrates and fish which will be in your tank require room to swim and grow but also need an environment where there is plenty of oxygen in order to survive. 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. The surface area of your tank is the major contributing factor to the amount of oxygen it holds. This equates to the area of water exposed to the atmosphere at the top of the tank. As oxygen transfers to your saltwater aquarium from the surface of the tank the greater that area is means there is more chance of oxygen 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. Water temperature is one more factor that determines the amount of oxygen it holds. 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. For the gas cycle tall narrow aquariums do mot have the ideal area. The exchange of gas will be much better in a short wide tank.

With this in mind and your aquarium tank chosen, its time to move on to the inhabitants. Like we mentioned depending on the size of the tank will determine the amount of inhabitants you can keep in comfort. One of the worst problems with a saltwater aquarium setup for beginners is overcrowding the tank. Too many inhabitants in your aquarium can overload and effect filtrating efficiency. 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. Introduce only a small amount at a time. Calculate what amount of water your aquarium holds in gallons. In the beginning and up to six months for every four gallon of water introduce one inch of fish. 15 fish would be the amount of fish in a sixty gallon saltwater aquarium. After the six months you can increase the amount of fish and have one inch of fish for every two gallons.

An example of a 60 gallon aquarium 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)

Or any variables of these with your own favourite choices. 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 is the fish size an issue but also the shape. Less fish is needed in an aquarium with heavier stock.

{The development of your saltwater aquarium takes time}. They do cost money and cutting corners is not the answer. Problems will occur even when you have spent lots of time developing your tank. Make sure you have the correct aquarium from the start because it can be a little disheartening if you choose wrongly and then have to buy another one. It is best not to dive in and get a small tank. 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? Depending on choice it could be a reef tank already adapted for all your accessories? It’s up to you to get advice and choose correctly. Common popular tanks like glass sealed with silicon are a good start. The range is vast from unusual hexagonal and octagonal shapes to the more conventional rectangular types. Although more prone to scratching acrylic tanks are becoming more popular than the glass variety.

Acrylic tanks are much lighter than there glass equivalent. Glass aquariums are heavier and difficult to manoeuvre if moving. These tanks have quite thick glass. 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. The downsides are they cost more and scratch easily. The things to watch for to avoid scratches is be careful with decorations and when removing algae. However you can buy kits that will help remove the scratches.

The health of your fish is the priority whatever type of saltwater aquarium you go for. You need time to look after it properly and also enough cash to keep it in good order and properly maintained. Total relaxation can be found when watching your new marine friends playing in your aquarium. Your saltwater aquarium will give you much enjoyment and pleasure

Would you like to have a koi pond in your garden? Having these beautiful koi in a home pond is very rewarding and it is not as difficult as you might think. If you take proper care for them decorative koi fish can live for decades and some can become almost a meter long. Follow these simple rules to make your fish pond properly so your koi fish will live and multiply.

Make your pond deep

Depth of your fish pond is important for the health of your fish. The minimum recommended depth is 4 feet, however it is much better to provide for your fish six or even 8 feet deep pond. This will ensure that your koi are safe from raccoons, cats and other animals who can empty your pond. Deeper fish pond also helps to maintain water temperature in the middle of summer

Give them sapce

Small ponds are not appropriate for koi. Remember, with time koi can grow quite large and they will need a big space. Also there are so many color variations of koi, that with time you will probably want to buy additional fish. So it is better to create a big backyard pond from the start than rebuild it later. About ten thousand gallons is a good size for a backyard pond with fish , bigger would be even better.

Use fish pond heater in colder months

Unlike tropical fish, koi are adapted to cold; however you should never let your pond freeze to the bottom. Installing a proper heater for backyard ponds will always keep an opening in the ice. Also keep in mind, that koi only grow when the water is warm, so with a heater your fish will grow faster

Give some shade for your koi

When selecting where to place your pond, make sure it is out of direct sunlight. Also keeping water plants like water lilies in your pond are a good idea - not only they add beauty to the overall look of your pond, but they also provide shade for the fish. However, you should avoid building your koi pond in aria with many trees. Cleaning a fish pond of fallen leaves is no fun.

Plan to install a bird net

There are many birds of prey that will enjoy eating your koi. Don’t give them the opportunity; plan your pond location so it is possible to protect it with a net for garden ponds.

Insectocides can kill your beautiful fish

When planning your pond keep in mind that you should not use any insecticides or herbicides so they can get into the wate. Even a small amount of common garden poison can kill your beautiful fish.

Koi fish pond accessories that you might need

Several accessories are absolutely essential for good health of your fish. Ideally you must buy a water pump, filtration system, water aerator and an ultraviolet sterilizer. If the water in your pond is not moving, your koi might get sick and eventually die. Koi pond filtration systems are expensive, so to save you can make your own homemade filters.

When setting up an aquarium people quickly find out that there are many tropical fish to select from. There are school fish such as Guarmis and Tetras and there are aggressive fish such as Oscars and Cichlids. But a fish that has recently become more popular for the small home aquarium is the small aquarium sharks. If you want to take care of your new shark here is some information on how to maintain them in your home aquarium.

The Epaulette Shark

The Epaulette shark is one of the more ideal small sharks for a small aquarium as they like to live in small confined areas. They are usually white with brown spots all over their body. Unlike most sharks they do not swim around the tank but prefer to swim on the tank floor all day looking for food. At times they look like eels with their slender bodies, their bodies allow them to slip around the rocks and other aquarium decorations.

Although they are not the smallest of the aquarium sharks, they are also not the largest. Eqaulette sharks can grow quite large, an adult can grow up to eleven inches long. So when selecting one ensure that your tank is large enough for them to move around when they grow.

The Epaulette shark eats mainly on small crabs and worms. They may even eat shrimp and other small fishes. They have very small teeth, so larger pieces of food should be avoided. They can bite and chew, but their teeth are not designed to cut the food. So, keep their food pieces small at all times.

The Red Tail Shark

One of the most popular small aquarium sharks is the red tail shark. This small shark is semi-aggressive fish its unique beauty is a definite plus in any aquarium. They have a solid black body with red tip tail which is easy to identify. These sharks are not very social so it is recommended that you only keep one per tank.

Red tails love hiding as it provides them with a sense of safely and security, so provide them with nice little hiding places. As they are an aggressive fish and will pick on other fish you need a tank that is large enough to accommodate all the fish

Like the Epaulette Shark Red tails like to search the bottom of the tank for food. They will eat most fish flakes, live food or other food that ends up at the bottom of the tank. They like to eat at least once per day.

There is a large variety of sharks at the pet shop to choose from but two of the most popular are the Epaulette shark and the Red Tail shark for small aquariums. Do some research if looking to buy one for your own tank as they are not like other fish, they do require specialized attention. Even so they are a wonderful addition to any aquarium.