How to Set Up a Saltwater Aquarium

If you are a fan of exotic fish and aquariums you should invest in a saltwater aquarium. The pleasure you'll get from your fish makes a saltwater tank worth the trouble involved in setting it up.

Things You'll Need

  • Three Buckets
  • Hydrometer And Testing Jar
  • Dechlorinated water
  • Thermometers
  • Plants
  • Mildewcide Or Bleach
  • Heater
  • Distilled Water
  • Decorations
  • Tank
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Instructions

    • 1

      Check the tank for leaks.

    • 2

      Clean the tank with a solution of 1 tsp. pure bleach for every 5 gallons of water. Scrub the tank, plastic plants, decorations and rocks. Rinse everything thoroughly several times with clean water.

    • 3

      Install the filtration system. Follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully since models vary in their installation.

    • 4

      Wash the substrate thoroughly before you put it in the tank. Figure on 1 lb. of gravel per gallon the tank holds.

    • 5

      Put the plants in, anchoring the bottoms in the substrate.

    • 6

      Fill a large bucket with clean, dechlorinated water.

    • 7

      Using a hydrometer (a device used to read how much salt is dissolved in the water), add salt. Your goal is a specific gravity between 1.020 and 1.023.

    • 8

      Fill your tank with the saltwater, leaving about an inch at the top.

    • 9

      Start the filter system.

    • 10

      Add the heater and thermometer. Most marine fish do best between 75 and 80 degrees.

    • 11

      Let everything run for at least 72 hours and get the temperature settings right and the water moving.

    • 12

      Cycle the aquarium. A just-set-up fish tank lacks the bacteria that it needs to form a steady biological cycle.

    • 13

      Add your fish when the chemical levels are all okay and the tank temperature is within suggested limits.

    • 14

      Buy a powerhead. In saltwater aquariums, water movement is an absolute must. Be careful not to get one so big that it causes a whirlpool effect.

    • 15

      Get a protein skimmer, which is a necessity for marine tanks. This removes organic debris from the water before it has time to convert to nitrates.

    • 16

      Keep in mind that you'll also need an external water pump and possibly an air pump for your skimmer.