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.

While mixing tap water in to create a saltwater solution the use of a tap water purifier cleans out bacteria and viral threats to you aquarium life.

There are many good systems available on the market that will process tap water effectively.

These tap water filtration systems are needed by people wanting to create saltwater by mixing tap water as their water source in mixing up fresh saltwater of their marine, and reef aquariums.

With these devices manufactures research has concluded that UV light is more effective at killing viruses than chlorine.

A good example of this is the Tap Master ULTRA Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System that filters and lamp in this product change out quickly.

When the purification systems do not use chemicals, or contain the resulting by-products of these chemicals the flavor of the water is consistent.

If we can taste the difference, these chemical reactions will affect the balance of ph in the tank. This is why using a ultra-violet system is better for the resulting saltwater mixture.

There are home-made water filters made from PVC pipe, a commercial filter, a fabric hose and rubber cement glue. But this method has not incorporated a tested or untested UV light into the filtration process yet.

The water purifier filters the water down to a micron. Then it is flushed into a chamber where the UV light is focused intensely so that it penetrates cell walls of dangerous organisms. This either kills the organism, or destroys their DNA. This destruction makes it impossible for them to propagate further.

There are four methods of water purification: Chlorine, Ultra-violet radiation, iodine, and distillation. The Environmental Protection Agency says that ultra-violet radiation is the safest, most effective water purification method.

The effects are immediate. This UV process leaves no chemicals in the water at all.

If the water is murky, the unfiltered particulate could potentially block the UV from effectively reaching the organism.

In filters like the Tap Master Ultra UV is on of three methods of purification used.
This can cause one system adversely affect another system.

In the case of this product: The iron and magnesium can damage the casing of the ultra-violet light. The manufacturer recommends a life on each light for this reason.

Without anything to compare to it, determining if this is due to deliberate design flaws in order to sell more UV bulbs on the part of the manufacturer or the industry.

It is true that using a tap water purifier makes mixing fresh saltwater for an aquarium cheaper than buying water that is already professionally distilled. And purifiers with more than one method for removing or killing off dangerous material or organisms via ultra-violet light is the best way to accomplish this.

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.

Taking care of the zebra cichlid is easy. Zebra convict cichlids grow to be five to six inches long. The feminine expression in this species remains. The word remains is used because most species start out as female, until at various points in pre-birth, pre-hatch stages hormones change some females into males. This is true of most species with two generally separate sexes a few inches smaller in physical length.

These fish are considered very tough. Larger fish in your tank will have a hard time bullying or eating it.

If the pH is steady convict or zebra cichlid can live comfortably in the 6 8 range.

These creatures like temperatures between 60° to 80° F which equals to 20°to 27° C.

This naming issue is specially important since convicts no longer wear stripes. So, the visual reference is already being lost to antiquity to the current grade school generation. This is a generation who associate a full body suit or mechanics work wear that is primarily hunters orange with the idea of being imprisoned.

A necessary reminder is that hunters orange, and what now is also convicts orange is used as a color because it isn’t found naturally among the colors in nature on land.

In the case of the hunter, this means not being shot by other hunters. That is mistaken for game animals by other humans.

Zebra Convict Cichlids protecting their fry

For this same reason, this color that visually stands out is chosen for convicts so that they will be noticed easily in woods or any other terrain.

The species Archocentrus nigrofasciatus that is more commonly referred to as convict cichlid, and less commonly (although very common) referred to as Zebra Cichlid needs to hold with function over form. Since most people in the coming years will understand the zebra reference, and sooner than later the convict ref will be drawing on too vague of an icon from the past, the convict reference should be de-emphasized; and the zebra reference should be the focal point for visual reference.

If people from the 18^th century start time traveling and need to reference what they are seeing in contemporary reef tanks. We can add a side note for them.

But until then, making sure that common names of animals make sense to immediate future generations is part of the responsibility of chronographers in the present era.

For the sakeof search engines, the convict term is necessary until the term falls into iconographic irrelevance and the zebra nomenclature survives it.

It is important to suggest that the convict moniker is not just for the stripes alone. Since this fish is so able to take care of its own against fish twice its size; a poetic license is warranted in adding the convict moniker.

However, most prison violence is based on a need to be violent to make a point in order erecta border around ones personal space. Not unlike a reef tank at all.

Which context will carry into the next generation of reef tank enthusiast remains to be seen.

But one hopes no one names the next species of florescent self illuminating orange looking octopus squid still undiscovered in the deep the prison gang fish due to the coloration, self illumination, and the fact that they can withstand a lot of pressure in a hostile environment. :)

Imagine snorkeling after low tide several for miles with these long spine urchins beneath your belly, thighs and knees. Then finally be able to level off from the careful frog surface crawl, with hundreds, if not thousands of these lovelies rolling in the tide only three or four inches below your entire body as you also bob with the tide.

So many long spine urchins rolling about in fact; that walking is a sure way to get stung badly, numerous times.

And when you relax to tread water in the coral bowl, you find that the area is also occupied by a mama shark (stuck in the bowl until the tide rolls in) is already forming a warning crescent less that fifty or sixty feet away.

And now its time to go frog crawl back over the long spine urchin fields if you want to survive and leave the mama in peace.

This is when the aquarist or a house guest can appreciate these creatures for the dangerous and calm beings that they are. Appreciating them in the reef tank behind more glass than the eye covering of underwater goggles adds a sense of real appreciation for these interesting black and not so menacing creatures.

This fish looks like a colored rock and can grow roughly 15 inches. It gives the illusion of being unsymmetrical. As if the fish were some Detective Comic cross-over from Bizarro Superman’s world, into that of our own.

But these fish are not a doppelganger of an imaginary reality. They are apart of real reality. They share the Earth with us.

Looking at this fascinating creature move about is always eye catching. Looking at the peculiar natural form is relaxing and can take ones mind from thinking to hard about other stresses. Mostly because from the basic human sense of symmetry; this animal appears to not be balanced.

Giant Anglerfish A.K.A Frogfish Video

This fish will give you something to watch and wonder about for many peaceful hours.

The nature of the animals temperament is somewhat forceful: But not as much so as some other types of fish. They are carnivorous fish.

The smallest recommended environment for this species is 100 gallons.

These fish blend in so well, that even when photographed as the centered colorful subject of a snapshot, they look like floating coral chunks from various angles.
The Species is inspirational, an is the physical representation of the Asian American proverb: The strong imagination imagines the truth.

Pull up a chair, sit back, watch, and wonder. The Giant, Antennarius Commerson Angler Frogfish is as one of natures many exceptions to a rule.

Most mixes are nitrite and phosphate free.

Sea salt mix is used by home enthusiasts, research facilities, and many tourist aquariums.

One example of this is Instant Ocean. This company has been stocking retail shelves with sea salt mix for over forty years running.

This choice is often the best option for people who dont have a resource for clean natural sea water. The common acronym doesn’t form a word, so the common abbreviation is NSR. Natural sea runoff. Other sources call it NSW. The w standing water.

Often this choice is better than mixing fresh water and commercial salt mix.

If collecting NSR/ NSW is for you, be sure not to confuse clean water with brackish water.

To avoid this dont collect ocean water from estuary rivers or streams. Collect it from the open ocean, or ocean breach water.

If this isn’t readily available, then instant ocean or some other salt water mix is what is necessary.

Read the packaging mineral content clearly. The residents of your indoor reef have balanced parameters that they live in. Testing the water that is going to have the instant sea salt mixed in is important. This will help avoid any unexpected surprises that might kill the fish, and the initial fish investment budget.

Instant sea salt mix makes maintaining a reef aquarium a much simpler past time to maintain with skill.

Taking care of the sea horse is easy if you are responsible and ALWAYS aware of the optimal conditions that ensure their survival in your home aquarium.

They look like a horse, a dragon, a leviathan, a myth that is real every time we look into the tank again to be amazed by them.

They dance in the water, and in our marine aquariums this dance is more pronounced.

When we see two of them together as a couple we often imagine them kissing, and forming a romantic heart, or ringing giant land horse size versions through the underwater coral and seaweed labyrinths.

