There are many things that go into the proper maintenance of saltwater animals and the habitats that we keep them in. Two of the most important aspects of salt water aquarium fish maintenance are proper lighting and feeding of the animals, to prevent algae growth and keep the little guys healthy. Most salt water fish species do not require constant light, but we need to have some lighting to see them in action. The only exception to this is the case of live plants, which are better off with constant lighting. With all other saltwater animals, the room light is sufficient to keep the creatures active during the day when no one's around to see them. Most people can't always remember to turn their salt water aquarium fish lighting off when they go to sleep or leave for the day, but there is an answer to this dilemma.
With an on/off timer, aquarium owners can ensure proper light/dark cycles for their salt water fish species, which helps to avoid algae and lower the electricity bill. Once the saltwater animals are all settled in, most people feed them two or three times a day. The saltwater fish species will only require a very small amount of food with each feeding, though, or they may have problems. It is actually worse to give the salt water aquarium fish one dose of food that is too large than to feed them small doses ten times a day. Uneaten food contributes to poor water quality, which causes water cloudiness, rapid algae growth, and fish disease. Alternating feedings among flake, frozen, freeze-dried, and pellets provides a balanced diet for fishes of various feeding habits, and a little practice should help determine the proper amount.
