How to Set Up a Salt Water Reef Tank
Setting up a saltwater reef tank can be a simultaneously exciting and daunting experience. A saltwater tank is generally more expensive and time consuming than a freshwater tank, but the end result can be a spectacular display of beauty and life. The best way to achieve the perfect reef habitat is to thoroughly research saltwater aquariums before you get started. Then you can follow a simple series of steps to put your dream reef together.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Tank
- Substrate
- Live rock
- Thermometer
- Hydrometer
- Heater
- Filter
- Lights
- Water test kits
Instructions
-
-
1
Choose a good location for the reef aquarium in your home. Select an area free from drafts or temperature swings and away from any direct sunlight. Do not place a tank on a wall opposite a well-lit window, as even indirect bright light can encourage algae growth and make viewing less than ideal. Remember that even a 10-gallon reef tank will weigh well over 100 pounds when set up. Take time to choose the right location so you won't have to move the tank once it is full.
-
2
Add your substrate to the aquarium until it reaches a depth of two to three inches. Good substrate choices for reef tanks include sand, crushed coral or a saltwater-safe crushed rock product, such as aragonite. Never use colored aquarium gravel in a saltwater tank. The color coating can disintegrate in the salt over time.
-
-
3
Add at least two pounds of live rock to the reef tank for each five gallons of water. The live rock gives your reef an adequate start on biological filtration.
-
4
Fill the tank with premixed saltwater (usually available in five gallon containers at most saltwater fish stores) or mix your own in a large, clean plastic storage container or unused plastic trash can. Make sure to use a hydrometer to test the specific gravity of the saltwater before you add it to the tank. It should always measure between 1.023 and 1.025.
-
5
Install and turn on your tank heater, filter, lights, power heads and any other equipment.
-
6
Allow the tank to run for at least a week before you begin stocking it with fish. During this period, test water parameters daily to check for stability. Small nitrate readings are a sign of a properly establishing cycle in the tank, as long as the ammonia and nitrite readings remain at zero.
-
7
Slowly add fish, coral, and invertebrates to the tank, allowing at least a few days between each new acquisition for the tank to adjust to the new bioload. A quarantine tank is also a good idea to prevent the introduction of disease into your new reef tank.
-
8
Establish a maintenance routine and stick with it for the life of your reef tank.
-
1