The hippocampus kuda is the most common seahorse in household aquariums.

Watch a some yellow hippocampus kudas dance in this video

Seahorses often die while being shipped from online providers; they will arrive in the store at around three inches long and will grow to about twelve inches while in your care.

Some of these amazing creatures are tank bred, while others are absconded from the oceans, or a sea. From any resource these creatures never cease to please.

Like all other aquamarine life, the sea horse hippocampus kuda need to not be overwhelmed with ammonia in a tank. Properly applying live sand, live rock, or both allows beneficial bacteria to colonize that create nitrite and nitrate out of the ammonia.

A protein skimmer will remove excess waste and food debris form the saltwater reef aquarium allowing your seahorse population to thrive.

King Neptune, Calypso, and Imaja will be grateful that you’re taking good care of their heard and in the night time the gods and goddesses of the deep, may choose your extension of the ocean, to come and joy ride these majestic horses of the sea.

Many saltwater tank hobbyists as well as zoo aquariums around the world use the Berlin Filtration System. This system has been proven effective quite thoroughly.

These three components are:

• Live Rock (LR) – Reef Rock that has fallen in ruble piles on the side of the reef opposite the closest shoreline. This is used to change ammonia naturally produced in the tank into nitrates/nitrites through providing a home for bacteria that perform this vital task.

• A Protein Skimmer is a mechanical device that acts as a stabilizer. In nature the bacteria that live in dead cell oxygen free portions of a coral reef provide natural filtration by conversion of excessive biomaterial into gas. This process is easy to reproduce in the reef tank. However,in an enclosed tank; often fish and other biological life produce more biomaterial than a reef can process. The protein skimmer brings the balance back to the tank.

• The Metal Halide Light provides the right amount of light that can be balanced with spectral light that is natural to the day and night environment of a coral reef.

Each aspect of the Berlin Filtration System has an interesting appeal to various peoples fascination and curiosity.

The natural balance of live rock filtration; mechanical precision of protein skimmer showing off the human potential for management in nature; or how spectral light can affect an ecosystem. Showing the human managerial mind how something as seemingly unconnected as the Sun and the small biology of macro organisms blend together in life sustaining synchronicity.

This filtration combination originated in Germany: The idea of this system is to rely as much as possible on the live rock, and natural diffusion to filter the tank.

The Berlin Filtration System is used by many hobbyists around the world to keep salt-water reef aquariums clean and clear.

Various aquatic-life need a certain spectrum to thrive. Other spectrums will kill certain species.

Having light that encourages species that are desirable, and kills species that are not; is a difficult scale to balance.

The Watt Metal Halide reef tank light is ideal for supplying the correct spectral light in the right amount. This supports reef life in hobbyist tanks.

This light is not dissimilar from most halide light sources manufactured for the reef aquarium spectral light needs.

This light is a 448-watt output lamp that puts out two different kinds of light. The seconds is actinic blue T5 out put. This accent of light is perfectly set to produce the right light needed to have a healthy and visually appealing reef tank ecosystem.

The wattage on this particular model is 400 for the Halide portion, with the lamp located in the middle. The T5 contribution is divided into two portions that each put out 24 watts and are set at a perfect angle in order to blend with light emitted by the Halide lamp.

This lamp can be wired to a timer that will turn your light on and off to simulate the affects of day and night on the reef. This model is a perfect example of how the halide lamp is used to add the right light to many saltwater aquatic reef tanks.

Halide lights for reef tanks are integral to the contentment of aquatic life being able to go about their lives undisturbed by the change from the sea, to the sea tank aquarium. Investing in a quality halide light is a smart thing to do!

A protein skimmer removes waste produced by fish and invertebrates that in a non-contained reef would naturally be filtered out.

A protein skimmer is the second tool in the Berlin Filtration System.

Protein skimmers come in various sizes, all dependent on the needs of your tank.

The cylinder has a mechanism that floods the water chamber with air bubbles.

This mechanism used varies from one product to the next. Different kinds of valves, a pressured water pump, or air stones are used.

Some of the more popular models are Nautilus TE-in-Sump Protein Skimmer, Red Sea Berlin Airlift 60 Internal Protein Skimmer (60gal), Prizm Skimmer – Deluxe – 9 34 in. x 5 34 in. x 13 34 in, and Visi Jet.

Looking at what each company has to offer for the size talk you are working with, along with how many living creatures your tank will be hosting are key things to keep in mind.

The foam fractionation protein skimmer balances out what your growing reef rock cannot. They help keep tanks clear and looking great for many years to come.

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.

First published in 1978, Freshwater And Marine Aquarium (FAMA) is one of the oldest circulating aquarium magazines in the country, originally published by R/C modeler until 2005, now a BotTie Inc. holding, it still thrives with fresh and interesting information as well as inspirational articles for the novice.

FAMA can be downloaded online in less than two minutes post-purchase or with a twelve- month subscription.

While this magazine will usually only ship within the US, it is possible to get an international subscription directly from the main site. 

Freshwater and Marine Aquarium (FAMA) covers chemistry, lighting, breeding information, feeding information, fish health, marine and freshwater tank maintenance and setup, freshwater husbandry, planted tank maintenance and setup aside from a variety of other informational topics.

Action movies, romance, drama, thrillers and adventure; the home theater can be anything, take us to any time or dimension though the beauty and elegance of virtual reality, and Blu-ray takes advantage of that, to offer us, the experience of coral reef exploration.

One of the worlds elite undersea videophotographers and systems integrators, Anthony S. Lenzo takes the audience through the magical realm of color and a diverse ranges of exotic saltwater life, as is, in nature with only his amphibicam and himself, capturing a once in a lifetime experience, and sharing it with us all.

Advancing the art of high definition, bringing exotic coral reefs from natures wild into the comfort of ones own home theater, is like building a special, meditative space for weekend vacations to these exotic and rejuvenating locations that hold treasures, unlike any others in the world, without even going anywhere.

This DVD from HDScape, was filmed and directed by Anthony S. Lenzo, made for high definition screens, plasma, LCD, CRT, HDTV and DLP, with a 1.77:1 aspect ratio, a single disc, region one for Canada and US, format in color, dolby surround sound, for the widescreen, released in October of 2007, running 60 minutes.

Some of the most spectacular coral reefs on the planet; The Bahamas, Honduras, Bonaire and Fiji, Anthony S. Lenzo takes his trusty camera into the depths of the untamed elements of Tridents Kingdom, for first-person explorations into visions of the sea, that we can now watch in the comfort of our own living room.

Not everyone has the time or money to keep their very own saltwater aquarium, and to do so, means dedicating hours and hours to this passion, but what about those of us, who have no intention of ever actually building our own, tanks, yet, really do enjoy them, Blu-ray has brought a modern solution to the home theater.

The most social spot in the home, our own personal movie theater, is always a place of relaxation, and with this DVD, it can become far more than that, it can become a place of inspiration and spiritual replenishment, taking us beyond catharsis, and into a virtual experience of peace and tranquility.

Just plug and play. Thats all there is to this item. But the time, money and work saved in comparison to keeping a similar saltwater aquarium, or actually going out into the ocean for such an experience, makes it a collection of precious spiritual moments, that would be the domain of only the director, if he had not put this astonishing DVD together to share his wealth of experience with the rest of us.

Hdscapes Richard Diercks directs a color, Dolby 5.1 surround sound, widescreen, in 1.77:1 ratio, 1080p, region one for US and Canada only, produced by DVD International, released in October of 2007, running 90 minutes, with five different tank settings and four audio tracks as well as looping ability and it is perfect for high definition plasma, LCD, CRT or DLP HDTV.

Transform you home theater into a vast underwater temple, where sharks, living coral, predators, nautilus and classical settings will blend at your whim with the sounds of natural bubbles, relaxation, seascape, Beethoven, Vivaldi, Chopin and Mozart in an exotic saltwater aquarium from Blu-ray that brings Neptunes realm into the comfort of your own home, virtually.

Magical worlds below the sea, enchanted kingdoms of sea elves or mermaids that save the lives of sailors or lure them into the sea with voices of silk, the effects created in the aquarium spur the human imagination and open the soul to a realm of dream.

