This simplified through sophistication of coral reef tank aquarist culture makes it easy for the industry layperson, and the novice to easily grasp what kind of animal they are raising without the complication of non-integrated lexicons.

Coral are broken down into two types in general: Soft Coral, and Hard Coral.

In some cases telling the difference between a soft coral and a hard coral can only be done with a microscope in order to determine if the animal is producing calcareous material in the way that is generally attributed to hard coral.

This article deals with soft coral.

Soft Coral Aquarium – 55 Gallons with stone corals, gonioporas, hammerheads, frogspawn, finger leather, toadstool leather, xenia, torch coral, pollups, and other various forms of life…

Soft Coral are part of the order Alcyonacea and the phylum Cnidaria.

One of the main things that differentiate soft coral from hard coral is that graduating from marine fish care to oft coral care is one step closer to becoming a fully skilled aqua marine reef tank aquarist. To best understand the difference between soft and hard, soft corals do not produce calcium carbonate skeletons and are not reef-building corals.

These creatures characterized by there soft internal skeleton, are easier to remove from the natural reef since it is not necessary to break them off and expose or damage the reef.

Other creatures of the reef, don’t necessarily need most soft coral as a home base.

All these reasons add to the sentiment that soft coral make better pets, even if they are more prone to hunting and stinging other creatures.

Soft coral have radial symmetry as another noted characteristic.

Some of the other characteristics of all soft coral are:

• Stinging Cells

• Ecto- and endoderm comprising both of two germ layers

• A bag like hollow body called coelenteron.

• No central nerve system, instead uncomplicated nerve groups.

• A single opening that both eats, and excretes waste.

• A lack to tentacle segmentation.

• A lack of body segmentation.

Most of these reef host soft coral at depths from 5 to 30 meters.

Of the Classes in the Cnidaria phylum soft corals belong to Anthozoa.

The Subclass of Anthozoa that soft coral are a part of is called Alcyonacea.

Some of the notable regions that soft coral thrive in are saltwater reefs of:

• The Caribbean

• Hawaii

• The Indo-Pacific

• The Great Barrier Reef

• The Red Sea

• Elsewhere in the world to a lesser extent.

These soft coral are hardier than some hard coral, and provide a great bridge for the aquarist who wants to graduate beyond just fish and other more mobile aqua marine animals.

This article is about hard coral: SPS/LPS.

In linguistics as far as breaking down the popular term coral into three usable terms that are compatible with science; the terms hard coral, soft coral, and other coral named animals are used to keep the colloquial and factual synced in definition.

Hard corals belong to the phylum Cnidaria, and the Class Hydrozoa.

Some animals that look like soft coral are actually hard coral. But, it takes a microscope to be able to determine this from the calcareous material they produce on a microscopic level.

Some of the features that define hard coral in addition to calcium processed into exoskeletons are:

• Hard coral have more defined tentacles

• Sectional body parts of the polyp

• Six smooth tentacles, rather than being like the soft coral which has 8.

• Multiples of six tentacles.

Out of 70 separate genus or genera there are approximately 359 known species of hard coral.

Some of these hard coral species are:

• Cup Coral

• Brain Coral

• Closed Brain Coral

• Mushroom Coral (This coral has only one polyp. In juxtaposition to having many).

• Table Top

• Stag Horn

• Turret Coral

• Elegance

• Torch

• Trumpet

• And many more stunning varieties.

Coloration of coral can come from algae in the tissue of the polyp. These symbiotic algae are referred to as zooxanthallae.

This algae coloration in hard coral gives these animals their brown gold hue.

Pigmentation’s in the tissue or exoskeleton give hard coral a great variety of other colors and combination’s of colors.

And unhealthy hard coral will loose the zooxanthallae symbiotic algae. This will cause the brownish areas to turn white.

Hard corals are the final stage in the difficulty level that an marine reef tank enthusiast can attain. These hard corals are considered the most difficult to maintain.

A great in-depth book on the subject of coral reef husbandry is Aquarium Corals: Selection, Husbandry, and Natural History, by Eric H. Borneman.

Knowing how to care for the individual reef coral that you want to have in your reef tank is essential. The book by Eric Borneman goes into great detail about both easy to care for, and hard to care for species.

Tropical regions are what we think of when coral comes to mind. For the most part this is true. However, there are coral reefs that do well in cold water, and in much deeper water.

The material saltwater reef aquarium enthusiasts use to brighten up, and add dimension to the reef tank is itself a polymorph. This means that CaCO₃ (which is what the coral exoskeleton is), exists in more than one crystal form. Simply stated; the secretions from the living organisms that form a coral reef is just one way CaCO₃ exists as a material. One of the other natural ways this compound occurs in nature is limestone.

The unique coral structures that scuba divers, snorkelers, and aquamarine reef tank enthusiasts love, come from polyp creatures. These coral exoskeleton building animals are exactly identical;yet so unique from one family, genus, or species to the next that each polyp in a colony will build the coral head in the exact same mesmerizing pattern and color as the generations it is building upon.

Many authorities on various types of coral and live rock husbandry emphasize that treating reef coral as animals first, and ornaments secondarily will greatly add to the life of what is truly an animal. This type of animal is referred to as a polyp. And the phylum that is modernly used to categorize reef coral animal characteristics is cnidaria.

Coral polyps as animals feed on photosynthesis for the most part. They also have stingers like other invertebrates that sting the smallish prey like plankton to be consumed as food. This happens during the nocturnal hours of the day.

Reef coral reproduce asexually and through spawning: Aiding the process of building the exoskeleton over many generations.

The spawning process for polyp reef coral consists of them releasing eggs and sperm into the water. The resulting planula is the larval stage of life for reef coral polyps.

The ensuing life cycle leaves the jellyfish like planula floating about in the tide.

Usually these small creatures are washed back against the reef they were spawned from.
But, no matter where they land, a larval coral reef planula polyp will attach itself by forming a small shell. This shell is usually open at the top. Some people describe the shape as being vase like.

Colorful exoskeletons indicates that the polyps inside are alive. When the reef coral polyps die, the shell or exoskeleton will turn brown.

Recipes and formulas for keeping coral alive in a saltwater aquarium tank have increased the in tank life span of the coral themselves up to a year or more. And the knowledge is increasing as more calculated experimentation is done by enthusiasts and professional scientists alike.

In general in the wild and in the reef tank salinity should be 34 to 37 parts per thousand. Any less than that and the creature can die easily from exposure to too much fresh water.

Reef coral in the aquarium tank should not be crowded out. Each desirable species has a range and parts per radii unique to itself. Knowing what you have, how it grows in nature, and what other researchers, as well as hobbyists have both failed or succeeded with is a best practice.

This calcareous algae stores calcium in its tissue: This is the reason that making sure that the saltwater aquarium has enough calcium is important.

Mermaids Fan Plants are generally considered a hardy plant that the majority of fish steer clear of eating.

Pruning is not a good idea either. Any pruning can be highly damaging to Mermaid Fan Plants.

Mermaid fan plants are part of the Halimeda family.

This is the same family as the Halimeda Money Plant. So, many of the plants needs are similar, even if the shape is completely different.

