Instructions
Read the label to see if the filter is designed for saltwater aquariums. Rinse the filter with regular tap water. Place it into the bottom of the tank with the bottom plates facing down.
Fix the suction line with the airline tube. This is the big tube that will bring air bubbles into the tank. Slide on the gang valves. Double check to make sure the valves are all tightly secured.
Ensure that the gang valve is positioned 3 to 4 inches from the air pump. The valve's arrow should point away from the pump.
Attach the lift tubes -- the long tubes that will run vertically along your tank's wall -- to the filter plate, the flat object that filters water, by sliding them on at the side of the plate. Cut them with scissors if they are too long to rest on the top of the tank.
Place the power heads, which look somewhat like boat engines, onto the slot on the lift tubes. Ensure the power heads will be fully under water when the tank is filled.
How to Hook Up a Saltwater Tank Filter
The saltwater filtration system is vital to the survival of your aquatic species. Ensure that the filter you purchase can filter between five and 10 times the volume of the tank per hour. Each filter has a gallons-per-hour rating. The size of the fish will also determine the size of the filter -- the larger fish produce more waste. Clean your filter whenever you see green algae forming on it because this will affect the oxygen content of your water.