1 © Andrej Brummer – 2014. Introduction to Selecting and Planning a Saltwater Aquarium ............................ 7 A Note About Being A Saltwater Aquarium Owner ................................................. 7 The Cost of Setting Up a Saltwater Aquarium and Being a Responsible Owner .... 8 Before You Start Setting Up Your Tank ................................................................ 10 Planning Your Saltwater Aquarium Correctly ........................................................ 11 Let’s look at the major types of aquarium set-ups… ............................................. 15 Aquarium types: Fish-Only Systems ..................................................................... 16 There are 3 main subtypes for your fish only aquarium: ....................................... 16 Aquarium types: Fish-only With Live Rock Systems ............................................. 17 Aquarium types: Reef Systems............................................................................. 19 How to Choose an Aquarium Size and Where to Put It ........................................ 21 How to Choose Fish for Your Aquarium ............................................................... 23 Stocking Your Tank With Marine Life ................................................................... 23 What Commonly Goes WRONG When It Comes To Stocking ............................. 23 Making a Livestock Stocking Plan ........................................................................ 25 Stocking Your Tank The First Time ...................................................................... 25 Stocking Invertebrates .......................................................................................... 26 Marine Life Stocking Tips and Tricks .................................................................... 27 An Introduction to Choosing Marine Fish That are Compatible With Your Aquarium and With Each Other ............................................................................................ 29 Deciding What Goes In The Tank ......................................................................... 30 Putting Fish Into Your Tank .................................................................................. 33 How To Choose The Right Happy, Healthy Fish Specimen For Your Tank .......... 35 This Is How You Choose The Right Specimen For Your Saltwater Aquarium: ..... 36 …At The Fish Store: ............................................................................................. 36 Selecting Marine Invertebrates ............................................................................. 38 The Look of your Saltwater Aquarium ................................................................... 40 2 © Andrej Brummer – 2014. Necessary Equipment For Healthy Saltwater Aquariums ................................... 42 The Other Vital Aquarium Components Are: ........................................................ 43 Vital Components 1: Filtration ............................................................................... 44 THE Most Important Form of Filtration = Biological .............................................. 44 Let’s look at the different types of filtration: ........................................................... 45 1. Mechanical Filtration ......................................................................................... 46 2. Physical Filtration .............................................................................................. 46 3. Chemical Filtration ............................................................................................ 47 4. Biological Filtration ............................................................................................ 49 What Makes An Effective Bio Filter?..................................................................... 51 The Best Product is Nature! .................................................................................. 51 Choosing your Filter .............................................................................................. 52 Power/Canister style filters ................................................................................... 55 Undergravel Filters: .............................................................................................. 55 Fluidised Bed Filters ............................................................................................. 56 Wet / Dry (Trickle) Filters ...................................................................................... 57 The Role of Filtration in Your Tank ....................................................................... 58 Lighting Your Saltwater Aquarium ....................................................................... 60 Lighting Fish-only and FOWLR tanks ................................................................... 61 Fish-only Tank Lighting ......................................................................................... 61 Basic Fish Only Tanks .......................................................................................... 62 FOWLR Lighting ................................................................................................... 63 Lighting A Reef Tank ............................................................................................ 64 Optimal Reef Tank Lighting .................................................................................. 64 Reef Tank Lighting Overview ................................................................................ 64 My Opinions on Reef Lighting Selection ............................................................... 65 Keeping Corals Happy Under Lighting .................................................................. 66 3 © Andrej Brummer – 2014. How To Choose Your Lighting Wisely! ................................................................. 67 Placement of Photosynthetic Marine Life Under Lights ........................................ 68 Heating/Chilling Your Saltwater Aquarium ............................................................ 69 Substrate For Your Saltwater Aquarium ............................................................... 70 Setting Up a Saltwater Aquarium The Right Way ................................................ 70 Setting Up: Tank Design and Layout .................................................................... 71 The Aquascape .................................................................................................... 72 Aquascaping considerations ................................................................................. 74 Saltwater Aquarium Decorating Options ............................................................... 78 Preparing the Water & Filling the Tank ................................................................. 78 Putting Your Saltwater Aquarium Together .......................................................... 79 Biological Cycling of Your Saltwater Aquarium ..................................................... 81 Initiating the biological cycling of your aquarium; the easy way! ........................... 82 Here’s how we do that: ......................................................................................... 83 What Happens In a Cycling Tank? ....................................................................... 83 What Phase of The Cycling Process is Your Tank in? .......................................... 84 Stocking Your Tank After Cycling ......................................................................... 85 Looking After Your Beneficial Bacteria ................................................................. 86 Maintaining Your Saltwater Aquarium .................................................................. 87 Daily Maintenance ................................................................................................ 87 Weekly Maintenance ............................................................................................ 88 Monthly tasks ........................................................................................................ 89 Other Maintenance ............................................................................................... 89 Saltwater Aquarium Maintenance A to Z .............................................................. 91 1. Partial water changes ....................................................................................... 91 2. Cleaning filters and equipment ......................................................................... 92 3. Visual inspection of you marine aquarium ........................................................ 93 4 © Andrej Brummer – 2014. 4. Algae control ..................................................................................................... 93 5. Water Quality Testing ....................................................................................... 94 How Do You Change The Water In A Saltwater Aquarium? ................................. 95 What You'll Need: ................................................................................................. 96 What You'll Do: ..................................................................................................... 97 Marine Tank Janitors: Saltwater Aquarium Clean-up Crew .................................. 99 Creating a Perfect Environment .......................................................................... 101 Ensuring Good Quality Water ............................................................................