Some the similarities that Mermaid Fan Plants share with others species are the Mermaid Fan Plants need for trace iron, large quantities of calcium and low tolerance for nitrate & phosphate.

The water condition requirements of the Mermaid Fan Plant are also very similar to that of other species in the Halimedaceae family. The pH level in the tank should be set for between 8.1-8.4. The temperature should be approximately between 78 72 º F.

Mermaids Fan plants are often found around off the Caribbean cost of Central America, reaching as far into the Atlantic Ocean as the Bahamas.

Mermaids fan is sometimes confused with Frilly fan, or green fan; But the frilly fan, and or green fan is a part of the Udoteaceae Family.

It is believed that Halimeda originated in the saltwater reefs of Hawaii and / or the Caribbean regions.

The Halimeda is widely used in the saltwater aquarium plants community not only in the United States; but also internationally among saltwater plant enthusiasts.

The green leaved Halimeda is a saltwater aquarium plant that is attached like a chain link and is also known as the “money plant”. The look of the Halimeda is that of each coin (leaf) being attached as if glued together end to end in a winding row.

One of the great features of halimeda is a saltwater aquarium is that this plant is not a favorite food source for most reef aquarium plants. Conversely, pruning halimeda is not good for the plant at all.

In turn, it is totally safe to place coral, invertebrates, such very close by in the tank. Halimeda are not invasive, so they are not a speciel threat to these other saltwater aquarium reef tank inhabitants.

Halimeda have a much lower tolerance to nitrate and phosphate. This could be counter intuitive for some enthusiasts who are used to working with algae that can thrive in much higher levels of both nitrate and phosphate.

Halimeda grows best with high concentrations of calcium. Halimeda take the calcium and store the mineral within the plants tissue. A small amount of iron in the environment is very beneficial, although less crucial.

Placing the Halimeda plant in water that is a pH of 8.1 -8.4 and between 72 -78° F that is in a very well lit area within the saltwater aquarium will add sustainable variety to the look of your in home aquarium.

Custom fish aquarium stands can be made for either saltwater or freshwater, but saltwater aquarium tanks need more hiding places than freshwater because the world of marine biology is far more delicate and complex. The stand is actually a part of the tank, however more often considered an accessory, without an aquarium stand, it gets really difficult to maintain a saltwater aquarium. Essential parts and pieces like, the sump and other filters, heater, cooler, pumps, refugium, lighting and hood, have traditionally been DIY projects and all need to be subtly hidden inside the stand while still being easily accessible.

Why is do-it-yourself building the best way? Because a do-it-yourselfer knows what they are going to be working with and exactly where the fish aquarium stands will go. In the very beginnings of marine biology, when the very first marine aquariums were being built by students and researchers of the oceans deep, everything was done by ones own self. Back in the early 20th century, it wasn’t possible to just go down to the local aquarist and buy all the equipment ready made. Sumps were the very first filters for those kinds of aquariums and due to their do-it-yourself nature, sumps tend to be really ugly to most people who don’t know anything about marine ecosystems (for passionate marine biologists however every new sump is a mystery to be unlocked and understood). For that reason and others, such as the size of a tank, aquarium stands need to hide accessories in an aesthetic yet practical way (such as when the aquarist wants to show off his sump to other enthusiasts). One of the cheapest building materials and also most beautiful, is wood.

Fish aquarium stands built from wood can be done by ones self, all that is needed is the proper motivation, imagination and discipline. First the aquarist must have a good idea of what they are going to build in their mind’s eye. That means knowing exactly what the size of the tank is going to be, where it is going to go, the theme and everything that it is supposed to hide and/or show off. Putting some scratch notes down on paper and then going over them manually a couple of times is a great way to start out. Getting a bunch of scratch notes and scribble designs down on paper is probably the most important part of design, because once measurements start, the designs start to kind of solidify themselves. Knowing a little bit about carpentry can be a good idea, but just being detailed and meticulous about using a ruler and mechanical pencil when drawing the plans like a geometry project is what it is mostly about. Get the measurements correct and go through the whole process of building in the mind’s eye, then do it yourself or find a craftsman to help. Note: It is preferable to have someone who knows about woodworking to build or help you with a stand, it will have to hold hundreds of pounds depending on the size of the tank.

Fish aquarium stands are for hiding, the tank, sump, lighting, pump, refugium, food, equipment…etc. Aquarium stands were always DIY projects in the past, just know the size and purpose of the tank, where it will go and the ideal theme and doing it by ones self is the best way. Building a custom design DIY aquarium stand from wood can be affordable and fulfilling. The aquarium stands need to be well planned out in the mind’s eye, put down on paper, measured and drawn. Getting materials for aquarium stands at the local hardware store is efficient and easy once the plans are detailed, cutting and building is the part that take discipline and a little hard work.

Link:
A husband and wife build and nice looking aquarium stand.

Found between 30 degrees North and 30 degrees South on any tropical reef environment around the world, Zebrasoma flavescens is most commonly known as the Yellow Tang and is the main marine aquarium export fish from Hawaii.

Benthic turf algae and other marine plant materials are the sustenance of these hardy tropical reef dwellers who can be found anywhere from 1 to 60 meters below the ocean/lagoon surface, showing a preference for 2-40m and also enjoy providing cleaning services upon the shells of marine turtles.

Adult Yellow Tangs will grow to between 6 to 8 inches in length and anywhere from half an inch to three fourths of an inch in width.

Yellow Tang are considered a hardy fish, able to survive up to 40 years in the wild, although they require at least 80 gallons to 150 gallons or more to stay healthy, as they are susceptible to most common tank bourn diseases.

The tank should maintain a stable temperature anywhere between 75.2-82.4 degrees, the pH balance needs to stay at 8.0-8.4, the recommended degrees of carbonate hardness range between dKH 8-12 and the specific gravity should remain between sg 1.020-1.025.

Zebrasoma flavescens is a Semi-aggressive species, requiring an abundant amount of hiding/sleeping places (especially live rock), in order to feel safe, and may do battle over these kinds of territory if enough are not provided.

While the Achilles Tang, Blue Tang, Eels, Lionfish, Cardinalfish and large Clownfish all make good tank mates for Zebrasoma flavescenes, invertebrates are sure to be safe from their temper at not finding a good hiding spot.

The Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescenes) is a beautiful saltwater fish that thrives around the world upon tropical reefs and in lagoons, they will eat a variety of prepared fish foods in the tank environment, especially meaty algae, and if well kept, can live for years in a reef aquarium and still bring inspiration to both the beginning and advanced saltwater aquarist alike.

Valued for its exquisite beauty of fading purple into yellow, Royal Gramma (Gramma loreto) is not to be confused with its cousin the Royal Dottyback (Pseudochromis paccagnella) which does not fade, but is two distinct colors and is more territorial (also a favorite among many starter marine aquariums).

Royal Gramma is a lover of the tropical Atlantic waters of the Americas, near reefs and caves, especially the Caribbean Sea (Lesser Antilles, Venezuela, Honduras and Nicaragua), the Bahamas, Cuba, the coasts of Central and South America (usually outside the gulf of Mexico), from the tip of Southern Florida along the coast of central America all the way down as far as Espírito Santo in Brazil.

