01_068051 ffirs.qxp 11/21/06 12:02 AM Page iii Saltwater Aquariums FOR DUMmIES‰ 2ND EDITION by Gregory Skomal, PhD 01_068051 ffirs.qxp 11/21/06 12:02 AM Page ii 01_068051 ffirs.qxp 11/21/06 12:02 AM Page i Saltwater Aquariums FOR DUMmIES‰ 2ND EDITION 01_068051 ffirs.qxp 11/21/06 12:02 AM Page ii 01_068051 ffirs.qxp 11/21/06 12:02 AM Page iii Saltwater Aquariums FOR DUMmIES‰ 2ND EDITION by Gregory Skomal, PhD 01_068051 ffirs.qxp 11/21/06 12:02 AM Page iv Saltwater Aquariums For Dummies®, 2nd Edition Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774 www.wiley.com Copyright © 2007 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permit- ted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400, fax 978-646-8600. 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Library of Congress Control Number: 2006936761 ISBN-13: 978-0-470-06805-2 ISBN-10: 0-470-06805-1 Manufactured in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 2B/RR/RS/QW/IN 01_068051 ffirs.qxp 11/21/06 12:02 AM Page v About the Author Dr. Gregory Skomal is an accomplished marine biologist, underwater explorer, photographer, aquarist, and author. He has been a fisheries biologist with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries since 1987 and currently heads up the Massachusetts Shark Research Program. Greg holds a master’s degree in marine biology from the University of Rhode Island and a PhD from the Boston University Marine Program in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. His research has spanned multiple fish habitats around the globe, taking him from the frigid waters of the Arctic Circle to coral reefs in the tropical Central Pacific. He has written numerous scientific research papers and has appeared in a number of film and television documentaries, including programs for the National Geographic Channel, Discovery Channel, ESPN, and CBS. Although his research passion for the last 23 years has been sharks, he has been an avid aquarist for more than 30 years and has written nine books on aquarium keeping. His home and laboratory are on the island of Martha’s Vineyard off the coast of Massachusetts. 01_068051 ffirs.qxp 11/21/06 12:02 AM Page vi 01_068051 ffirs.qxp 11/21/06 12:02 AM Page vii Dedication Like the first edition of this book, this second edition is dedicated to those people who helped me pursue an incredible career — namely, my parents, siblings (Vickie, Bernie, Lenore, Burt, Maggie, and Paul) and several child- hood friends. In their honor, I’ve made every tongue-in-cheek effort to incor- porate them into the book as examples of how to do something and, in some cases, how not to. You will also notice the names of my incredible niece and nephews Nathan, Bernie, Ana, Clayton, and Gregory. Since the first edition was published in 2002, life has dealt me great happi- ness as well as profound loss. In early 2005, I lost a great friend, my father, Bernard Skomal — a photographer, teacher, and mentor trapped in the body of an insurance agent. The writing of this edition reminded me of how this man gave me the guidance and tools to enjoy life and live it to the fullest. My only consolation lies in the simple thought that he now inspires me with my mother Irene once again by his side. This book is also dedicated to my best friend and wife Kimberly, who pro- vides me with unwavering support and limitless love despite my repeated efforts to test them. Author’s Acknowledgments I want to thank the crew at Wiley for their continued faith in my work. Specifically, Acquisitions Editor Tracy Boggier for making this second edition come together, and Project Editor Corbin Collins for his patience, helpful comments, and editorial insight. It has been many years since my first aquarium, but my love and respect for the marine environment and its inhabitants have only deepened. I cannot impress upon the reader more our need to protect and conserve these valuable resources. 01_068051 ffirs.qxp 11/21/06 12:02 AM Page viii Publisher’s Acknowledgments We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our Dummies online registration form located at www.dummies.com/register/. Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following: Acquisitions, Editorial, and Composition Services Media Development Project Coordinator: Patrick Redmond Project Editor: Corbin Collins Layout and Graphics: Lavonne Cook, Acquisitions Editor: Tracy Boggier Barry Offringa, Laura Pence, Heather Ryan Copy Editor: Corbin Collins Anniversary Logo Design: Richard Pacifico Technical Editor: Gilbert Van Dykhuizen Proofreaders: Christy Pingleton, Techbooks Editorial Manager: Michelle Hacker Indexer: Techbooks Editorial Supervisor and Reprint Editor: Carmen Krikorian Editorial Assistants: Erin Calligan, Joe Niesen, David Lutton Cover Photos: Gary Bell/zefa/Corbis Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com) Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies Joyce Pepple, Acquisitions Director, Consumer Dummies Kristin A. Cocks, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies Michael Spring, Vice President and Publisher, Travel Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel Publishing for Technology Dummies Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher, Dummies Technology/General User Composition Services Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services 02_068051 ftoc.qxp 11/21/06 12:02 AM Page ix Contents at a Glance Introduction .................................................................1 Part I: Getting to Know Your Fish and Invertebrates........7 Chapter 1: Your First Salty Steps......................................................................................9 Chapter 2: Some Things Fishy ........................................................................................19 Chapter 3: Choosing the Best Fish for You ...................................................................43 Chapter 4: About Invertebrates .....................................................................................67 Chapter 5: From the Dealer to Your Home....................................................................93 Part II: Setting Up Your Aquarium...............................99 Chapter 6: Choosing the Best Aquarium.....................................................................101 Chapter 7: Figuring Out Filters .....................................................................................111 Chapter 8: Heating and Lighting Your Aquarium .......................................................135 Chapter 9: Fishy Furnishings and Finishing Touches ................................................153