Airstones help oxygen blend back into the water faster; just simple waterfall filtration usually will not maintain the proper oxygen levels larger tanks need, especially when you have a tank full of splendid fish.

The length can be adjusted with a razor, by cutting the material at any point to shorten or divide, or joined by other bubble wall airstones with an enclosed connector at one end.

Each of these 28 inch aquarium wall airstones from Penn Plax Inc is half an inch in diameter and includes suction cups for attaching at any height of the aquarium wall, usually near the floor of your tank and each ships at 2.4 ounces.

The Bubble Wall creates a magical portal mist of bubbles that are evenly distributed through a fine, super-porous, non-clogging bubble wall airstone that sits along the bottom of the aquarium tank, keeping fish healthy, enchanting the mind and allowing that endless wellspring of human imagination flow.

Telling children stories before bedtime is a pastime that transcends even our western culture, people have been telling fairytales for as long as we have been a civilized race, and what better way to give your child excellent dreams of never-never land, than an enchanted underwater aquascape that enthralls the human imagination and flares even the deepest emotions with splendor?

The Age-of-Magic collection from Penn Plax offers one of the most superb aquarium ornament sets for enchantment on the market today, reminiscent of worlds like Dragonlance, Ravenloft, or even Tolkeins Silmarillion!

Penn Plax Age-of-Magic also has two kinds of complete 3.5-gallon castle aquarium starter kits, one for boys (Blue Knight) and one for girls (Pink Princess).

Anything from the Age-of-Magic collection is an enchanting way to give a fish bowl or aquarium tank renewed life, and a great way to enchant your childs imagination, into a world of dreamland that is unique; night after night.

The medium sized Enchanted Castle, for example is made of splendid craftsmanship, is perfect for fresh or saltwater, measuring 5l x 4w x 8h and shipping at 2 lbs.

Penn Plax Age-of-Magic Aquarium Ornaments are well made, well painted, well built of quality resin, and most importantly, are some of the more quality enchantment aquarium themes on the market, with majestic castles, archaic magic-users, deep sea guardians, mystic dragons and a realm of fairytales that have no end.

This is a classic for saltwater aquarium libraries, it first came out more than twenty years ago, and the advanced information contained in this fully photographed and illustrated encyclopedia is essential to quick disambiguation and understanding of all manner of marine life.

Recommended reading for the middle-to-advanced level marine aquarist.

It has detailed observations on natural habitats, reproductive cycles, behaviors, classification, habits and body structure, with both excellent descriptions and inspirational essays that ranging from mammals, fish to invertebrates.

Presentation is what makes this book special, answering all those advanced questions quickly and precisely, with just a flip through the encyclopedias index or glossary and a single visual contact at the reference page, with photos and illustrations clearly outlined by concise knowledge and inspirational text.

Sidebars and qick-tips make interesting comments on the relative subject at hand, such as how tuna keep warm or the memory of flatworms.

Photographs are very clear with captions, and where a photograph cant get inside a fish, there are elaborate illustrations that detail anatomy, body features and even behaviors; basically, anything a photo cant get at.

Both Andrew Campbell and Keith Edward Banister, the editors of this compiled tome of undersea knowledge, were already experienced professionals at the time of the first publication of this classic, and have left us their most useful knowledge on each topic.

The passionthat inspired this encyclopedia has taken both of them to great success in the world of marine biology, Andrew Campbell even went on to compile a sequel encyclopedia recently with an even more advanced collection of undersea secrets called The New Encyclopedia of Aquatic Life in two volumes.

This 384-page hardcover, published by Checkmark books in November of 1985, measures 11.2 x 8.5 x 1.1 and ships at 3.4 lbs.

So be the question about dolphins, whales, marine fish, freshwater fish, coral, a search on life cycles, reproductive behavior, survival status, physical characteristics, or about any known aquatic life, this book covers all the major points, from fisheries, aquaculture to marine biology, with key knowledge and inspirational voice that stems from a passion that has endured a lifetime, teaching a whole generation.

A classic book for saltwater aquarium libraries, The Encyclopedia of Aquatic Life is a quick and middle-to-advanced reference manual for the serious marine aquarist with a passion for observation and the unending curiosity to explore the farthest depths of the sea, until every last secret is revealed, and the truth behind those Atlantean myths, made into fact.

By understanding the other, we better understand our own inner selves, The Encyclopedia of Aquatic Life is a key to unlocking that mystery, for a more enlightened tomorrow, that begins with you.

Certainly, when dealing with saltwater environments, a smaller aquarium, means less diversity, thus hobbiest/columnist and author of this book Jeffrey Kurtz provides key information on the easiest and most common reef inhabitants, species and how to take care of them in a more sustainable way.

Changing the water in a saltwater environment all the time is not healthy for the inhabitants, so techniques like identifying problems before they start, initial setup, light routines, stable temperatures, stable chemical balances and efficient filtration, all go into making sure the water stays clear and the tank dwellers remain healthy.

Kurtz breaks all that information down into edible pieces, indicating the use of modern advancements in marine technology, so that getting into this hobby for the first time is both easy and fun.

What are the most common species in a reef aquarium, how and where should the tank be setup, what kind of simple routines and maintenance will help identify and solve potential problems and how can the caretaker better learn to nurture, sustain and grow a mini reef in a safe way?

This book answers these kinds of questions by providing expert do-it-yourself knowledge for those looking to bring the mysteries of undersea magic into the comfort of their office or home.

The secret to keeping the mini-reef aquarium healthy is detailed observation, beyond the normal daily feeding. Keeping checks on the water quality once or twice a week and making sure that the chemical balance is suitable.

Aside from making quick work of all the normal precautions dealt with in marine aquariums, the small reef aquarist will find that this book also helps with the most important aspect of all, understanding the inhabitants ecosystem in an intimate way.

If the beginning marine hobbiest is ready and willing to take time to learn about the aquarium and those living inside, the mini-reef will grow healthy and strong, along with the knowledge and understanding of the hobbiest themselves.

This 200-page paperback, written by Jeffrey Kurtz, was published by TFH in February of 2005, measuring 8.7 x 8.4 x 0.5, ships at 1.2 lbs and was written to help more people find that kind of knowledge and understanding that only keeping a coral reef aquarium can bring.

The Simple Guide to Mini-reef Aquariums opens the realm of marine aquarium keeping to a wider range of enthusiasts just starting out, making use of recent discoveries in modern technology to help distribute thissacred knowledge of oceanic wonders in such a way, that almost anyone dreaming of coral and crustaceans in their living room will be not only successful, but enlightened.

From clownfish and dottybacks to gobies, author Martin A. Moe is a marine biologist with the passion for marine aquarium handling and has made one of the most respected captive breeding businesses in the world, with contributions to the development of an enticing area of human experience.

If we are to become a more sustainable community on space station Earth, books like The Marine Aquarium Handbook will allow us to cut down on our ecological footprints, transforming the passionate hobbiest into a steward of the sea.

Preparing the pet industry-commerce for captive breeding only is never going to be a realistic goal, unless wild species begin to dwindle to the brink of extinction, or the truly passionate beginners are given the knowledge, tools and experience the professional have to breed these species at home.

More books like this one, could help us soon achieve an 80% c/b rate in just a few years, it all depends on how much individual effort the passionate hobbiest is willing to put into protecting the wild relatives of their most prized marine aquatic inhabitants, and Matin Moe is a man who has dedicated his life to cutting that effort in half.

This 318-page paperback written by renowned marine biologist, Martin A. Moe, most recently published by Green Turtle in 1992, measures 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 and ships at 1lb.

Really getting to know the breeding habits of our aquatic cousins below the sea, is not just the general topic of The Marine Aquarium Handbook, a true masterpiece, but the objective is to transform the beginner into an expert breeder effectively and quickly contributing to the wild preservation of those rare fish still free.

The surface-to-depth scope gives a close-up look at live fish, swimming around in an enchanted and mysterious underwater kingdom that humans only dream of traveling to.