Royal Gramma usually swims between 1-40 meter below the surface near coral reefs, inside caves and under ledges, but will swim as deep as 60m making it appear blue in the front and orange toward the rear, deep in the sea.

Royal Gramma will swim with its belly towards substratum, thus usually upside down when under ledges, will feed off of the ectoparasites of other fish and retreats quickly into recesses when alarmed.

Live brine shrimp and other meaty foods make for an excellent source of nutrition that will tend to keep the Royal Gramma happy, but nothing is wrong with vitamin-enriched flakes for even better nutritional purposes.

Living between three and five years, the Royal Gramma can grow as much as four inches in the wild, usually only three in captivity (depending on the tank size; a minimum of 30 gallons for this species), while they enjoy a rather acidic pH of 8.1-8.4, they will usually need a carbonate hardness between 8-12 degrees, with a sensitive specific gravity from 1.020-1.025 and a temperature range from 72-80 degrees F.

When keeping more than one fish with the Royal Gramma it is important to provide a variety of hiding places to accommodate everyone more safely since the Royal Gramma doesn’t like to share its hiding places (especially with other Royal Gramma’s).

Also known as the Fairy Basslet, Royal Gramma (Gramma loreto) is a colorful starter fish recommended for the first time marine aquarist, looking for a fish that needs between easy to moderate care, loves meaty foods like ectoparasites off of other fish or live brine shrimp, is usually harmless except when defending its hiding spaces and enchanting to look at with the fairy-like hues that start as purple and gradually fade into yellow.

Found in tropical reef waters such as those of East Africa, Japan, Samoa, New Caledonia, Fiji, Marshal Islands, Solomon Islands, The Great Barrier and throughout the Indo-Pacific; the Regal Blue Tang is known by many mysterious names and has been witness to some of the great tales of our nautical history.

Palette surgeonfish, blue tang (somewhat confusing with Acanthurus coeruleus; a relative from the Atlantic Ocean), hippo tang, flagtail surgeonfish and the blue surgeonfish, its delicate blue body and yellow tail, bring to mind lost pirate treasures and sunken galleons from ages gone by, fueling our human imagination as well as our passion for the unknown.

The colorful underwater regions where the lone Regal Blue Tang will enjoy a peaceful life of hardy eating between all sorts of green algae and seaweed, is one filled with all sorts of other colorful fish and live rock that simply enchant us, making Paracanthurus hepatus so popular among saltwater aquarists young and old because of the lively aquascapes they thrive so well in.

Although generally a hardy fish, the Regal Blue Tang does need a stable environment with particularly high water quality and brisk circulation (as do most saltwater fish it will live with). But it also needs a varied diet as well as enough space, to keep it healthy, since they are susceptible to hole in the head disease (perhaps due to over-stress) and most parasitic outbreaks common among captive marine fish, lots of food, seem to keep it generally healthier.

The secret to the Regal Blue Tang (as well as with other tank species it lives with) is observation and good tank upkeep. Optimized environment, high water quality, brisk circulation, decent foods, daily greens, and the selection of only one single healthy specimen for the tank (they are territorial).

Connoisseurs of live rock, hiding spaces, swimming routes, ample room to swim in general, they can grow up to about 12 inches in the wild and about half that size while in captivity, the juvenile can support a 40 gallon tank, but the adult will need at least 150 gallons.

A healthy tank environment for the Regal Blue Tang include a steady temperature that should stay between 72-78° F, the degrees of carbonate hardness should be anywhere from 8-12 dKH (to keep the pH levels stable), specific gravity should be very precisely between 1.020-1.025 sg and the water should be rather acidic 8.1-8.4 pH, thus the carbonate hardness could mean the life or death of a Regal Blue Tang.

Feed the Regal Blue Tang well with veggie clips, seaweed and an ample supply of algae, as well as other varied food products for big eating herbivores, respect their stress levels and territorial behavior, provide them with an environment such as that which they would inhabit out on the reefs of the enchanting Indo-Pacific, observe them carefully and be a good tank steward, and they will provide an aesthetic window into a system of nature that inspires a thirst for knowledge among marine aquarists as well as the passion for those who dream.

The Threadfin Butterflyfish is generally a non-migratory species usually associated with reefs and will inhabit the ocean at a depth anywhere from 1-35 meters along the tropical environments at 30°N – 20°S, when in larger groups however, these will travel great distances in search of food.

An Indo-Pacific fish, the Threadfin Butterflyfish can be found along the pacific islands, off the coast of Eastern Africa and the Red Sea (where the name chaetodon seems to have come from).

The eye-sized black spot at the top soft portion of the dorsal fin was engineered by Mother Nature to avoid predators, but in the Red Sea, this characteristic seems to have disappeared.

This member of the chaetodontidae family is a timid, peaceful, yellow, black and white fish no bigger than eight or nine inches; found more commonly in Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Indo-Pacific, Hawaii and Fiji.

Enjoying a tank with at least 50 gallons, the Threadfin Butterflyfish prefers a highly acidic pH balance between 8.2-4, a range of 8 to 12 degrees of carbon hardness (dKH), while salt levels should maintain a specific gravity (sg) of between 1.021 and 1.023 and temperatures should remain between 72-8 degrees F.

Threadfin Butterflyfish are extremely shy, and need a lot of hiding places such as coral reefs, weedy places and rubble-covered areas.

Threadfin Butterflyfish like to tear the pieces from polychaetes, algae, coral polyps and sea anemones for food in the wild. They are oviparous and form pairs during breeding, able to double their population in just fifteen months within the proper tank conditions.

A beautiful, peace-loving marine fish, the Threadfin Butterflyfish adds a yellow, black and white contrast to any saltwater aquarium and with the hardiness to withstand beginners mistakes it is highly recommended to the first time marine aquarist.

Live rock is commonly abbreviated as LR.

LR is also referred often loosely, causing a misnomer blanket term for all LR rather than a type that falls in a specific side of a reef in relation to the closest shoreline. to as reef rock.

The rock is actually the remains of long dead coral. It is only alive when other creatures utilize the whole rock as a home.

Live rock, LR, reef rock come from true stony corals.

Different types of sea life will take over the rock based on where the rock settles.

The reef rock that land in rubble zones outside the reef are not at densely covered. This rock is better for building a reef in a salt-water fish tank.

Shore rock will be covered by other species like shrimp, and small clams. The point being that the larger creatures are still mobile.

Coral rock sold as live rock with sea fans or permanent life, is not live rock. Live rock (reef rock) undergoes a rigorous, burying, unearthing and reburying from deep-sea tides, pressures and storms.

Any life is transient. Purchasing this type of illegally acquired rock only depletes the natural reef, which is both wrong, and illegal.

The cross lattice of rock types can be defined as:

Reef Rock (the type that fall in the outer reef areas. And have sponges, as well as red, pink, and purple coralline algae) these are considered the best seeding rocks.
Shore Rock (which falls and settles between the reef and the shore. They are full of life, but many hobbyists feel that these rocks inhibit a tanks progress due to all the feeders involved)
Dead Rock (This rock has no life in, or on it. Many hobbyists use this rock by it takes longer to accomplish a growth goal in a reef tank)

There are two additional categories:
Plant Rock
Anemone Rock

Live rock is an interestingly colorful way that many hobbyists create reefs in their salt-water aquariums.

