Saltwater Fish Tank Information

A saltwater fish tank can be a stunning showpiece in a living room or den. A saltwater tank is generally more expensive than a freshwater aquarium and requires more maintenance. The types of fish and invertebrates available for a saltwater tank make the extra effort worthwhile. One of the most important considerations is to have an adequate water filtering system to keep your prized pets healthy.

  1. Features

    • Changing the water is difficult because you have to make the salt water. Saltwater aquariums usually rely on a biological filter to break down waste in the tank. This can be a simple undergravel filter, where a pump circulates water through the gravel and bacteria break down the wastes. Other options are an external canister filter that is separate from the aquarium, or an even larger separate tank for high-volume filtration. The higher the filtering capacity, the more fish and other species you can put in your tank.

      Most saltwater tanks have a pH of 8.5 and a salinity of 3.5 percent. The temperature of your tank should be maintained with a heater and regulated for the specific organisms that you want to keep in the tank. Temperatures for typical tropical species range from 72 degrees to 85 degrees. It is also necessary to aerate the tank to provide oxygen for your pets and to keep the biological filter functioning properly.

    Types

    • Saltwater aquariums can feature a combination of many species of fish, "living rocks" and coral, anemones and crustaceans. These are known as community tanks. Always check with your dealer to make sure the species you are combining are compatible.

      A single species, like seahorses, can be featured by themselves. Invertebrate tanks containing brilliant corals and anemones are usually designed with specific fluorescent lighting to bring out the most color of the species.

      Small species of sharks are available for sale, like the bamboo shark. Sharks produce different waste than typical bony saltwater fish and should be kept in a tank by themselves. The minimum size tank for keeping sharks is 50 gallons, and they are much happier in tanks 100 gallons or larger. Stingray species are available, but they are susceptible to even slightly impure water and succumb to disease easily. Like sharks, stingrays produce different waste than bony fish and should be kept by themselves.

      Brackish water (a mixture of fresh and salt water) provides an environment for a variety of interesting species such as monos and archerfish. Most brackish-water species can also live in fresh water.

    Size

    • Ten gallons is usually considered the minimum size for a saltwater tank, but this size is not recommended. Smaller tanks are reserved for "desktop" viewing and usually contain only one or two fish; more common are miniature invertebrate tanks, with living rocks or coral. Fifty gallons and larger is the norm for saltwater tanks. The larger the tank, the more buffering capacity is available to handle any stresses like an accidental overfeeding, power failure or disease infestation. If you know a fish is sick, quarantine it either with the local pet shop or have an extra tank available (with heat and filtration) to isolate it from the healthy specimens in your tank.

    Considerations

    • Maintaining a saltwater aquarium requires monitoring waste products (nitrates, ammonia and phosphates). These are the breakdown products of uneaten food and fish waste. If you are not sure whether to feed or not, don't feed. Fish can last a lot longer without food than with a tank filter that is overburdened with waste, creating a toxic situation for the fish. Make sure you remove uneaten food from the tank with a siphon to keep your water safe and healthy for your pets.

      Water changes are a necessary maintenance step. Use commercial salt mixes to add to tap water for the correct salinity. Chlorinated tap water must be dechlorinated before use.

      A biological filter has to be "started" in a tank without any fish. The tank has to be set up and seeded with food for about two weeks before fish or other organisms can be introduced.

    Warning

    • While it is fun to collect your own fish, coral or mollusks, it is also frequently illegal. Many collectors like to have miniature game fish from their local area in their tanks. However, this usually violates the minimum length requirement of state gamefishing laws, even though you are not killing the fish. The same usually goes for mollusks and crustaceans. If you are going to collect locally, check with the local Department of Fish and Game to see what species are legal to collect.

      Many species of tropical saltwater fish are poisonous. These include the lionfish as well as some bottom dwellers like scorpionfish and stingrays.