The vented lid has an ocean surface view, the back has a 3-D undersea ambience, gravel is built in, a volcano lets bubbles rise for oxygenation of the water and it is a compact size, only one and a half gallons.

An air pump and gravel are recommended to avoid lots of frequent cleaning and recommended fish include betas, guppies and goldfish, perfect for ages 6 and up.

Undersea Encounter Aquarium is great for those children looking to understand a little more about that fascinating place of underwater enchantment they have heard so much about in bedtime stories and seen in movies and would enjoy firsthand knowledge about.

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The toilet tank aquarium is a two-piece box, the transparent inner part is the flush water reservoir while the fish tank is wrapped around the reservoir, creating the illusion that it is your fish tank water emptying and refilling automatically.

In reality, it is a toilet tank and an aquarium, blended together to create this optical illusion that makes Fish n Flush so unique, recommended for those who enjoy bringing further relaxation to an already relaxing bathroom environment.

A fish tank on top of the toilet has been an idea in use for some time now, due to the therapeutic and relaxing nature of aquarium environments, but this is a revolution in plumbing aesthetics.

Fish n Flush Video

Fish n Flush toilet tank aquarium is a great way to liven up your home, helping people take their waste water seriously, and awakening them to the true destination of blackwater; this is just one more step for our nation, along the arduous road to self-reliance.

The beginner starting with saltwater aquariums will find this richly illustrated reference manual practical and informative, especially on the latest technologies available as well as their pros and cons.

The natural history of the most popular saltwater aquarium inhabitants, their basic biology, chemistry and behavior in the sea are all well described in simple details that make it clear how to architect your very own aquatic micro-universe as a novice.

The population distribution of certain species in the wild, their sizes, diets and how compatible any given species will be to the conditions of your aquarium are all included.

Simple procedures, such as temperature, tank decoration, lighting, filters, sumps, isolation tanks, feeding and general health care are all dealt with in precise language that fully inspires you to go beyond the book itself, inspiring the desire to research an even more academic bibliography.

Taking your minds eye out to sea, 20,000 leagues under the ocean, this project can be done from the comfort of your own home with a saltwater aquarium that you design on your own; while your understanding of this vast and as of yet still not fully explored world expands 100 fold after each new addition to your tank.

This 304-page hardcover published by Firefly Books in February of 2007 measures 11 x 8.6 x 1.1 inches and ships at 3 pounds, written by Greg Jennings (consulting editor of 500 Freshwater Aquarium Fish with over forty years of aquarium experience).

The New Encyclopedia of the Saltwater Aquarium was designed to make your dreams of lost and ancient civilizations below the deep blue sea come to life, in the comfort of your own home, by doing it yourself for the first time; and Marine Aquarium building correctly.

Tropical aquarium fish are very sensitive and before just dumping the fish in (by filling up the tank with tap water and removing the chlorine), the tank needs to run for about two weeks to stabilize the environment.

Tropical freshwaters are very sensitive environments for sure.

These kinds of tips are exactly the kind of precautions that are taken by the professionals, and by following a weekly plan for setting up your tropical aquarium, your tank is sure to provide a memorable aquascape that inspires human dream.

Including encyclopedic references and step by step advice that make the setting up and introduction process to tropical aquarium hobbying fun, this easy to read book comes with superb photos that detail every step of the way, for both rectangle and curved aquariums alike.

Adding substrate, developing life-support systems and temperature balancing can all be done in a single week, but the process as a whole will take around eight weeks.

The profile sections come with fifty aquarium plants and more than a hundred popular warm freshwater fish that can be added in different stages.

This 208 page hardcover written by Stuart Thraves and published by firefly books in October of 2004 measures 10.1 x 8.5 x 0.8 inches and ships at 2lbs.

Setting up a Tropical Aquarium Week by Week is the perfect book if you are building your very first warm freshwater aquarium, teaching the value of patience and proving that anyone can do-it-themselves with the right advice.

If you are pondering buying this book its because you are one of the do it yourself type aquarists.

That’s where it gets better: this book is not merely a list of equipments and dos and not dos. This book brings you into the science of reef-building.

That is, it provides you with critical reviews of the different philosophical approaches, designs and a precise description of the science that involves the application of engineering. Including product technology that duplicates the specific environment behind the creation of a captive reef.

And because of its precise information on all the physical requirements to create and maintain a reef aquarium, this book is also on the shelf of coral reef researchers who study, create, and enjoy coral reef ecosystems in the confines of an aquarium.

If you are a novice with the passion to become what the authors call techno-type reefers this is the book you will devour and savor from cover to cover and it will also save you money, time and those agonizing frustrations of looking for information in the back of products and finding nothing very reassuring.

The Reef Aquarium Book Volume Three is a guide that illuminates the world of the reef aquarist without taking away the pleasure of experimenting the pleasure of seeing something you are building live.

This hardcover saltwater aquarium manual was written by Julian Sprung and Charles Delbeek, it covers the latest in technological trends and tips for first time hobbyists.

At 680 pages, measuring 9.3 x 7.1 x 1.4 inches and shipping at 3.9 pounds; The Reef Aquarium Book published by Two Little Fishes, Inc. will complete any saltwater aquarium hobbyists library.

When you look at your aquarium reef you can capture a glance of the magic of creation and The Reef Aquarium Book will make that experience grow even deeper through the inspiration of knowledge and the confidence from people who know about todays saltwater aquarist.

Fish, plants, coral, filters, salt-mixture, isolation, substrate…These things can really become complicated when not handled properly, and for many, the first experience with saltwater aquarium hobbying can be a disastrous one; but The New Marine Aquarium can make sure your first experience with a saltwater aquarium is a complete success.

People who have been there and done that, over and over, for years experimenting in the world of marine aquatics still come up with complications, and those issues are addressed here, making it fun, easy and reassuring to get thingsright on your own with your very first saltwater aquarium.

The New Marine Aquarium will help anybody building their very first saltwater aquarium pinpoint the most common mistakes in an organized way that details what most people end up doing wrong while still making it easy to follow.

Measuring 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.4 and shipping at 1 lb, this setup and stocking guide is written by Michael S. Paletta and comes with illustrations and photos that inspire the imagination and flow in the direction of a workingsaltwater environment that is healthy as well as aesthetic.

How to create and design your own seascapes for the first timer, reef hobbying in details, even disease prevention, The New Marine Aquarium is an exquisitely inspiring and practical manual for getting an Aquarium built right the first time around.

Junior Exectuive Aquarium Kit is a low maintenance aquascape for those first time aquarists looking for a tried and tested tank/filtration structure that both looks good and sets the mood for profit.

29 Show Jr. Executive Kit measures 30 x 12 x 18 (77cm x 31cm x 46cm) and comes with the SeaClear System II filtration system carefully hidden for easy access in the background (Black, Clear or Cobalt Blue).

The filtration system includes mechanical, biological and chemical filter media, a heater and space for a protein skimmer (optional).

The manifold provides the kind of circulation any marine or freshwater aquarium needs to keep itself balanced and healthy, the most popular all in one SeaClear Junior Executive Aquarium Kit.

For saltwater, freshwater or reef environments, this stylish standard aquarium is available in clear, cobalt blue or black as desired and includes a hood for two light fixtures.

Both SeaClear and Clarity Plus are brand names of the CASCO Group, Inc. (California Aquarium Supply Corporation) and thus carry the Casco lifetime warranty.

Using only the clearest acrylic materials available, Casco aquariums are 17 times stronger and weigh less than half what a similar aquarium of glass would.

Safe, childproof rounded corners; Casco aquariums are flexible and will endure earthquake vibrations and the acrylic material maintains fewer temperature fluctuations (ideal for marine aquariums).

Casco aquariums are easily transported by two people, come with a contemporary style that is aesthetically pleasing and the heavy-duty ABS plastic with acrylic light plates on the hoods help keep moisture out.

Marine aquarists especially enjoy the high quality acrylics used in Casco aquariums, as they are impervious to the corrosive effects of saltwater and scratches can be easily polished out in just minutes, even after yeas of use.

SeaClear model 40 Regular Standard Aquarium measures 36 x 15 x 16 (92cm x 38cm x 41cm) and ships at 28 pounds, with the Casco promise for quality.