An aquarium decoration idea can range from an artificial reef shipwreck caused by an ancient sea dragon, to flamboyant florescent pink and yellow aquarium rocks with toy soldiers floating among plastic unicorns. The important thing to remember of course is that anything going into the aquarium must be hygienic and properly sterilized. Aquarium decoration for freshwater projects need far more attention and maintenance than saltwater aquarium projects do however, because a saltwater aquarium’s environment is far more chemically sensitive to biodiversity, temperature and overall chemistry, so the water should be changed as little as possible.

Find aquarium decorations on Amazon.com!

Themes such as those telling the tales of the great war fought between Athens and the lost city of Atlantis 10,000 years ago on the boarders of the known world, or of Neptune’s rage among the great sailing vessels of the Renaissance with lost treasures protected by a guardian water dragon sleeping inside an old shipwreck. Aquarium decoration is used to tell stories, speak loudly our emotions or inspire the presence of thought and creativity. The hobby of marine biology is like any other that works with the hands and that”sempra-fi” attitude, and saltwater decorations tend to reflect that. Fresh water decoration is a little different, as it can change constantly but basically the idea is what is important, and that that initial idea is transmitted through an aquascape. To do this one must look long and hard into their own mind’s eye and request an answer to the enigma, “What do I want to say with this?”

Merely knowing what an aquarium decoration is for is not the end though. Hygiene is absolutely necessary. Whether it is a delicate saltwater environment, or freshwater, if an old Dragonlance Loftwyre action figure toy dragon scrounged from the neighbors garage sale is being used to represent the Thomas Hobbes Leviathan, and an old wooden replica of the Queen Anne’s Revenge with “Le Concorde de Nantes” etched delicately into the side of the prow for independent free market trade. This aquascape makes a very intellectually refined political statement, but unfortunately, wood does not make the best of decorations for onesolid reason… Hygiene. Be sure that they are scrubbed well and have absolutely no yucky crud on them. If the aquarium decorations are slippery or oily to the touch, then they still need to be properly cleaned more, because they should be squeaky to the touch with traction.

When dealing with saltwater aquarium decoration like artificial coral reef and historical shipwreck plastic toys, sterilization is the most important thing. About one table spoon of bleach for every five gallons of water should bethe perfect sterilization solution. Just immerse that ancient green dragon with long neck and penetrating aggressive expression into a bucket with an image of St. George in full plate-male armor, his dragon slayer lance and a flying citadel that looks like Neuschwanstein for 1 minute or so. Don’t leave the decorations too long in the solution, or else they can be bleached clean.

Even buying a new artificial reef, plastic aquarium dragon, or special buccaneer shipwreck, all aquarium decoration needs to be hygienic. The mind’s eye will tell of course what those possibilities are and what themes most complete the owners tastes. Improvising aquarium decorations is the more conventional way, by scrounging around in the garage or closet for an idea or two, but the best thing is to build an aquarium decoration that says or states something personal about the person or for the person to whom it is intended. Aquarium decoration with a shipwreck and flying white winter ice dragon, over an artificial reef isthe kind decoration that speaks through the language of art. The art of Aquascaping.

Saltwater aquarium care requires more than just checking daily and maintenance, it is curiosity, observation and study. Cleaning a saltwater aquarium is different from freshwater aquariums due to the delicate balance in the ecosystem that must be maintained. Keeping the temperature, chemical balance, adequate food and fertilizer supply in accordance to detailed observations and research is FAR more important to keeping the ecosystem healthy. In the event of an imbalance in any contained saltwater aquascape, the important thing is to always remember three basic rules: Isolate Treat and Adapt. How about reading a book on the subject?

Keeping the water clean is not as easy as scrubbing algae off the glass as in fresh water aquariums. Saltwater aquarium inhabitants are much more sensitive and delicate. Their artificial environment must be maintained in close approximation with their natural habitat in the ocean. This can be ever so difficult for them, as the very level of saltwater density in and of itself is a chemical solution that they must become accustomed to over a period of time. The shock of a new environment can be very hard on the organisms living in a saltwater aquarium tank that has just been prepared, so in order to change the water, without totally destroying their nice comfortable conditions, a new solution of saltwater should be added to the already existing solution about once a month. It may be necessary to remove 10-15% of the old water, but more than that can be harmful to the ecological balance. Other than this, protein skimmers (mechanical filters and sumps), biological filters, and chemical filters like activated carbon must be kept clean manually (especially mechanical filters) but can do the rest of the water cleaning on their own and be very beneficial to equilibrium in the aquarium.

Curiosity, observation and study are the overall most important factors in keeping a saltwater aquarium healthy and stable. Most aquarist take their own curiosity for granted, but it is the very mystery of this enchanted aquatic realm that drives us to delve in its study. Be curious; let curiosity guide your observations and research. Gaze into the confines of the transparent aquarium wall and just observe the fish, coral, crustaceans, sand spiders, invertebrates, plants and algae, one creature at a time, carefully. Be sure and study their behaviors, so you know their personalities. What they like, what they don’t like, where they like to hide, if they like to play and where? What is their favorite food, and how do they act when it’s time to eat? Observing these things will determine in part how they behave when they are well, but most importantly when they are not, and why not. The more a person knows about their natural habitat, the more they can speculate on how to fix these challenges when they occur.

In the case of an aquarium inhabitant that is unhappy, or even worse… in the case of a disaster, like the tank water needs to be replaced completely, due to a crack in the aquarium or whatever, isolation is the only option. Having more than one refugium is a really good idea. Not merely for eventual imbalances in the aquarium ecology, but also when deciding to introduce new inhabitants into the environment. Refugiums can be completely isolated or only partly isolated. In the event of partial isolation, then the same aquarium water that comes from the tank is oxygenated in the refugium, or filtered, or just flown. But in the case of complete containment, water from the aquarium main tank is introduced into a separate well cleansed refugium with all the appropriate equipment for any saltwater aquarium and left running on its own with the new inhabitant. Complete isolation is very common when an organism has taken ill and must be kept from contaminating the other organisms. Partial isolation is more common when introducing a new inhabitant to the artificial conditions of saltwater aquariums.

Lastly, it’s essential to remember that saltwater aquarium cleaning and care is based on curiosity, observation and study. Keeping water clean by changing only 10-15% once a month and taking care of the filters by cleaning them manually will help keep ecological balance. Researching, observing and general curiosity will inspire the aquarist to study carefully the behavior of each and every inhabitant, so as to take action in the case of imbalance as well as knowing how to care for the ecology to increase sustainability. Occasional isolation can be either partial or complete, but is only needed to either help a new organism adapt to the new environment or an imbalanced and ill organism regain its place in the fascinating kingdom of a Neptunium ecosystem, reminiscent of ideal Utopian societies from the days when Athens was at war with Atlantis.

