What Is Needed to Start a Salt Water Fish Tank?

Saltwater fish are usually captured from oceans and seas, where they have lived in a steady environment. There is a lot of maintenance to keeping up a saltwater tank, including the chemistry and temperature, but there is a wider selection of fish as opposed to a freshwater tank.

  1. Tank and Equipment

    • The purchase price of saltwater fish is higher than that of freshwater fish, so you may want to put a little bit more money and effort into finding the perfect tank and equipment. Equipment needed will be a heater, outside power filters and airstones. Other extras that are necessary include sea salt mix and hydrometer.

      The tank size is based on how many fish you want to have and the space available in your home. Just keep in mind the larger the amount of water the easier it may be to keep the chemicals balanced. The average saltwater tank ranges from 30 to 55 gallons.

    Decorations

    • You may want to have areas where some of your fish can hide inside the tank. This can be in the form of coral, sandcastles and plants. Some fish are used to having a place to hide when they are scared or sleeping. Gravel is something you will have to have for your tank, but you may want to select a more decorative form, such as crushed coral. There also are gravel selections in various colors, including blue, green and pink.

    Fish

    • The type of fish you place in your tank all depends upon you. Just keep in mind certain fish do not get along with each other and could fight until one gets hurt or dies. It is a good idea to also have a scavenger fish which will help keep the tank clean; these fish include wrasses.

      Some popular saltwater fish include angel, clown, lion, tang and seahorse. Other popular invertebrates include jellyfish, crabs, starfish, coral and shrimp.