For the office, reception, meeting room, or just home use, SeaClear Rectangular Aquarium Combo is the perfect choice for a clear, lightweight and virtually unbreakable, leak proof 40-gallon marine or fresh water tank.

ProClear BioBalls are basically blue discs with prongs that make them spherical like in nature, thereby offering excellent surface area for the growth of beneficial aquariumbacteria with ample spaces for oxygen in any wet/dry biological sump filtration system.

For saltwater or freshwater aquariums or ponds, filled with fish, coral or invertebrates alike, these bioballs will keep your aquarium water crystal clear and healthy, processing ammonia and nitrates into breathable substances that your aquarium pets will enjoy.

Like most biological filters, bioballs should come with a prior mechanical filtration system.

But any small materials, shouldnt be a problem for bioballs geometric design because they naturally tend to avoid clogging, with both ample spaces for oxygenation and surface area for bacterial growth alike.

ProClear Aquatics Bio-Balls are a natural and effective way to take care of dirty fish aquarium or pond water, avoiding clogging; this bulk quantity comes with 3000 units and will filter between 600 and 800 gallons safely; keeping your aquascape impeccable.

Measuring only 1 inch in diameter, 225 of these bio-balls can take care of anywhere between 45 and 60 gallons of thriving aquarium water.

Bioballs have an advantage over traditional biological media, in that they were designed to maximize biological filtration in less space, to achieve a healthier aquarium environment in either fresh or saltwater marine aquariums.

One gallon (225) of bioballs has a surface area of about 21.5 square feet due to their spherical nature, allowing air pockets and surface areas to benefit from the most efficient amounts of oxygen and water to flourish.

This bulk package contains 9000 one-inch diameter bio-balls, will occupy as little as 4.5 cubic feet of wet/dry sump space and take care of 2400 gallons of appropriately populated aquarium water.

Coralife Bio-Balls (Bulk) gives you more biological filtration for more heavily populated aquariums, keeps the water clear, the environment healthy and takes up far less space in your wet/dry sump.

Diana L. Walstad breaks it all down into 11 chapters, teaching how plants purify substrate and water for healthier fish and aquariums, what kind of maintenance is useful and which is counterproductive, facts about algae bloom and handling as well as how to grow plants without paying an arm and a leg.

This hardcover ships at 1.8 pounds and is 194 pages at 8.5 x 11 with 46 tables, over 50 figures and plant drawings, 70 questions and answers, hundreds of scientific references and a color plate of the authors aquarium.

Ecology of the Planted Aquarium is the scientific approach to underwater aquarium gardening and is perfect for those who like starting out with all the details and enjoy digging deeper into their research as the hobby grows in the imagination, unfolding the mysteries of the deep before our very eyes.

Scott W. Michael is also author of Marine Invertebrates and the two books together are excellent for those looking to build a reef aquarium environment.

Marine Fishes gets down to the nitty-gritty of this inspiring hobby, focusing on 500 different fish and only on most relevant information for each one, including photo, scientific name, common name, max size, minimum suggested aquarium size/suitability, reef compatibility, care and maintenance tips.

This 447 page paperback measures 7.1 x 4.5 x 0.9 and ships at 1.15 pounds, recommended as the perfect choice for choosing the species you want in your novice marine aquarium.

Marine Fishes by Scott W. Michael shows that pictures speak a thousand words, but only a few really count when it comes to choosing your saltwater aquarium fish for the very first time without a sales pitch.

Marine Fishes is what every first-time saltwater aquarium hobbyist should have on call before spending time or money; keeping our seascapes just that much more self-reliant and fun.

This full color DVD also pinpoints and roots out those details that most frequently lead people to abandon the hobby, fully inspiring the human imagination to explore this underwater realm of adventure without failing!

Starting A Planted Aquarium The Easy Way is a 35-minute DVD (NTSC) for US and Canada only, guided by Carson Passey, an aquarium consultant with a lifetime of experience.

This DVD shows all the major details in an easy to grasp manner and all the ins and outs for the first time aquatic gardener.

Detailed points of interest including proper lighting, inhabitants, proper balance of CO2, rich nutrient substrate, aquascaping, pruning and how to maintain an underwater garden effectively for the beginner are made easy.

Starting A Planted Aquarium The Easy Way will help anyone looking to get into underwater garden aquariums for the first time, the exact knowledge necessary to avoid mistakes and setbacks that might take the fun out of the hobby.

Starting A Planted Aquarium The Easy Way puts the thrill of our imaginations back into perspective, doing it right the first time.

The optimal pore structure and larger surface area for maximal adsorption is part of a patented activation process used in production to yield a high purity, premium grade carbon.

For the removal of odors, colors, toxic compounds, medications and organic pollutants, Black Magic Super Activated Carbon is by far more thorough than the leading competition.

A far cleaner and healthier aquatic environment is the result of using this laboratory activated carbon, ideal for freshwater, marine-life or reef aquariums and is perfect for sensitive fish, plants or invertebrates

This high quality tank filter, compact hang-on aquarium filter comes with a two in one option, of mechanical/carbon filtration that does an efficient job of polishing water to that crystal clean quality.

250 gallons per hour, with dual flow, completely self-contained, easy to maintain and easy to move around for aquarium shows and can be for either saltwater or freshwater fish tanks.

Just a simple snap-lock and the leak proof connectors completely eliminate the traditional need for hoses and tubes.

Also known as Hot Magnum, this aquarium filter has an almost silent motor with electronics safely encapsulated in epoxy and was designed for lightweight strength that is durable and long lasting.

The whole kit comes with Carbon/Media container, Rite-Size foam sleeve, reusable pleated micron cartridge, Black Diamondpremium activated carbon, efficiency intake strainer, split-flow diffuser, snap-lock connectors, stainless steel hanger and a cleaning brush.

The canister itself measures 5W x 6D x ½H, the external canister is only 4.5 deep and it comes with an eight foot power cord.

With a two-year guarantee, Hot Magnum hang-on fish tank ships at 4.3 pounds.

Magnum hang-on tank filter keeps water crystal clear, the same quality aquascapes use to ensqual our shore dwelling senses; billowing our minds eye into the imaginary realm of Neptunes depths, at but a single magical glance.

A good water detoxifier like Kordons AmQuel will work instantly and one gallon of this instant detoxifier will treat up to 7680 gallons of water instantly.

For many freshwater aquariums, ponds and water gardens, changing the water from time to time is a good idea, especially when you want to be sure and keep everything crystal clear, for that reason a good water detoxifier is necessary, to not need to wait the unpredictable rainfall.

AmQuel measures 12.5 inches x 6.5 inches by 6.5 inches and weighs as little as 9.5 pounds in shipping.

The six basic functions of this water detoxifier include removing ammonia chloramines, toxic pheromones and chlorine as well as making water changes easier and controlling toxic ammonia during the nitrogen cycle.

So if you are thinking about using tap water to directly control the water level of you aquarium or fishpond, a water detoxifier will be an essential element in making the transition smooth and non-shocking for your aqualife.

Water detoxifier is completely non-toxicand will not mess with the oxygen levels in your aquarium, making the use of tap water perfectly safe for your fish.

Python fishtank cleaner does all the hard water changing work for you, avoiding spills, making cleaning a snap and filling without heavy bucket trips back and forth from the sink.

Its really just a very effective vacuum hose system that directs and redirects water by using the water pressure (7:1 ratio) in the faucet to empty or fill your tank as necessary.

Python fishtank cleaner uses no more water than a simple toilet flush would, and in the long run conserves far more water than when the traditional bucket filling and dumping method is used (and just think, no more back-pain or messy floor to clean up!).

Just think like a freshwater fish for a moment, they enjoy large open ponds where there are large varieties of plants to keep the water cleansed and oxygenated while the fish happily supply nutrient rich pond water to the plant soil; a system in constant give and take.

But in an aquarium, that just cant happen without a major investment in such a confined and controlled aquatic space.

So the water must be changed on a regular basis, to ensure the same quality oxygen rich aquarium water in the wild, but yet, still remain crystal clear for that poetic human expression of aquatic art.

