How to Make a Salt Water Fish Tank

A small aquarium.

Contrary to popular belief, having fish as pets is a lot of fun. People are starting to realize it and the fish keeping hobby is growing. Deciding between salt water fish and fresh water fish can be difficult but the work involved with keeping salt water fish makes the hobby a little more enjoyable too.

Things You'll Need

• Aquarium
• Water
• Salt
• Thermometer
• Heater
• Decorations
• Lighting fixture
• Water filter
• Fish
• Bucket
• Fish net

Instructions

Reasearch and Decision Making

1. 

   Research the hobby. Starting with articles like this one is a good idea but you should also look into fish keeping websites, forums, books and magazines. There is plenty of information out there, helpful hints and warnings to help you succeed with your new hobby.

2. 

   Look up the fish. Deciding on the right kind of fish can be difficult. There are hundreds of different types and sizes. You need to make sure that you research the fish before you decide what kind you want. If you pick out fish that get too big, require a lot of care, are too expensive or cannot get along with other fish, then you might run into some problems.

3. 

   Look into all the different accessories. There are about as many different gadgets and gizmos that your salt water aquarium could use as there are fish, but be careful because you don't always need to have all of them. Some of the basics are a water filter, a water heater, a thermometer, a light fixture and a chemical testing kit. All the others are extras and you should wait on those for when you have advanced in the hobby.

4. 

   Decide. The research you've done should help you decide what fish you want and what accessories you will buy. This is also the time to decide what size aquarium you want. The size of aquarium you get depends on factors such as the kind of fish you are going to keep, the location that you have set apart for the aquarium and how much money you are willing to spend.

Shopping and Putting it all Together

1. 

   Go out and buy the stuff. Once you know what you want you are ready to go and buy it. Look for a local fish shop or pet store that sells fish supplies. Do not purchase the fish yet. It can be very exciting to get started with your fish but it is very important that you buy everything but your fish until everything is set up and you've allowed time for the water to cycle.

2. 

   Set up the tank. Rinse the tank, place it wherever you've decided it will go and fill it up with water. Make sure that the location you've chosen is going to be somewhat permanent since a filled water tank is very heavy and difficult to move around.

3. 

   Add salt. The salt, just like the water, is a key ingredient in salt water fish tanks. Make sure that you follow the instructions provided by the container of salt and/or the specifications you found for you fish during your research.

4. 

   Install the accessories. Your tank is now ready for the filter and all the other things you bought. If any of the items require extra assembly, make sure that you follow the instructions provided with the product.

5. 

   Add decorations. Sometimes people like to have plain, practical tanks. These tanks have their function but if you want to have a pretty looking fish tank, add aquarium gravel, soil, sand or any other decorations.

Cycling Water and Acclimating Fish

1. 

   Cycle the water. This means that you let your tank run as if it had fish, but with no fish in it. The research you did should have warned you about cycling water. A brand new tank lacks the bacteria that fish need to survive. So before you buy any fish, you need to run your tank for about six days and then get your water tested either on your own or at the fish store.

2. 

   Buy the fish. Finally you can buy fish. The pay off is worth the wait because now you should have cycled water that is ready to sustain fish. Salt water fish are generally a little bit more expensive than fresh water fish, the last thing you want is dead fish. Remember that your tank has a population limit--if you buy too many fish, you could be headed for trouble.

3. 

   Acclimate the fish. You still don't want to come home and just throw the fish int the tank. A fish in a new environment goes through a lot of stress so you need to let them get used to things. This is why you acclimate them. Acclimating your fish means letting them ease into their new homes and you do it by letting them float in their little baggies on the top of your tank for about 15 to 20 minutes.

4. 

   Let your fish into your aquarium and watch them explore. Make sure that you keep up with the cleanliness of the aquarium and that you feed your fish regularly. All that research you've done should prepare you for the next steps of fish keeping.

Tips & Warnings

• The more you know, the easier things will be.

• Some fish are dangerous to keep, make sure that you research before you buy.