Setting Up Salt Water Tanks

Salt water tanks are interesting mainly for the large variety of fish that are available to stock them with. Salt water tanks  contain much more colorful and unique life forms of all kinds when compared to freshwater fishes.  And this is what draws many people to marine or salt water fish, even though they are harder to care for than freshwater species.

So, if this is your first experience in working with aquariums, it's probably best to save slat water tanks until you've had a bit of experience. With fresh water tanks you don't have to worry about slat deposits building up on your equipment, you don't have to constantly monitor the salinity of the water, you don't have to worry about the fragility of the fish as much - there's just much less to worry about. When you've had a bit of experience, then graduate to salt water tanks.

The basic components for setting up salt water tanks are very similar to those of a fresh water one. You'll need a filter, heater, and an aerator. You'll also need lighting if your tank will be situated in a dark area.

Additional Necessities for Salt Water Tanks

Be prepared to spend some money when setting up a salt water tank. In addition to the basic components mentioned above, here's a list of necessities that you should be prepared to purchase:

• Saltwater fish food - a real challenge for salt water fish
• Aquarium substrate - this refers to the gravel or whatever material you decide to put on the bottom of the fish tank.
• Saltwater mix - you want to choose one that's as close as possible in composition to that of natural sea water
• Powerheads - these are submersible water pumps that produce currents in the water
• Saltwater test kit - to test water salinity, nitrogen, and other sea water components.
• Fish nets - at least two (one small, one large)
• Aquarium vacuum - for cleaning the tank.
• Saltwater Hydrometer - to measure the specific gravity of your tank's saltwater
• Replacement filter media - for your filter.
• Protein skimmer - to remove organic waste excreted by the fish before they break down into nitrogenous waste.
• Clean buckets - used as holding areas for fish when transferring them or cleaning the tank.
• Quarantine tank - used as a holding area for new fish to ensure they are healthy before integrating them into your main tank.
• Thermometer - to maintain tank temperatures to appropriate ranges for the particular fish in the tank

Special Note On Substrates

Make sure that the substrate - i.e., the sand, rocks, stones, or coral that you will place in the salt water aquarium is entirely free of chemicals and other cleansers. Some people use strong bleaches or cleansers to clean up natural decorations which the then place in aquariums. This can be a mistake as they can affect the health of your fish and may even kill them if the chemicals are strong enough. If you buy your substrates from a pet store, you're probably safe to assume that they are chemical free. Still, it doesn't hurt to ask, just to be sure.

Choosing A biOrb Stand
The functionality of a biOrb stand, like the stand for any other aquarium, is basically to display and enhance the aquarium.

Choosing A Fresh Water Fish Tank
Setting up a fresh water fish tank is not difficult at all if you're willing to follow a few simple guidelines. For the best chance of success, it is important to plan ahead before you begin.