Python fishtank cleaner makes this possible with the NO SPILL aquarium maintenance system whose ready to use kit comes with all parts for standard faucets and a ten inch gravel tube for cleaning.

The different hose lengths available include 10, 20, 25, 50, 75 and 100 feet respectively.

The 10 and 20 foot models being extension, the 25 foot a standard model, while 50, 75 and 100 foot models are all more case specific (as those are normally more for commercial needs.

Along with the accessories that are available for the NO SPILL CLEAN and FILLÆ from Python, this fishtank cleaner can make household aquariums, a whole lot more fun for everyone at home.

Python fishtank cleaner is a revolutionary product for a more self-reliant future that is practical about conserving energy and water.

Baby biOrb is the latest model in the series, and the prominent color is silver, however other colors are available, including amber, purple, lime green, bronze, black and blue.

The biOrb aquariums are all for freshwater fish, both thirty and sixty liters respectively and the tropical aquariums come with temperature control equipment including a heater.

All biOrb aquariums are made from a highly resistant strong crystal clear acrylic, all come with biOrb filtration systems that are external and easy to maintain.

As the ideal focal point for any Feng Shui or energy flowing internal decoration, any of the biOrb aquariums would be ideal.

The only difference among the six different models are the cylindrical biUbe and Baby biOrb.

• BiOrb 30
• BiOrb 30 Tropical
• BiOrb 60
• BiOrb 60 Tropical
• BiUbe
• BABY biOrb

BiUbe aquarium is 33.3 cm in diameter by 46cm high and holds 35 liters, while Baby biOrb is 30cm in diameter by 32 cm high and holds 15 liters.

While all biOrb aquariums come with everything they need to run, Baby biOrb itself comes with the bowl, halogen light, air pump, plug top 12 volt transformer, ceramic media, filter cartridge, bubble tube, airstone, tap water treatment and sample a sample pack of fish food.

For that look that inspires the peace and tranquil sound of purring, shifting water, Baby biOrb is a small 15 liter solution that comes with everything to just set up and go!

At 12.2 x 12.2 x 21.5 inches and weighing only 5 pounds, this Cylinder Aquarium already comes complete with pump, extension cord, lighting, decorative plants, food, water conditioner, under gravel filtration and even an algae inhibitor; AquaBlockTM.

The modern shape, and smaller aquatic environment, makes Aqua Scape Ar-600 Cylinder Aquarium a charming gift idea, indicated for teachers desks, where the learning about underwater environments can be seen first hand or anywhere that some sea or pond life would create an air of ambience.

A good imagination is the key to small aquatic environments as they are not difficult to maintain, but harder to create a more balanced habitat, once balanced, the rest is enjoyment.

Bars, clubs, restaurants, bedrooms, living rooms, offices, desks…ect. Anywhere the need to let ones imagination be free in an underwater aquascape, is the place for Aqua Scape Ar-600 Cylinder Aquarium.

An innovative, indoor aquatic vista, this Octagon Coffee Table Aquarium is the ideal thing for the home living room, clubs, restaurants, boutiques, receptions or even office building lounges; the imagination knows best.

A black acrylic pedestal is the resting support for this coffee table aquarium, illuminated from below a blue bed of glass gravel, making a friendly and almost enchanting view from above that relaxes the mind and body.

Pump, lighting decorative plants, two-stage submersible filter pump and solid, break resistant top makes for an enjoyable aquarist activity that provides a minimal challenge in upkeep and maintenance.

The octagon style of coffee table aquarium (model 680) is 38 inches long, 20 inches wide and 15 and a half inches tall with a heavy-duty tempered glass top.

The octagonal coffee table aquarium top is expressively contoured in an oblong shape that extends 45 inches long, 26 inches wide and is three eighths of an inch thick glass for even the worst beatings, that scratches only with something as hard as diamonds.

Coffee table aquarium is a total of 80 pounds of sturdy craftsmanship made by hand.

Self-contained, supporting both salt and fresh water aquascapes as preferred by the owner; this versatile 28 gallon coffee table aquarium is a medium challenge, preferable for those already with a little aquarium experience.

The ready to go nature is what most gives the aquarist freedom to design the environment of her or his choice, leaving the technical specs up to the aquarium manufacturer.

Coffee table aquarium is a great challenge for those aquarists with a little experience, while giving you all the freedom for aquascaping the environment with whatever fish or plants, tropical/reef/tempered climates as desired.

The Octagon Coffee Table Aquarium is a fast and easy way to get down to real aquarium work with style.

Just add water and fish, the rest is already done by the manufacturer.

Nano Cube Aquarium is the perfect item for learning about aquarium care and maintenance, while hobbying in your own business reception, office, restaurant or even right in the living room.

Any indoor space can be enhanced with the special effect of gently moving water, Nano Cube Aquarium is that Feng Shui effect for the practical.

Nano Cube Aquarium is 18×19.7×19.6 inches in dimension and weighs 38 pounds. A complete kit for both fresh and saltwater environments, Nano Cube Aquarium even comes with a free stand.

Nano Cube 24 Gallon, even comes with moonlights allowing an LED to provide nighttime viewing that does not disturb the fish, plants or coral.

Nano Cube Aquarium is a unique 24-gallon glass aquarium, rounded at the corners for a sleek, acrylic look, but still heavy-duty and scratch free.

A submersible pump keeps aeration and circulation at optimum levels 24 hours a day, recirculating the whole 24 gallons over nine times a day.

Depending on the chosen aquarium environment needs, especially saltwater aquariums, chosing the right lighting can be a chore, not so with Nano Cube Aquarium.

Nano Cube Aquarium is prepared with 36-watt, 50/50 compact fluorescent actinic and day lighting, ideal for even corals and/or invertebrates as desired upon first time ever aquascaping.

Operated by a UL approved remote ballasts, the bulbs have a Japanese pin arrangement, and the flip-top canopy makes for simpler feeding access, maintenance and safety from cats.

Nano Cube Aquarium comes with two cooling fans to make sure the lighting system does not effect environmental temperatures beyond the recommended levels for each given aquatic environ chosen.

Nano Cube Aquarium 24 Gallon was designed to give the user all the freedom in aquascaping their own aquaticenviron, either saltwater or freshwater as desired, providing all the techwork with hardware specifically for almost any possibility within the 24 gallon range.

Nano Cube Aquarium is non-returnable, unless damaged upon arrival due to its delicate nature, but with all the equipment needed to start your very own salt/freshwater aquarium aquascape; now!

With a beautiful curving front display plate made from an all acrylic construction with no degradable sealers, SeaClear Bowfront Aquarium is aesthetically pleasing.

The seams are a molecularly bonded and heat polished acrylic design that is very different from glue sealers, making SeaClear Bowfront Aquarium virtually leak and break proof.

All SeaClear Aquariums, are acrylic, which is half the weight of any given glass aquarium of the same capacity and size, with 17 times more strength.

Impervious to the corrosive effects of saltwater and easily polishable, marine museums, or aquascapes can be just as astonishing with SeaClear Bowfront Aquariums as with traditional heavyweight glass is.

SeaClear Bowfront Aquarium comes with a UL listed fluorescent light fixture and a manufacturers lifetime limited warranty.

Available SeaClear Bowfront Aquarium colors include: Clear and Black

A SeaClear Bowfront Aquarium is the perfect thing for those front aquascapes in receptions, offices, meeting chambers or home use.

The SeaClear Bowfront Aquarium can be either marine or freshwater environments as desired in a crystal clear frontal bowed living garden that brings your decoration a little of the earths underwater mysteries.

This 55 gallon tank stand for aquarium displays is great for pet shops and museums as well as research use where everything needs to be open and observable.

Simple yet effective, a 55 gallon tank stand needs to really take on lots of weight and still be tall enough to be in eye view, and as many 55 gallon tanks are hard to clean, the iron stands made by Penn-Plax for example, come with a lower level for two separate ten gallon tanks.

Penn-Plax even sells divisors that turn the single 55 gallon tank into two 27.5 gallon tanks; in addition to the lower shelves, that makes a possible circuit of four environments.