Saltwater aquarium coral is any breed of marine coral small enough to survive within the confines of an artificially constructed ecosystem, usually denoted as reef aquariums. Coral come from the phylum Cnidaria (Nigh-dare-ee-ya) and are classified as members of the more than 6,000 species of anthozoans living in the earths oceans. Coral possess very simple yet fascinating anatomies, and can be divided into roughly three kinds, stony, soft and short polyped corals. For aquarists interested in this area of marine biology, lighting is a very important concept as the survival of a coral bed relies on conditions that reflect not only the natural habitat for food, but also air, and light to survive. This delicate balance between night and day, contrasted to depth, is directly related to the symbiotic foundation of the coral’s relationship with vital algae.

Anemones, sea pansies, and especially sea fans also fall into the category of anthozoans and can be wonderful additions to any reef aquarium, but have slightly different anatomies compared to coral. Coral make their distinction in the undersea community first and foremost as some of the oldest animals in the world dating as far back as 400 million years. In this time they have come to evolve over the last 25 million years, rivaling the longevity of even the oldest shelf of the Brazilian Amazon rain forest.

Stony coral have been responsible for some of the largest and most beautiful biologically conceived structures in the world. Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) or limestone is their secreting product responsible for fringing, barrier and atoll reefs in nature. Soft coral have no hard skeletal structure such as this and can exist in far deeper regions of the sea where light is scarce. Short polyped corals produce far less calcium carbonate than true stony corals, but still work on around the basic principle, their main difference is appearance.

Living coral itself is the polyp, a kind of aquatic flower, with an opening or mouth for food [planktonic larvae (planulae)], tentacles (or no), epidermis and gastrodermis. The varieties of coral, and in depth description of all the different variations of anatomy, make this explanation quite simpleton, but necessary, and in turn shows the coral reef aquarium study for what it truly is; an incredibly enigmatic and philosophical area of marine biology that brings us ever closer to understanding our very selves.

Lighting is essential to the process of this symbiotic relationship between zooxanthellae and coral. What makes aquarium coral so complex for saltwater hobbyists is usually trying to figure out what lighting is best for which kind of coral. The answer to this is really quite simple; DEPTH. The spectrum of light arriving, to achieve photosynthesis among the beneficial algae will depend on how much light and at what depth, what spectrum is being reached, and this changes the deeper one goes. Of coarse the color coral have is transmitted from their algae, and thus if no algae is present, these coral become bleach white (hence the term “bleaching coral”). On a basic rule of thumb, light gets darker and thinner the farther a coral is found, however the more light, the more algae seem to prosper.

Zooxanthellae (zo-ox-an-thel-ee) are algae that depend on coral for survival as much as the opposite is true. Coral don’t do everything alone, zooxanthellae breath carbon dioxide, which coral exhale, and inorganic nutrients such as phosphates and nitrates, thereby producing glycerol, amino acids and glucose utilized as the basics for proteins, carbohydrates, fats and the synthesis of calcium carbonate (CaCO3).

The cultivation of coral in the saltwater aquarium is a journey into earths past. It is a way of discovering who we are and where we come from. With the ancient world of coral we have evolved into far more complex yet no less interesting forms of life. When looking down into the cascading rhythm limestone and algae, the very skeleton of natures plan to harvest the first tide pools becomes as clear as tropical reefs on equatorial summer afternoons. The relaxing effect from the natural coral reef aquarium brings the saltwater hobbyist into a deeper and more intrinsic state of mental consciousness, as if sunlight had penetrated into different spectrum through the layers of grey matter. The chemistry involved in delicate saltwater aquarium coral keeping is a balance that must be given special attentions and study. Life becomes more incredible once understanding of how life in the deepest fathoms of the sea to the reaching edges of a tide pool can be so fragile, yet like the Greek sailors of old, beautiful and poetic.

Saltwater aquarium supplies are all tools, parts and equipment necessary to actively participate in the mysterious underwater adventure of marine aquarium study. When thinking initially about what kind of supplies that need to be bought, found or recycled to get started with that summer camp oceanography merit badge, the main word to keep in mind is balance. Three different areas need to be balanced, organic, mechanical and chemical. Supplying the proper organic balance means choosing before hand the fish, plants, invertebrates, live rock, live sand and biological filters to be used. Mechanical balance supply can range from hood or canopy, lighting, tank, stand, pumps to mechanical filters. Chemical balance can be achieved by supplying the correct amounts of oxygen, CO2, nitrite, nitrate and ammonia, levels at the proper temperature.

Supplying organic balance to the microcosm of an artificial aquatic sea realm means supplying life. Fish and plants are the main reasons aquarists study saltwater biology, but pure coral and sand can be just as exciting. Marine life can be easily found in the sea, but more importantly that they pertain to areas that are of the same climatic conditions. If the sea is not so close, it would be far more economical to import them from exotic named ports and beach front countries from around the world. Economical does not mean cheap, so choose wisely in accordance to the capacity of the hobbyists pocketbook. Everything else will depend on this choice of balance.

Supplying mechanical balance for any given saltwater aquarium is a relatively simple question of understanding the mechanical reproduction of the living organism’s natural habitat. Lighting gives the affect of night and day (light can ultimately mean the difference between life and death to coral reef and invertebrate aquariums) pumps do the work of waves, filters the work of moving sand, tides and beach foam. CO2 injectors can provide the work of fish gills without all the pollutants. Tank style, size and shape, as well as stands and hoods can all cater to the philosophical nature of the saltwater aquarium. Oceanic study supplies the intellect with deeper meaning, while aquarium aesthetics supply the soul with passionate understanding of the deep human mysteries hidden below the titanic depths of the everlasting sea.

Chemical balance is supplied through careful observation of environmental ecological factors to support life, such as oxygen and CO2 levels, nitrite and nitrate content, as well as dangerous amounts of ammonia. Plants tend to supply the most amounts of oxygen, but if oxygen levels are down, then more air needs to be running through the saltwater solution (usually by using a pump or waterfall). CO2 levels are normally kept up or down by the amount of fish and other oxygen consuming inhabitants (however CO2 injectors are available at local saltwater aquarium shops). Nitrite, nitrate and ammonia levels are all directly influenced by organisms that give off decomposable organic material, such as dead plants, and fish wastes. Chemical filters such as activated carbon or specific resins can be used, but normally pumps, biological and mechanical filters such as protein skimmers can keep water clean enough for the most sensitive of inhabitants, unless there is an imbalance already in natural ecology. Chemical balance can become a very important issue in reef only, fish only, plant only, or any other isolated saltwater environment, because one organisms waste is another’s food. Take away one organism and the other must be supplied artificially with sustenance.

The locked mystery that clenches our dry land human existence to the confines of atmospheric pressure and oxygen is the secret enigma which drives marine biologists to delve into the fascination of saltwater aquascapes. The delicate and fragile balance between recreating the fantastic wonder of the oceans habitat and complete disaster, is weighed between organic, mechanical and chemical equilibrium. Organic balance is obtained through the correct supply of living organisms, those that complement one another in a friendly way. Mechanical balance ascertains evolved philosophical and intellectual meaning when properly studying external and internal artificial functions of saltwater equipment in a closed environment. Chemical balance is supplied through the dynamic internal study and maintenance of isolated decomposing organic compounds such as ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, oxygen and CO2. All of these components are supplied by authorized saltwater aquarium outlets, as they can also be found in nature and adapted to supply hours of fun and intellectual discovery.

