It wasn't until the 1950s that the salt water fishaquarium really took off as a hobby, and it became possible for the average person to have such an aquarium. Fake coral reefs were popular in the early days, as well as bleached corals and extremely sterilized tanks. Fake corals are still used today, but people have realized that keeping the tanks too sterile is actually bad for the salt water aquarium fish. Many other changes have come about in the world of reef aquariums, as well.
Early salt water fishaquarium owners tried to find the chemical properties of sea water and mix in necessary trace elements in order to create synthetic salt mixes. Instant Ocean was the first company to really produce a reliable synthetic sea salt that allowed salt water aquarium fish to thrive in the aquarium. Fake coral reefs as well as real coral reefs could also be maintained perfectly in this synthetic salt water, where people had been forced to use actual ocean water before.
There have also been advancements in salt water fishaquarium filters and chemical testing technologies. Trickle and hang-on filters, for example, allow a more natural equilibrium to the environment, which is good for the health of salt water aquarium fish. Reef aquariums have also benefited from new fluorescent lighting technologies and more efficient chemical testing. In the 1980s, the multitude of aquarium publications also greatly increased and general chemical knowledge was more widespread, which made it possible for even more people to find success with salt water.
