Comments on: How to Maintain Your Saltwater Aquarium

on 10/30/2008 what will happen if i use tap water to start my saltwater aquarium, instead of dechlorinated or R/O water?

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on 11/4/2007 what kind of algae looks brown in color and seems like seaweed? it is tenacious to live rock and fake plants. This is a saltwater aquarium that I'm trying to get healthy and clean. What should I do?

on 11/3/2007 i have an aquarium that only a hermit crab lives in. I add fresh water but the salt keeps building up. It was a saltwater one to start with because we had a lion fish in it but he died. I don't want to kill my hermit crab but i want to know how to keep him healthy and the 46 gal. aquarium clean. thanks

on 9/5/2007 Good tip from Monroe. Just watch the acrylic tanks... They scratch easy.

Vincente, you know more than most, but all tanks need iodine even SPS (small polyp stony) corals.

If anyone has any questions let me know. Worked in the industry for many years and believe in science not gimmicks to fix your tank. Most products to fix "your" problem are just a way to make a fast buck while you figure out what will really fix it. When in doubt small, but consistent water changes will normally do the trick.

on 9/5/2007 Yes, you do need iodine in a marine tank, just not to the levels required in a reef. Any resonsible aquarist tests their iodine level before adding more. Iodine levels should be maintained at 0.06 ppm for healthy fish and corals. Corals, which are inherent to reefs tanks, will deplete the iodine much more rapidly than fish alone, but fish themselves do absorb iodine and frequent water changes or supplements are necessary to maintain proper levels.

on 1/12/2007 In a saltwater tank, if you only remove the algae on the glass once a week you are in for quite a chore, especially if you have strong lighting. Best bet is to get a magnetic algae scrubber (that all pet stores carry) and every day just swipe a different section of glass. Trust me, it will be the best money you ever spent.

on 11/22/2005 Depending on the number of fish you have, how big - or small - they are, and the size of your tank, it may be important to change the water more frequently than just once every 2 weeks. Also consider how much you feed, how much is eaten, and how much just sort of "disappears" to the bottom of the tank. There are many online resources that will give you a general guideline that's releveant to your specific setup. Some sites have archived information worth its weight in gold. You can't learn too much There's no hard and fast rule about water exchange.

on 11/22/2005 Please don't feed the fish every three days. Fish should eat every day or every other day (some fish should eat or graze constantly, such as sea horses and tangs.) That way, when you feed them, you can observe their health. Also, you don't need to add iodine in the tank UNLESS you have a reef tank. And not all reef tanks require it (but some corals such as mushrooms can benefit from it.)

on 11/22/2005 Instead of removing algae weekly, purchase some inexpensive invertebrates such as snails, hermit crabs and shrimp to do the job for you. This allows more herbivorous fish to receive the vegetation needed to stay healthy without adding weekly supplememnts.