Saltwater aquarium lighting is the artificial reproduction of marine light to the benefit of all marine life, thriving within the confines of any given artificial ecosystem. The study of saltwater lighting can be directed into three main areas of interest to the aquarium hobbyist, fish-only tanks, reef-only tanks, and lighting combinations. Fish-only tanks tend to need less attention as to the kinds of bulbs and tubes chosen for the reproduction of night and day. Reef-only tanks are more sensitive however, and depend on the delicate balance of photosynthesis for survival. Lighting combinations vary in accordance to the different depths being imitated in the marine aquarium.

The study of light is traditionally found in physics, while the study of the sea is found in marine biology; the biophysics of marine light, is a broad area that blends these fields in a fascinating and poetic fashion. If a fish-only saltwater aquarium is what the hobbyist is doing, then this part of understanding how light works underwater may not be so important, unless dealing with certain kinds of light sensitive fish, but mostly standard plastic aquarium hoods bought at the local pet store come with the proper wattage per gallon. In a 55 gallon saltwater aquarium for example, a common twin tube hood will produce 5,500K (Kelvin) each for about 20,000 hrs, which is usually plenty of light for fish to distinguish the difference between night and day. Concentrating on just one aspect of the saltwater aquarium at any given stage can be most useful, and beginners can find doing the one tank for one thing method most helpful, as it gives them time to research more thoroughly each area before developing more complicated environments.

Reef-only saltwater aquariums are more exiting to biophysicists interested in dealing with marine lighting, as the possibilities expand in accordance to the level of diversity and depth. Three to five watts per gallon in a reef aquarium can be considered ideal in a reef-only tank if shallow enough, as it should provide the intensity adequate for photosynthesis. But more importantly, coral life is structured around depth which is measured in CRI (Color Rendition Index) or K (Kelvin). Different species of coral live at different spectrums and the rule for basic color spectrum is; the deeper a reef goes, the darker the light becomes, with rapid change, until no light is left. This representation of the color spectrum found in aquarist’s tanks must be introduced one species at a time, as there are different species of coral that prefer different depths.

Lighting combinations will vary according to what thriving in the aquascape. Aquarists use diverse methods to adequately offer lighting, but aside from using a skylight aquarium based around the sun and moon, artificial jargons range from fluorescents and metal halides, to Wattage, CRI (Color Rendition Index) and K (Kelvin). With wattage, longer tubes provide more watts, and categories in watts range form NO (normal output), HO (high output) and VHO (very high output). The two different kinds of lighting most common are fluorescent and metal halides. Metal halides tend to be far closer to natural light, but at far higher temperatures, and can usually call for refrigeration units to keep the temperature of the water at a certain level; they also should be kept at about 12 inches from the surface of the water. Fluorescent lighting needs to be bought at different CRI or K to produce the desired effect inside the aquarium, so as to cater to the different kinds of marine life and should be kept at about six inches from the top. Space is important when dealing with lighting as the aquarium’s surface water needs to be exposed to oxygen and have places to put tubing, filters, pumps… etc. However, a screen of some kind can help protect the fish from cats, and high-jumping contests.

Saltwater aquarium lighting is an excellent way to home school about the biophysics of marine light spectrums, and the different forms of aquatic life that can or cannot thrive at these different depths. For beginners, a fish-only tank could be less troublesome when not fully understanding the whole concept of underwater light in the sea. For reef-only enthusiasts, this science can become an intriguing vision into the aesthetically pleasing realm of underwater rainbows. Choosing the proper combination of lighting for the given saltwater aquarium environment is simple once the details of that environment’s natural setting has been well studied and understood.

This page: Saltwater Aquarium Lighting

Essentially, the Saltwater aquarium tank is the physical housing in which the hobbyist confines an artificial ecosystem, of marine life. The saltwater aquarium tank can be made of many materials, but mostly acrylic, glass and wood are the commonly commercialized products that integrate the tanks physical structure, design, shape and size. Other options of materials are as wide ranged as the fertile kingdom of human imagination, but aside from the main housing, the tank also has parts, such as the refugium, the stand and the hood or canopy. To be complete however; no tank can be useful, without equipments, such as pumps, silencers, heaters, CO2 injectors, coolers and filters.

The saltwater tank, is not just an artificial reconstruction of marine habitat, the saltwater tank is like a flashing glimpse of one simple piece of mother natures underwater beauty. The ocean is a place so foreign to land animals such as humans, we so desire to understand the mysteries of the ocean that we build transparent walls of acrylics and glass. We build reinforcement around the edges and below from treated woods and metals. Many designs appear, such as the wall aquarium that hides itself between the confines of a barrier, thereby demonstrating the nature of our distance from Poseidon’s realm.

As 11,000 years ago, when according to Plato’s dialogues (Critias and Timaeus); the god of the sea punished the Atlanteans by swallowing their advanced civilization into the hidden depths of his world. As do we today with the external parts of the aquarium tank. Hidden from the open eye, such items as the hood and the canopy have the role of confining unnatural lighting. While the stand of the saltwater tank, is used to disguise everything else that it needs to maintain its delicate balance. A stand could also hide the refugium; an extension of the aquarium itself, used to confine certain elements without completely removing them from the environment, as refugiums use the same water as the tank itself.

But as humankind is but a shadow of the true god of the sea, it can only hope to one day achieve such perfection as the sea itself. Thus the need for devices and equipment that can do the same jobs done by Mother Nature herself. Equipment such as the pump for moving air bubbles around in the tank’s saltwater, help oxygen needy organisms breath and survive. Filters to keep the water clean, CO2 injectors for large amounts of plant life, heaters and coolers as needed according to desired tank water temperature, can all be stealthily hidden away under the stand or behind the wall that keeps concentration focused on the illusion of the enchanting aquascape inside the microcosm of the saltwater aquarium tank.

The saltwater aquarium tank is a moving image of a world untouchable by human lungs. A place of splendor and wonder that is cause for inspiration and imagination among the Muses of Mnemosyne (the goddess of memory). The saltwater tank can be made of anything transparent and solid, such as glass or acrylic, and could be as small as a box on the table to as large as a marine water park in Hawaii. The parts of a tank such as the stand, the canopy and refugium can be but wooden columns below the crystal silicon glass of a round saltwater aquarium or as extravagant as underground machine houses, tucked below the vegetation of a saltwater marsh or pond in the backyard garden with a Japanese stone lantern with florescent lighting and a series of adjacent ponds that intertwine and connect through a sequence of cascading water falls and aqueducts. Equipment is the final aspect of marine biology labs such as those done in a tank, as the pumps, coolers, heaters, filters and such are what keep the fragile balance only done better by Nature herself.

This page: Saltwater Aquarium Tank

Every plant in the sea has its place. This place was determined through billions of years of evolution, and of this, humankind knows so little. To make the choice of which saltwater plants to enchant the underwater kingdom of any aquarist’s new project, there are some vital things to consider.

Are the plants going to be accepted by the other inhabitants?

Are the plants going to accept the environments chemical balance?

Will the temperature and lighting be acceptable?