For fresh or saltwater aquariums alike, the more filtration the better, no matter if the environmental balance is designed to be plant orientated for fish, plants, crustations, coral or all four, in separate environments to create a more sustainable system.

This 55 gallon tank stand is 15 inches deep, 48 inches wide and 29 inches high with a range of options available, such as environmental isolation, hand made ten gallon sumps, thermometers, heaters, pumps, tubing among other things and ismade from sturdy black iron that lasts the tests of time well.

Penn-Plax 55 Gallon Tank Stand was made to make the aquarist professionals life much easier for sales displays of quality fish, aquarium equipment or just basic research.

A 55 gallon tank stand will offer more options for spaces in saltwater or freshwater environments, where changing the water constantly is a hassle and using larger filtration or isolation systems is more effective or sustainable.

Any 55 gallon tank stand will do the trick, but longer lasting products are those that take on a larger amount of weight and still keep sturdy while supporting the main aquascape area for decades at a time.

55 gallon tank stands made from iron like those by Penn-Plax are some of the most economical options for both saltwater and freshwater aquarists alike, looking for reliability and long life in their 55 gallon tank stand.

Like all CASCO products, Seaclear System II Aquariums are built to last a lifetime.

Made from acrylic that can easily polish scratches out, when resold, SeaClear System II Aquariums can sometimes go for more money than when they were brand new, and are so easy to repair that owners themselves can do it with a little know-how and a good friend over for the weekend.

Seaclear System 2 Aquariums include the following models with a length by width by height of:

• 26 System II Aquarium Combo (36 x 12 x 16in. / 92 x 31 x 41cm)
• 30 Show System II (36 x 12 x 16in. / 92 x 31 x 41cm)
• 40 Regular System II (36 x 15 x 16in. / 92 x 38 x 41cm)
• 50 Regular System II (36 x 15 x 20in. / 92 x 38 x 51cm)
• 55 Flatback Hex System II (48 x 15 x 20in. / 122 x 38 x 51cm)
• 65 Regular System II (48 x 15 x 20in. / 122 x 38 x 51cm)
• 75 Regular System II (48 x 18 x 20in. / 122 x 46 x 51cm)
• 75 Tall System II (48 x 15 x 24in. / 122 x 38 x 61cm)
• 90 Tall System II (48 x 18 x 24in. / 122 x 46 x 61cm)
• 100 Show System II (60 x 18 x 20in. / 153 x 46 x 51cm)
• 125 Show System II (72 x 18 x 20in. / 183 x 46 x 51cm)
• 125 Tall System II (60 x 18 x 24in. / 153 x 46 x 61cm)

System II Aquariums are ready to run, with the options of installing a heating/cooling system or the System II Protein Skimmer as needed for any given environmental conditions.

The lamplights do not come with the system because of the wide range of possibilities that entertain the light spectrum of aquariums, but the hooding and manifold are all included.

By consulting an expert, or with just a little research into the area of habitat to be recreated it is easy to determine the proper florescent bulbs to be installed.

SeaClear System II has a wet/dry filtration system already available in the back of the tank itself and can include, biological filtration, chemical, mechanical or any combination of all three systems.

Available in black, cobalt blue or clear, SeaClear System II uses a unique turbulence manifold that allows for excellent circulation throughout the entire aquarium, allowing for a better ready to run system.

No plumbing or noise, this all-in-one aquarium model just needs gravel, water, fish, a little loving care, and it will stay new for a lifetime.

The four way adjustable skimmer gate keep fish from entering the filter chamber, while a quick change prefilter makes cleaning a simple chore.

The Bio-Aire Driptray distributes water evenly over the biological filtration system while at the same time enhancing aeration, essential for fish survival.

With a high surface area for the biological media, air-injection nozzle, media tray for chemical and carbon filtration, 350 gallon per hour submersible pump that is complete with a turbulence manifold for higher quality circulation and a clear slot to view the sumps water level, this built-in ready to go system is one of the very best on the market.

Acrylic is seventeen times stronger than glass or other materials commonly used in aquarium manufacturing, and SeaClear System 2 Aquariums have a lifetime guarantee against leakage do to the use of acrylic materials, a sign that they are built with quality and good thinking.

SeaClear System 2 Aquariums come in the size consumers need for the display consumers are looking for, all that is needed to do is research what the client wants to put inside the.

With aquascaping, the clients imagination is the only limit, as SeaClear System 2 Aquariums do all the hard setup work already, owners can focus more on just research.

SeaClear System 2 Aquariums make aquascapes an almost ready done deal, just a little creativity, research and poof! A living waterscape.

Design-Building acrylic aquariums that size anywhere from fifty to fifty thousand gallons, specifically custom designed and built to meet your every expectation on call, anywhere around the world, including specifics on life support and environmental equilibrium are all offered by Acrylic Tank Manufacturing , a world leader in exhibition acrylic aquariums for both home and business alike.

No matter if you represent a public aquatic zoo, university museum, restaurant, private home or even park, only the human imagination limit the possibilities with acrylic aquariums made by ATM, thereby being limitless.

Saltwater or freshwater aquariums that are custom designed and manufactured in Los Angles, California to suit your needs at the turn of a key is what Acrylic Tank Manufacturing has been about since it was first founded.

You have the desire for an aquascape that makes your space one of living art; ATM has the skills and resources to match your desire at a moments notice anywhere around the globe.

The professionals at ATM can travel anywhere in the world, supply technical and logistics support as well as plan everything you might need.

From creative planning stages, manufacturing, shipping, construction on location, to final touches, such as the ideal lighting andlife support conditions; blending comfort and beauty with healthy aquatic life that will live well, acrylic aquariums made by ATM do the job.

Acrylic aquariums, for any commerce that depends on clients, are the essence of performance art, focal points of comfort and quality service, an attraction unlike any other, they are sure to be dependable, durable and beautiful as well as an excellent investment while reselling.

Aquariums made from glass for instance can scratch and once cracked or broken will cost a fortune in replacement or repair, where as acrylic aquariums on the other hand can have the scratches easily buffered out and repair can be done with a couple of friends on the weekend and a little old fashioned know-how; raising the resell value 100%.

ATM is dedicated to using their talents to enhance the comfort of your environment with custom designs that range from cylindrical (seamless), pyramidal, hexagonal, oval, u-shaped, rectangular or any combination with virtually limitless possibilities including full cabinetry and carpentry skills.

Canopies, aquarium stands, sump cabinets and closets that can be hidden or exposed as desired with easy maintenance all custom tailored to fit your project.

Structural support, décor, chemistry, nutrition and the proper blend of aquatic life together in one balance of artificial marine or fresh water habitat for home or business is a work of art; one that is taken seriously and with a passion among those at ATM.

Acrylic saltwater aquariums are fascinating to everyone, as one of the deepest regions of our planet, not yet fully understood, a mystery that is sure to entice every visitor; a focal point for the imagination to soar and the heart to pulse in union with the ocean.

To the point of creating impossible dream-like settings, ATM has even built walk through tunnels with seamless onsite chemical bonding and hemispheres that bring the viewer into the aquarium itself.

ATM can even do glass work if you require it, whether it is tempered, laminated, low iron or anti-reflective, ATM can do it.

As a company that will Design-Build anywhere, ATM has done more than a thousand different exhibits the world over, from manufacturing to installation of underwater viewing panels, exhibit waterproofing and an eye for detail to customer service that is both efficient as well as immediate.

Acrylic aquariums, either for oceanscapes, tropical freshwater or any combination of possibilities from 50 gallons to 50,000 gallons, ATM will make your dreams come true through living aquatic art done in any acrylic form imaginable, on any location you choose at a moments notice.

Acrylic Tank Manufacturing
6125 Annie Oakley Dr.
Las Vegas, Nevada 89120
Phone: 702-387-2016

As with all traditional sump filters, those who want to experiment and improvise with different filtration patterns or media, will find that the Fluval 5 Series provides both the freedom to improvise as desired or just use out of the package as desired in a container that is both aesthetically pleasing as well as practical.

