Saltwater Aquariums

One of the surprising things about saltwater aquariums is that very few of the large commercial saltwater aquariums do not use natural sea water for their water source. At first it would seem entirely logical that you should use natural seawater for your saltwater aquarium, however a clean source of natural seawater is almost impossible to find. In addition, even though you might be able to introduce un-polluted seawater to your aquarium, chances are that there will be a number of organisms in the water that might harm your aquatic fish.

Many commercial operators such as the various large aquariums in some of our major cities will use artificial seawater for their aquariums. Today it is convenient, supports all of the marine life that you plan to have in your saltwater aquarium and it has become quite cost effective. It is quite important to match the biological mix of natural seawater to ensure that your fish and other aquatic life forms in your saltwater aquariums remain healthy and are able to grow while they are in your saltwater aquarium.

If you stop to think about the important elements of your saltwater aquarium and what you need to keep your tropical fish alive and healthy, there are a number of elements to consider. Food, controlling the possibility of disease, introduction of the right specimens to the saltwater aquarium and the continuing relationship of one species of fish to another that you place in your saltwater aquarium are needed. These items are important, however the most important by far, is good quality clean saltwater.

Many aquarium enthusiasts who are having difficulty with their fish often find that they will see a significant improvement in their fish when they change the water. It may be a bad chemical mix, there may be bacteria that have been introduced, there may be too much algae growth or there may just not be enough oxygen in the water. Whatever the reason, the exchange of new salt water for the old water often seems to be the answer to healthy fish vs. fish that continue to look or act in a sickly manner.

So even the large public aquariums are using artificial saltwater and avoiding any use of natural seawater. If you look in magazines and advertisements for saltwater aquariums supplies, the majority will advertise the synthetic seawater chemicals for sale. This is by far the best means to control the introduction of pests, bacteria and other pollutants into the water environment. Owners of saltwater aquariums should also test their water on a regular basis to ensure that the salt content is within the limits that your fish require. Saltwater aquariums can be fun to look after and maintain as long as you take a few careful steps initially. If you also have several saltwater aquariums, a good practice is to avoid exchanging seawater between them and avoid introducing any disease or bacteria from one saltwater aquarium to the other.

Saltwater Aquarium Fish

There are major differences between saltwater aquariums fish and fish that traditionally exist in freshwater conditions. Freshwater fish have been forced to evolve over time to contend with the changing habitat of freshwater and of course a much lower salinity content in the water. Our saltwater oceans are relatively the same from a salinity concentration perspective all over the world with a few exceptions were the exchange of water perhaps is a bit lower than others. The other major difference is the water temperature that differs from tropical conditions to those in the artic.

The dead sea is probably the sea with the highest concentration of salt, while our oceans have relatively the same level of salinity and are much lower in salt concentration than the red sea. If you are planning to install a saltwater aquarium with saltwater fish in it, you may already realize that your water is probably the most important element of the entire saltwater aquarium. Saltwater aquariums fish must have the correct salinity level for them to survive. They as a rule are not as adaptive to difference influences as their freshwater cousins.

Freshwater fish have had to adapt to many different environments and specifically a much lower level of salt content. They are also considered to be a hardier species as a general rule and their bodies have adapted in such a way that they manage the level of salt intake and salt retention in their systems. Saltwater aquatic fish and other ocean going animals have adapted to a much slower level of evolution and as a result do not tolerate changes or even water that is not quite aligned with what they may be used to in the ocean.

Most aquarium stores that sell saltwater aquariums fish supplies and saltwater fish aquariums staff can assist you with the supplies you need as well as understanding specifically what you need for your saltwater aquariums fish supplies and daily maintenance. The most important element if you have not already picked up on this is course the water and the salt content levels of the water.

If you plan to use tap water for your saltwater aquarium, it may be a good idea to test the water first for various chemicals. Some water sources that are suitable for human consumption may still contain chemicals that will interfere with your saltwater fishes health. Consumers can perform a simple nitrate test to determine what the level of nitrates are in the water and then make the appropriate adjustments. In some cities and towns, the water is also heavily chlorinated. Letting the water stand for a few days to allow the chlorine to dissipate is also something consumers looking at saltwater aquariums fish tanks should consider.

Once you are happy with the water source you can add the appropriate level of salt or sodium chloride to bring your water to the correct consistency for your salt water fish. Regular testing is also recommended to ensure that you maintain a healthy environment in your saltwater aquariums fish tanks.

Saltwater Aquarium Supplies

There is really one rule for purchasing saltwater aquariums supplies and that is that every purchase should be for material that has been designated for use with salt water. If you do not apply this rule on a rigorous basis, the least that is going to happen is that ferrous materials are going to rust and break down costing you money to replace them. The worst that may happen is that in addition to the rusting and breaking down of ferrous materials, your water becomes contaminated and your aquatic fish and even your plants may become sickly or even die. It is always a good rule of thumb to work with non ferrous materials and materials that indicate they can be used for saltwater aquariums.

Some people may at times try to convert their freshwater aquariums to saltwater aquariums. Your glass or acrylic aquarium should be fine as long as there are no metal parts. Pumps, filters, decorator items may be composed of ferrous material and will begin to rust almost from the minute they are introduced to the salt water. You will want to check carefully all of these items before you begin the transformation, so you will know before hand what additional saltwater aquariums supplies you may need to purchase.

As with fresh water aquariums, you will need to purchase good quality saltwater aquariums supplies so that they last and provide you with good service over the lifetime of your saltwater aquarium. Poor quality saltwater aquariums supplies or cheap saltwater aquariums supplies will cost you more in the long run as you have to replace them more often.

The support table that you place the saltwater aquarium on is very important as well. Some people suggest that your saltwater aquarium should be at least 40 gallons, which translates to approximately 336 pounds of weight from the water alone. This is significant and most tables will not support this kind of weight. A sturdy flat table capable of supporting such a heavy weight is mandatory.

In addition to a sturdy flat table, the table must be perfectly flat. A bumpy table or a table that is not flat can place a lot of extra stress on the aquarium and if significant, cause enough stress on the glass that the glass could break under the stress of the weight of the water. Forty gallons of water cascading all over your floor could be catastrophic for your home, not to mention the aquatic fish and plants that you have in the aquarium!

Some people will place a small sheet of Styrofoam under the saltwater aquarium to even out the surface and distribute the stress more evenly. While this will work, the best solution is really to make sure that the table is evenly flat and level. Once you have set up your saltwater aquarium, you can purchase additional saltwater aquariums supplies to enhance your aquarium and enhance the beauty and aesthetics of your saltwater aquarium.

|Home|