Acceptance is a tricky area, as it is not just the inhabitants that need to accept the plans, but their organisms as well. That is; are the plants going to be aggressive to the other living creatures in the aquarium? If the plants are sick, or have the habit of giving off an excess of harmful chemicals or are by nature themselves toxic, then they can be considered aggressive. If the contrary is so, such as fish that like to eat the plant, or attack the root system, or don’t give off enough CO2, then it is the aquascape itself which is aggressive. In either case, planting the newcomer in a refugium for a while might be the solution. Or not, this really depends on looking at all the factors of the aquarium as intermingling organic systems that thrive off of one another within a sacred niche.

Chemical balance is not just merely the artificial injection of CO2 and an air compressor, blowing huge bubbles in the tank. Delicate concepts like KH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, need to be carefully analyzed in order to fully comprehend the magnitude of marine biology. Marine ecology in nature is so vastly complex in this sense, that philosophical debates have been responsible for some of the most incredible naval mythologies since the ancient Phoenicians first set sail around Africa with the Polaris star as their navigating compass. Myth is strong, and without Cartesian thinking, and Aristotelian exploration of nature, we are blinded by our expectations. Only this kind of research will uncover the material truths of a saltwater aquarium. If developing in accordance to natural habitat, then it is important to know what that habitat really is, otherwise, no matter how much synthetic medicine is thrown in any artificial saltwater ecosystem, it will continue to degrade.

One main cause of insupportable degradation in all saltwater aquariums is algae. Algae loves to thrive in the hobbyist’s projects, because algae are everywhere in tide pools, Nature’s closest thing to an aquarium. To keep the aesthetics of an aquarium, and avoid thriving algae, it is necessary to replace about 25% of the saltwater every two weeks or so, unless developing a sustainable system that has water moving around into algae destroying refugiums, which is a possibility.

All in all, what most plants need to survive, other than lots of CO2 and a safe place to root, is light and temperature. Temperatures inside the aquarium cannot vary constantly because they don’t in the wild. If they do, then plants and livestock die. Too hot or too cold, can be lethal to any marine dweller. As important as compatible temperatures, is the proper lighting. If the lighting is too low, some forms of plant life will not be able to do photosynthesis, and thus feed the rest of the aquascape properly and finally get ill and die of suffocation. Lighting and temperatures must be compatible.

Plants need to be chosen carefully, in accordance to the other living organisms inside the confines of the saltwater aquarium. The combination between plants and livestock must be both healthy and happy. Plants need to be adequate to the chemical balance (KH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, CO2… etc) and conditions (light and temperature) already existent within the closed ecosystem. Once well researched and thoroughly studied, the unseen world of Jules Vern can become a foundation for human inspiration and the will to live, by simply keeping a saltwater aquarium with plants that remind us of what it is to be a part of nature’s mysteries.

Saltwater aquarium fish are different from freshwater aquarium fish, in that in nature they come from the ocean instead of lakes and streams. The kinds of saltwater fish used in the aquarium are as diverse as those found in the ocean itself, but most aquarists will use tropical marine life to fill their aquascape, with colorful underwater paradises. The most important detail in knowing how to choose fish for the marine aquarium is doing the research properly. The huge diversity that separates the fish so much is what makes it so challenging to get the proper ecological combination of cycled chemicals, temperature and other inhabitants.

One sure fire method to know the saltwater fish that go together, is to study their natural habitat. If some prey off of others, then they certainly won’t last long in the same aquarium. There are many people who used to just go out to the sea, collect some of the water from the ocean and species from that region and put them in a bathtub to see what would happen, these are more like oceanographers than hobbyists, and are far more interested in the philosophical nature of ocean life. Most inhabitants already in the saltwater aquarium by the time a cautious aquarist has cycled well the environment will be, living sand, living rock, underwater plants and crustaceans before any fish are introduced. And unless living in a tropical region, most hobbyists are going to find themselves spending lots of money in maintaining excellent chemical balance that is directly in accordance to a tropical fish environment.

Temperature is just as important to cold water fish as to tropical fish and knowing if the saltwater fish will be compatible the other inhabitants in the aquarium is only the first step. Cycling the proper chemical balance, so that the same temperature flows throughout the tank is essential for exotic fish survival. Clown fish for example come from the India Ocean and would not enjoy the northern Pacific to swim in. Usually the warmer climate fish have a larger variety of colors due to coral reef photosynthesis, making such clear under water rainbows to swim in.

Choosing the proper saltwater fish is also very important if both they and the other aquarium inhabitants are to survive the claustrophobic artificial environment of a saltwater tank. Make sure that they are healthy and eat properly. Patience can go a long way in saltwater fish buying, as time will tell if they are really healthy and eating properly. Go back and check on the fish many times throughout the month to be sure that they haven’t taken ill or been in any fights. If they come from a natural habitat, then they could need to be cycled in isolation for a few days until they get used to the new temperature, and if too aggressive, then perhaps they would prefer isolation to living in community, one of the better reasons to choose from a specialized saltwater aquarium shop. Healthy fish are not only those with no disease, they are also those that are happy fish. If fish don’t want to eat, or they look really nervous or unhappy in their current aquarium, then they could be depressed, which is one of the first signs of unhealthiness. Unhappy fish get sick easy and can make other fish sick.

Compatibility, Temperature and Health; compatible fish will be used to the same kind of ecological community in which they find themselves in nature and will be happier in a place that tries to imitate those given conditions. Temperature is important to all saltwater fish as they really cannot tolerate temperatures that exceed or do not achieve their natural habitat, and temperature stability is far more comfortable for them. Healthy saltwater aquarium fish are happy saltwater aquarium fish, and to be sure that they are healthy it is always a good idea to patiently study them for a couple of weeks to a month before bringing them home, most salesmen, are only interested in getting them out of the store and in your aquarium as fast as possible.

This page: Saltwater Aquarium Fish

Saltwater aquarium setup is pretty straight forward, just be sure that everything has been well planned out and conceived in detail in your mind’s mind. Conceptualization of a saltwater aquarium may or may not take into account the resources available to the hobbyist. It’s not everyday, that a hobbyist has all the equipment right on hand and may be the type who wants to do some conventional improvisation. However, the general rules around healthy saltwater aquariums are very simple. How about reading a few books?

Throwing a bunch of stuff together like in a freshwater aquarium can lead to serious disaster and as the stakes are far higher in saltwater aquarium hobbying, that should mean simply be more attent and cautious.

Planning the idea of what the saltwater aquarium is to look like and do when it is finally finished is the key to understanding the whole setup process, as it is in the creation stage that organized procedures can be most fully organized. But once it is fully known what the hobbyist is looking for in their tank project, everything from buying all the equipment to maintaining the ecosystem healthy and stable once a month can be as fun as following an old pirate’s treasure map. Even if black and white images of Errol Flynn’s (1935) Captain Blood don’t go sailing through your mind, an adventurous spirit of the ocean’s mysteries will help define in detail what should come first, second and third. For example, if there is an old aquarium castle half broken and unused in the utility shed, and piled over by a mountain of saltwater aquarium books, it could just be the element of inspiration needed to start planning; the point is to plan around what is available, both in the mind’s eye and old equipment.

