Saltwater Aquarium Care
Concern with saltwater aquarium care is the one thing that keeps most people out of saltwater aquaculture. It is the perceived commitment of time and effort to maintain the tanks that is the culprit. However, a well-planned system makes saltwater aquarium care easier than you might think . . . if you follow a very basic care regimen.
Ask anyone about their perception of saltwater aquariums and they'll likely say they look great but must be a ton of work. While it is true they take longer to set up, it's actually simple if you follow a plan and take your time. Saltwater aquarium care can be easy with patience and research.
Fundamentals
Setting up the tank is the first part in establishing a reasonable care routine later on. Here, you will decide just how big of a tank you'll be starting, and what sort of filtration system you'll employ. Sometimes the larger tanks are actually easier to maintain. Most professionals recommend against using a tank smaller than 25 gallons because, with less water volume, the buffering capacity is lost and potentially fatal changes can occur much faster.
When planning what creatures will occupy the environment, you'll get an idea of how much filtration, bubbling and circulation pumping will be required. Having back up systems is very useful and should be employed wherever possible.
Going Slowly
When adding living aquascape such as corals, living sand, wee mangrove trees and other living rocks, it is imperative that you go slow. Don't just plop everything in at once, even if you've calculated the system can handle it. Instated, you should add one or two things at a time, keep taking readings on oxygen and nitrates in the water, and wait until everything goes back to normal before adding anything else. It might take a while but it is always worth it in terms of the far higher chance of success you have when you give things a chance to acclimate.
Setting Up a Routine
Once you put the first rock or plant in your system, you'll begin monitoring conditions. While you may be used to periodically checking the temperature, you'll need to get into the habit of taking multiple readings on a very regular basis, every day or two at least.
If your equipment and biological filtration are working correctly, the living microbial component of your system will keep things running smoothly, as long as they're healthy. If not, you may find yourself spending more time either cleaning or crisis managing nitrate and oxygen levels. However, if you've established a healthy colony of beneficial bacteria, your saltwater aquarium care will largely consist of feeding and monitoring.
|
