rapalaboy1999
Active Member
For many people, the first experience with fish for a pet was having a Goldfish in a glass bowl. Sadly,, many of those first fish didnt survive due to the lack of knowledge about what fish need to survive. Many people thought that you just had to fill the bowl with water, drop a fish in and feed it. After buying a few more fish and watching them lead to the same fate, most people just gave up. If they had spent a little time and effort at teaching themselves, they could have had an exciting, fun experience.
Fortunately, with the internet, gaining knowledge and experience is much easier, now. While anyone can easily surf the net, younger people seem to be more adapted to finding info on the internet. What used to seem impossible (i.e. successfully keeping corals in aquariums) is now at your fingertips. The odds of succeeding in keeping a healthy aquarium are now 1 in 3.
First Question Saltwater or Freshwater?
The first choice you will have to make is whether to have a saltwater aquarium or a freshwater aquarium. Freshwater is considered easier than a marine aquarium to set up, stock and maintain. The amount of knowledge to successfully keep a marine aquarium may be higher, but it is well worth some research with the amount of race and eauty of marine aquariums. To help you decide if the challenge will be worthwhile, take a look at what can be done with even a smaller saltwater aquarium.
How To Plan Your Aquarium
To make your new project easier, print out a copy of the Checklist of Items for Starting an Aquarium. This will make it easier to keep track of all the items you will need for your new tank. If you purchase an aquarium kit, almost everything will be included.
Reef, FO, or FOWLR?
You will have three basic choices for what type of marine aquarium you will have in the end: Fish-Only (FO), Fish-Only-With -Live-Rock (FOWLR) or a full reef tank. You can start with a FO or a FOWLR, then move up to a reef tank with corals in the future. Fish and inverts greatly prefer a natural setting in a marine aquarium, so installing live rock in an aquarium is a good idea.
Cycling the Tank
Once your new aquarium is set up and running, besides putting your new fish in the tank, cycling your aquarium is the most important step. If you dont cycle, you will be fighting an impossible battle, loosing fish on a regular basis. Cycling is not difficult to do. Using live sand gets rid of the need to cycle.
Selecting Fish & Invertebrates
Everyone wants to see a cloud of fish swimming around in their tank, saltwater tanks are not a good candidate for this vision. Marine tanks are easy to overstock. When initially adding fish and invertebrates to your new tank, start off slowy, especially until the tank has fully cycled. Start by adding a small damsel such as a Yellowtail Damsel.
Feeding & Tank Maintenance
Everyone has a tendency to overfeed their fish. The food that isn't eaten falls to the bottom of the tank and rots, making nitrates. The food that is eaten turns into detritus and ends up on the bottom of the tank or in the filter, where it will create nitrates. Establishing a regular maintenance routine will help keep your nitrates to a manageable level and keep your fish and tank healthy.
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Fortunately, with the internet, gaining knowledge and experience is much easier, now. While anyone can easily surf the net, younger people seem to be more adapted to finding info on the internet. What used to seem impossible (i.e. successfully keeping corals in aquariums) is now at your fingertips. The odds of succeeding in keeping a healthy aquarium are now 1 in 3.
First Question Saltwater or Freshwater?
The first choice you will have to make is whether to have a saltwater aquarium or a freshwater aquarium. Freshwater is considered easier than a marine aquarium to set up, stock and maintain. The amount of knowledge to successfully keep a marine aquarium may be higher, but it is well worth some research with the amount of race and eauty of marine aquariums. To help you decide if the challenge will be worthwhile, take a look at what can be done with even a smaller saltwater aquarium.
How To Plan Your Aquarium
To make your new project easier, print out a copy of the Checklist of Items for Starting an Aquarium. This will make it easier to keep track of all the items you will need for your new tank. If you purchase an aquarium kit, almost everything will be included.
Reef, FO, or FOWLR?
You will have three basic choices for what type of marine aquarium you will have in the end: Fish-Only (FO), Fish-Only-With -Live-Rock (FOWLR) or a full reef tank. You can start with a FO or a FOWLR, then move up to a reef tank with corals in the future. Fish and inverts greatly prefer a natural setting in a marine aquarium, so installing live rock in an aquarium is a good idea.
Cycling the Tank
Once your new aquarium is set up and running, besides putting your new fish in the tank, cycling your aquarium is the most important step. If you dont cycle, you will be fighting an impossible battle, loosing fish on a regular basis. Cycling is not difficult to do. Using live sand gets rid of the need to cycle.
Selecting Fish & Invertebrates
Everyone wants to see a cloud of fish swimming around in their tank, saltwater tanks are not a good candidate for this vision. Marine tanks are easy to overstock. When initially adding fish and invertebrates to your new tank, start off slowy, especially until the tank has fully cycled. Start by adding a small damsel such as a Yellowtail Damsel.
Feeding & Tank Maintenance
Everyone has a tendency to overfeed their fish. The food that isn't eaten falls to the bottom of the tank and rots, making nitrates. The food that is eaten turns into detritus and ends up on the bottom of the tank or in the filter, where it will create nitrates. Establishing a regular maintenance routine will help keep your nitrates to a manageable level and keep your fish and tank healthy.
Sent Via the R2R Forum APP