Aside from the human imagination, the setup will include equipment. Buying what is needed at the local aquarium hobby shop isn’t the end all to everything in this hobby. An aquascape reminiscent of “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” can be done just as effectively by the scrounging country teenager bent on sustainable utopian green living in Southern Dakota, as by the multimillion dollar marine biologist building a 300,000 gallon saltwater aquarium for the corporate elite in Tokyo, Japan. But ingenuity can go a long way in any project, no matter what size.

When getting down to the hard-nose work of setup, procedures must be followed. This means following the basics, hygiene and order. ONE THING AT A TIME! And BE SURE IT IS CLEAN BEFORE USING! Because a saltwater aquarium is a very sensitive ecosystem and the more sensitive the livestock and plants, the more these rules MUST be kept clearly in mind. Of course the equipment must be working as well, so usually the first thing is making sure the tank to be used doesn’t leak. This is called EXAMINATION of all equipment parts. It would be unfortunate if the water was all set, ready to go and the tank started leaking. So be sure everything is working properly and all necessary parts are available.

Sanitation is the next issue; be sure everything has been well cleaned to kill germs, like in a hospital. Water is a vibrant media for life on earth, so be sure that the only thing living in it will be WHAT IS PUT IN IT MANUALLY. This can be done by scrubbing everything; the tank, the plastic plants, castles, wreaked sea ships, pumps, tubing, filters… everything. A teaspoon of bleach for every five gallons of water being used in sterilization should be fine, then rinse thoroughly.

Once clean, follow the directions on the filtration system box, unless using an alternative system, and get the tank ready for substrate by sanitizing it and pouring about one pound of gravel for every one gallon of water that the tank holds. Make absolute certain that the water to be used is fresh and has NO chlorine or chemicals of any kind; pure water. Put the plants in the substrate by anchoring them (just push their roots gently below the surface of the substrate and collect enough gravel around the plant base to keep it from floating to the top of the tank. Now take a look at the hydrometer (a device used to tell how much salt has been dissolved by the water), and add salt until the desired density (the name for this is not salinity, because absurd amounts of salt effect buoyancy), usually for most projects approximately 1.020 to 1.023 Kh.

Fill the aquarium to about one inch from the top and begin pumping air through the filtration system. Install the thermometer and heater to the correct temperature in accordance to the chosen marine environment (most marine life prefers 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. This should run for around 72 hours to make sure the water is moving and the temperature constant throughout the aquarium. Cycling is a delicate procedure and needs to be done in order to make sure that all the chemical levels are at the proper settings for the desired underwater marine aquascape inside the saltwater aquarium. It is the slow formation of beneficial bacteria inside the filter and other areas of the aquarium that do the job of keeping things clean.

Is the biological cycle correct? That depends on the choice of livestock, live rock, live sand, and how powerful the filter is. Sometimes a protein skimmer is necessary, to cut down on pollution when really dirty fish are used. But the ecological equilibrium is the most important aspect and it is as sensitive as the time given to run through cycles. Sometimes adding different fish, coral or anything else means making sure that it has been isolated from the rest for some period of time to be sure that that organism will adapt to the aquarium’s artificial ecosystem.

Summing up saltwater aquarium setup, be sure and KEEP CLEAN, by CYCLING and HYGIENEZATION. And plan to setup things ONE AT A TIME! Ideas, plans, equipment, hygiene, water, live sand, live rock, coral and livestock… Use cycles between each addition to maintain balance; once finished, the hobbyist can be Captain Nemo, trapped inside his sub with the giant squid attacking… An explorer into the mysteries of the oceanic world so alien to those of us trapped on land. If anything, once setup, the world of saltwater aquariums can reveal the unknown, and bring us just that much closer to setting up freedom.

1. First a marine aquarium (saltwater aquarium), must have an idealized “combination” of living organisms for its ecological balance and survival.
2. Second, a good saltwater aquarium is very different from those of the traditional freshwater aquarium hobby, in that a certain level of research must be done in order to fully comprehend the concept of “chemical” balance, which is the breath of life for every form of marine life.
3. Thirdly, without the proper equipment, no aquarium can sustain the natural conditions found in 75 percent of the earths surface; the sea.

A place of enchantment, legend and myth, the sea is home to a diverse and still as of yet not completely understood plethora of living creatures. In this fragile balance of mother-nature’s womb, to which Darwinists acclaim is the origin of all life on the planet earth, we as humans learn about ourselves and the world around us. A saltwater aquarium is a way to harness scientific knowledge about one’s own self, and the vast and infinite world around themselves, through the dedicated study and cultivation of marine life.

Choosing the combination of a saltwater aquarium’s marine inhabitants is for this reason, a very personal one. Be a saltwater aquarium, based on local sea life, this can be as easy as privately taking the weekend to go scuba diving near a coral reef and/or just going out in the early morning during low tide, and collecting in a bucket of sea water, hundreds of tiny crustacean and invertebrates caught in the tide pools; or as complicated as a 500 liter transparent tank, filled with delicate and carefully made artificial sea water and exotic tropical fish hiding between living colorful coral and sand that reminisce of Plato’s dialogues Timaeus and Critias, and the great war between Athens and Atlantis, thousands of years ago, before the deluge.

Marine life is so infinitely diverse and complex, that keeping any given selection in captivity, gets more and more complicated the smaller the tank. The chemical saltwater balance in the aquarium must not only make sure that living creatures get the proper amounts of oxygen, as they do the correct proportion of microminerals (trace elements) such as molybdenum, zinc, manganese, cobalt, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, selenium and chromium. How the water is balanced chemically will be determined by what goes into the tank, as certain combinations, prefer certain combinations. If saltwater is directly collected from the ocean, this balance can be very unstable, as it usually contains unhealthy organisms and balances that can only be used with local sea life. Artificially made seawater will be far more controllable, but far more demanding of certain understandings in basic chemistry. This search for understanding is one of the main reasons why enthusiasts enjoy saltwater aquariums so much more than freshwater aquariums, as each and every new saltwater project is an adventure of discovery in and of itself.

As the relative size of the sea is so astronomical compared to land mass, the ability to reconstruct the same conditions as found in any given region, vary accordingly. Thus a tropical water angel fish would not survive the ice cold waters of northern Greenland nor would a bottom dwelling cold water crustacean enjoy the tropical florescent lights of an equatorial 5 gallon living rock aquarium. For this reason, certain kinds of equipment such as filters, pumps, air compressors, heaters, lamps and water testing kits are all used in recreating the natural conditions best suited for those given creatures. Without these precautions, and regular maintenance and upkeep, a saltwater aquarium would not be possible, as it is a recreation of what mother-nature already does perfectly. A recreation we do not merely do for the joy involved in playing with exotic fish, but also in the quest for quenching the everlasting human thirst for understanding.

Saltwater aquariums are different from freshwater aquariums in that they consist in a far larger and more intensely diverse organization of ecology. The smaller they get, the more complex and intellectual their composition of combining biodiversity. Without careful respect for the elements found in sea water by paying close attention to chemical balance, no saltwater aquarium projects are even possible. With such immense possibilities of ecosystems, artificial conditions must recreate exactly and with precision the roles of temperature, oxygenation, ph, lighting… etc. by having the proper choices in equipment. Once well planed and carefully constructed, a saltwater aquarium can bring answers to some of even the deepest philosophical Darwinian questions.

This page: Saltwater Aquarium