How to Make a Saltwater Aquarium

Fish are unusual among pets, because their habitat makes such an aesthetically pleasing contribution to your home. Setting up an aquarium of any kind brings nature closer to you and creates a wonderful learning opportunity to observe an ecosystem. Because they mimic the real world, saltwater aquariums are relatively easy to set up, stock and maintain. Before you get started it's important to think about how large a tank you want. They range from one to hundreds of gallons.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Tank or aquarium Saltwater substrate (sand, rocks or gravel for the bottom of the tank) Habitat for fish (plants, larger rocks, sunken ships) Saltwater (or saltwater mix) Salinity tester Fluorescent lighting Water heater(s) Filtration system Thermometer Fish or other sea animals

1. Size is the most important thing to consider when purchasing your first saltwater aquarium. Where is the tank going to go in the house? How many fish do you want? A larger tank can hold more fish, but requires more maintenance. A 1-gallon goldfish bowl can handle only one or two fish, which you may tire of.
   Glass aquariums, as opposed to acrylic or plastic, are generally the highest quality. It is also best to buy a tank with a filtration system and lighting attachment so these features do not have to be bought separately as you build the system.

2. Set the tank up empty, in the location where it will sit permanently. Once full of water an aquarium will be heavy, and in some cases impossible to move.

3. Lay in the substrate, 2 to 4 inches thick along the bottom of the aquarium. It is important to purchase substrate that is meant for saltwater aquariums. It is easy to find calcium-based products that mimic the actual seafloor, and these are the best.

4. Place the sunken ships, rocks, plants and other fish shelters into the aquarium. Be sure to purchase equipment that is meant to be used with a saltwater aquarium.

5. Fill the aquarium with saltwater. If you live near the ocean you can acquire saltwater very easily at the shore. Otherwise you can buy a saltwater mix and add it to aerated tap water. If you manufacture the water, use your salinity tester and aim for water in the 1.023-1.024 range.

6. Place the heaters in. Unless your tank is very small, it is a good idea to use two or three heaters, either submersible or hang-ons. These will keep the temperature of the water consistent throughout the aquarium.
   Plug in the heaters, lights and filtration system and wait as the water seasons and heats up. The perfect temperature of a saltwater aquarium varies based on the animals you are going to place in it. In most cases a temperature between 74 and 80 degrees is best.

7. Purchase the fish. It is a good idea to get your saltwater aquarium up and running before buying the fish, so if you have any problems or delays, the fish will not die in their plastic bags. When you go to the pet store to buy the fish, make sure to ask which species are compatible and live in the same range of temperatures. Fish can be aggressive, and if you are not careful they will kill each other.

8. Put the fish in the tank one by one, allowing each some time to get used to the surroundings and pick out a little territory.

9. Watch your beautiful, interesting fish swim around.

Tips & Warnings

• Check yard sales before going to a pet store to buy a fish tank. A used aquarium is generally as good as a new one, and the savings will be great. You may not get it right the first time. Fish are fragile animals, and sometimes they die. Do not be discouraged---keep trying.
• In many cases, fish will reproduce. Keep this in mind when stocking your tank. For substrate do not use gravel, rocks or sand from your back yard.