How to Make a 29 Gallon Fish Tank Into a Salt Water Tank

Saltwater fish have amazing colors and are truly breathtaking to view. Having a saltwater fish tank in your home can be a daily joy and an interesting hobby. However, setting up and maintaining a saltwater aquarium is not for the faint hearted. It requires much preparation, patience, and consistency, but the end result will be well worth it.

Things You'll Need

  • 29-gallon fish tank
  • Filter
  • Pump
  • Lighting
  • Heater
  • Hydrometer
  • Thermometer
  • Protein skimmer
  • Salt
  • Sand
  • 5-gallon bucket
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Instructions

  1. Setting Up Your Tank

    • 1

      Decide where in your home you would like to place your 29-gallon saltwater tank. It is best not to place it in direct sunlight. Make sure you will have enough space around your tank for required maintenance.

    • 2

      Set up your tank. Install the pump, filter, lighting, heater, and thermometer according to the instructions. Don't forget your hydrometer, which measures the amount of salt in the water. For crystal-clear water, it is important to purchase a protein skimmer.

    • 3

      Add saltwater to the aquarium. You can purchase pre-mixed saltwater in a fish store or just the salt and follow the instructions on the bag to prepare your own saltwater. Test the water with your hydrometer. Appropriate reading should be between 1.021 and 1.024.

    • 4

      Turn on all appliances in your tank. Your heater should be set between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Wait a couple of days before adding the sand. Pre-clean the sand in a 5-gallon bucket by adding pre-mixed saltwater to it and stirring. Siphon off the dirt that has risen to the surface. Using a ladle, transfer the washed sand to your aquarium. Wait six weeks for the water to cycle before adding any fish.

    Acclimating Your Fish

    • 5

      Research what kind of saltwater fish you would like to have in your aquarium. Keep in mind that some fish are more fragile than others, and some are quite aggressive, and might be a danger to the other fish in the tank.

    • 6

      Pour your new fish and the water from the bag they came in into a clean bucket. Add 1 cup of water from your tank to the bucket every 10 minutes. After an hour, transfer your fish into the saltwater tank using a net. When introducing new fish to your tank, it is important to only add one or two at a time, so as not to overload your filtration system.

    • 7

      Monitor the temperature and salinity levels daily. Once a month you will need to clean your tank and change out some of the saltwater.