The Fluval 5 Series of External Canister Filters have a complete multi-stage filtration system with a modular design allowing for quick and easy maintenance that can be as versatile as the most basic or custom media configurations.

With instant priming, lift-lock clamps and an Aqua-Stop feature that impedes water flow without even disconnecting hosing, they run on 60 Hz, are included with media and have a quality guarantee of 3-years.

The 105 , 205 , 305 and 405 models all come in either black or silver, use 110 volts, include ribbed hosing and 2 Foam as well as being UL approved:

Fluval 105 External Filter – Handles up to 100 liters of saltwater aquarium water and comes with 1 x Carbon (70 g) and 1 x Glass Biomax (200 g).

Fluval 205 External Filter – Handles up to 200 liters of saltwater aquarium waterand comes with 2 x Carbon (70 g) and 2 x Glass Biomax (200 g).

Fluval 305 External Filter – Handles up to 300 liters of saltwater aquarium water and comes with 3 x Carbon (70 g) and 3 x Glass Biomax (200 g).

Fluval 405 External Filter – Handles up to 400 liters of saltwater aquarium water and comes with 4 x Carbon (70 g) and 4 x Glass Biomax (200 g).

Fluval FX5 External Filter – Different from the other models, the FX5 was designed to handle professional sized saltwater aquariums, of up to 1,500 liters.

It is black with orange fringes, has a self-priming instant-start system that siphons on its own as well as a quick-fit AquaStop valve that automatically regulates water flow that makes for both a leak proof maintenance and a fast set-up.

Using 120 V, at 60 Hz, this filter takes 50 W to process a maximum of 3,500 liters of saltwater per hour. Only 17 inches high and 16 inches wide, six foam filters are included.

Depending on the size of saltwater aquarium you are using, the Fulval 5 Series External Canister Filters come ready for 100, 200, 300, 400 and 1,500 liters, are practical, efficient and most of all, aesthetically pleasing to the eye, while allowing you total freedom in the art of sump filtration, that has always been the mark of ocean aquarists.

Want to take a look at the Fluval 05 Series Manual? (requires adobe reader)

All three models of the Eheim Ecco series filters are self-priming with a quick release cover, and a multi-functional handle.

Ecco 35 Gallon Filter
Ecco 60 Gallon Filter
Ecco 80G Gallon Filter

The smaller Ecco holds three liters of saltwater at a time while the medium will hold four and the larger five.

Each pump will push more amounts of water, with the smaller one pushing 400 liters an hour, the middle one 500 and the larger one 600 liters total.

The dimensions on these three models are small (205 x 298), medium (205 x 355) and large (205 x 416)

Removable media containers help make this series easily customizable with three stage filtration for optimal performance; mechanical, biological and chemical.

The media is included with all three sizes and along with a decent two or three year guarantee, boasting the name Eheim is a tradition that goes back more than forty years with a passion for canister filters since the worlds first was ever invented.

As one of the worlds undisputed leaders in high quality filters, pumps and technical accessories for the entire aquarium industry, Eheim canister filters pursue constantly renewing standards in fish keeping.

Eheim Ecco is one of Eheims more innovative products; developed especially for the saltwater aquarium hobbyist that likes to experiment with easily modifiable sump configurations in an aesthetically pleasing external filter.

The EV 120 is perfect for placing in your sump, in line or next to it. The job of any protein skimmer is to create the smallest sized bubbles possible, while occupying the most space. This charges the water with oxygen and eliminates organic materials at the same time.

EV 120 has a reputation for its compact size, designed originally to sit at the bottom of any hidden sump. One of the most compact protein skimmers on the market for its size, no other skimmer on the market can create as much foam as AquaC EV 120 can for its size.

This spray injection protein skimmer is only 18 inches tall and with the raised gate valve of ten inches, the EV 120 continues with full performance, even with sump fluctuations.

Trickle filters are exactly what their names say; they slowly filter water through a sump in a diverse pattern of, two different biological filters together in one as you see most appropriate.

If you dont have time to mess around with acrylics and glue to make your own sump, or dont have an old aquarium lying around with some ideas of modification, you might want to think about getting one like those made at Precision Marine.

Precision Marine has been manufacturing custom-built trickle filters for years with a passion and now offers two different sizes, the T30 and T36.

Both have a heavy-duty construction with a vented bio-chamber as well as a large bio-chamber and have been designed to serve the most common saltwater aquariums.

If you are looking for a good biological sump filter separate from the rest of your system, trickle filters made by Precision Marine might just be the thing to save you time on do-it-yourself acrylics.

Precision Marine Systems
1144 Pride Drive
New Braunfels, Texas 78132
Phone: 830-626-2401

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.

A Saltwater aquarium filter is any mechanical, biological or chemical procedure that artificially removes the excess of impurities found in the intensely compact marine ecosystem of saltwater aquariums. Filters come in many shapes and sizes, from home made, to store bought, and the designs are as varied as the needs of the independent aquarist. Mechanical filters for saltwater aquariums are those which usually come first and require most maintenance as they tend to get dirty on a regular basis. Biological filtration systems are more advanced and ecologically sound than mechanical filters as they tend to recreate the conditions of natural filtration found in the sea. Chemical filters, are usually the last system to be used in the process of saltwater aquarium purification as it is the finest filtration process, working on a molecular level.

Marine aquarist enthusiast, have an old tradition of doing things themselves, as it was not always so easy to find filters in the local pet shop. Home made mechanical and biological filters hidden underneath the aquarium stand or even as an attraction are the most common combination of filters found in saltwater aquariums. But store bought filters that hang on the top (HOT), or hang on the back (HOB), are also frequently seen in these home setups. The most important systems however in saltwater ecosystems, have a primary and secondary filtration system. Primary is usually some kind of mechanical while secondary is usually a biological filtration system. Some sump filters (isolated home made filters) use a combination of filtration systems that disqualify mechanical filtration completely in favor of multiple biological filtration systems.

Mechanical filters are the most important systems in a saltwater aquarium as they reduce the amount of large organic materials, before they have been broken down. Saltwater aquarist use first and foremost the protein skimmer as it uses the natural foaming nature of tides to clean highly polluted saltwater. Foams, sponges, canister filters, box filters and such are all, used as well, like screens that easily remove the larger particles from the water. But must be cleaned regularly (sometimes daily) unlike the protein skimmer which only requires an occasional cleaning and air stone replacement. Pumps and tubing however are the most important items to be kept clean in mechanical filtration systems for the saltwater aquarium, as they usually need to be very powerful, and get clogged easily.

Biological filters get the most out of the whole ecosystems setup, as they maintain chemical balances and levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide with little need of fine tuning or maintenance. Live rock, live sand and underwater gravel filters are the most common as they tend to be closest to nature’s natural way of doing things. Aquarists that are really into filtration tend to use fluidised bed filters when they can, as a third or fourth stage in filtration, because the constant movement of sand particles against each other work as one of the most efficient saltwater biofilters. Trickle (wet/dry) filters, are great for oxidization of saltwater, as they are almost maintenance free and are in constant contact with flowing air, these usually find themselves in the sump category. Rotating drum filters are wonderful additions to a waterfall, or any current near the surface of the tank, as they rotate constantly, offering high oxygenation and excellent biological filtration.

Chemical filters are still in an area dominated by active carbon. But some specific resins and other chemicals can be used in direct treatment of disease and algae bloom. Basically active carbon offers a place for unwanted molecules to take up root and not return to the ecosystem. Mostly active carbon is necessary when higher levels of ammonia tend to threaten the delicate balance between decomposers, plants and other marine organisms.

As there are many different types of filters that can be used in saltwater aquariums, the most important ones are those that take care to maintain the delicate balance of nitrites, nitrates, ammonia, oxygen and CO2, for that aquarium setup. Mechanical filters do the work of separating the larger debris from the water, usually as a primary stage of filtration. Biological filters are more common, and usually tend to follow a more ecologically developed strategy for refining organic breakdown material in the aquarium, is a secondary stage of filtration. Chemical filtration is the finest process and relies on at least a primary filtration system, as it works on already well refined pollutants, usually on a molecular level.

This page: Saltwater Aquarium Filter

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.

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