Starting Up And The Basic Types Of Salt Water Tanks
Salt water fish aquariums are certainly way more difficult to maintain than fresh water aquariums. The ecology of salt water fish aquariums is quite different and needs careful as well as knowledgeable handling.
Salt water fish aquariums can house a wide range of fishes and mammals in comparison to fresh water aquariums. In a salt water fish aquarium it is possible for you to keep some of the most flamboyantly colored reef fishes in existence. A salt water fish aquarium can also house live coral, anemones, crustaceans or jellyfish. And some advanced aquarists even keep octopuses and squids. This wide variety of sea life gives the aquarium an exotic feel and this is probably the reason why salt water fish aquariums are so popular.
Before starting salt water fish aquariums it would be a good idea if you researched the ecosystem of saltwater fishes, their habitat, food, water temperature and other information. Salt water fish aquariums can be highly gratifying and the extra time used to research the exact requirements for a saltwater tank is worth its weight in gold.
In order to start salt water fish aquariums you'll require a fish tank, filtration system, substrates, heater or thermometer, power head, protein skimmer, water pump, and air pump.
There are three basic types of saltwater aquariums: fish only, fish with live rock and reef system.
The fish only aquarium is a good choice for beginners. This type of tank is for only keeping fish, as the name suggests, and is the least expensive type.
The fish and live rock aquarium is basically the same as fish only, but also has live rocks. It is called "live rock" because there are creatures and organisms living on the inside and on the surface of the rock. However, buying good live rock can be quite expensive.
Reef tanks are usually set up by very experienced hobbyists because these saltwater tanks require excellent water conditions, extremely high lighting levels, water supplements, reverse osmosis and de-ionized water, and excellent filtration. This option will cost the earth and then some.
