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How to Set Up a
Saltwater Aquarium A saltwater aquarium hobbyist’s guide to the proper set up and maintenance of a healthy tank. By Lou Schiavo, World Wide Corals
I
t starts out as a simple tank of water that will eventually hold aquatic life. Extra care and patience in the beginning will go a long way toward creating a healthy, problem-free aquarium for years to come.
Choose a Location
Aquariums should be placed away from windows, outside doors, heat vents and air conditioners, as rapid changes in water temperatures are extremely stressful for fish and live corals. The area you choose should be able to support the weight of the aquarium and be in close proximity to electrical outlets. Most saltwater tanks require access to at least four plugs.
Set up the Tank
Rinse dust or debris from inside the tank before setting the stand into place, making sure it’s level. An unbalanced aquarium can Lou Schiavo is co-founder/co-owner of the internationally renowned company World Wide Corals, which was established in 2006. He oversees the company’s daily operations, including aquarium service, trade shows, retail store and the WorldWidecorals.com. Currently, he’s heavily involved with the development of two new WWC retail locations here in Central Florida.
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Central Florida Lifestyle | November 2019
be extremely hazardous and increases the risk for cracking or leaking. Once your stand is in place, fill the tank approximately one-third full of water. Carefully dry the bottom edge of the tank and stand then check for leaks. Look for water beading up on the bottom edge or running down the sides of the stand. If it’s leaking, empty it. You can attempt to fix it, but repairing a leaky tank is difficult, with no guarantee of success. Set up your filter and protein skimmer according to the manufacturer’s directions. Don’t plug them in at this time.
Add Sand and Live Rock
Always rinse live sand in premixed saltwater before placing it into the aquarium. Live rock is made from the aragonite skeletons of long-dead corals or other calcareous organisms. When taken from the ocean, it can be encrusted with coralline algae. The many forms of micro and macroscopic marine life that live on and inside of the rock, which acts as an ideal habitat, give it the name “live rock”.
Finishing Touches
Fill the tank the rest of the way, pouring the water directly into a small bowl first to protect the aqua-scaping. If mixing your own saltwater add the appropriate amount of water conditioner or additive, then the marine salt in small
amounts until you get a specific gravity reading of around 1.020 with a hydrometer. Your goal is a level of 1.020 to 1.025 for fish–only aquariums and 1.023 to 1.025 for fish and live coral reef tanks. It may take up to 24 hours for the specific gravity level to stabilize. Then place the heater into the tank or filtration area, but don’t plug it in. Clip-on, non-submersible heaters should be placed close to the outflow of the filter. Submersible heaters should be placed close to the inflow of the filter. These placements allow the heated water to be better dispersed throughout the tank. Wait 20 minutes then plug in your heater and protein skimmer and adjust to your target temperature. Your saltwater system is now set up and running, but don’t rush off to buy livestock just yet. Once your water temperature and specific gravity levels have remained stable for 24-48 hours, a cycling process is necessary. This can take anywhere from four to six weeks. Once complete, your tank will be ready for fish.
Visit CentralFloridaLifestyle.com for more tips from World Wide Corals.