I'm thinking about trying a marine aquarium. How difficult is this?

Question

I'm aware of the expense, just wondering if it is really as difficult as I hear.

Answer 1

-Fill a tank with salt water ( specific garvity should be around 1.021 - 1.025 and a new filter (you need somthing that moves at least 200 gallons/hour. Use only Reverse Osmosis cleaned water, regular water (even dechlorinated) will cause huge slime and algae blooms.
-Add a few inches of crushed aragonite, shells or sand
-Add at least 10 pounds of live rock (cured is best, you can tell if it isn't if it has a stong smell) for about a 40 gallon tank
- You will need to have floescent lights (one floescent and one actinic tube is better and you channge one every six months so that niether is ever more then one year old)
- A heater is probably a good idea depending on what fish you have
- Test the water daily, Like a freshwater tank the ammonia nitrite and nitrate levels will all take a turn at rising, then subside to normal levels. When the levels are no longer spiking, it is time to start slowly adding fish. This can take a few months to a year - depending on how lucky you are.
- Maintaining a fish-only tank isn't too hard once it is started. You do weekly salt-water changes of about 10% of the water, and replace evaporated water with water only (salt doesn't evaporate). Feed whatever is appropriate to the fish in the tank. Other then mixing the salt water, it is as much work for me as my tropical tanks.
- Corals are what makes it a huge expense and challenge as they need metal halide lights, skimmers, refugiums, chillers etc. not too mention the supplements and feeds.
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Answer 2

Yes it is more difficult than a fresh water aquarium but if you're willing to put in the time and effort required it can be worth it. If this is your fist time with an aquarium maybe you should try and set up a freshwater "fake reef" set up. Many people can fool people into believeing there fish are reef fish by simply adding white sand and some coral into there tank, many chichilids have the same colour as reef fish and thus are an excellent fish to add to a fake reef.

Answer 3

frequently or maybe better in saltwater, the smaller the aquarium the better sturdy it truly is, because the water parameters will change each day in a small tank. 20 is contained in the intermediate element yet should be finished. Your going to settle on to get stay sand and stay rock round a million pound in step with gallon, set up the HOB clear out, heater, and then blend the saltwater. any blend plus water and use the hydrometer to degree the salinity, should be round a million.020-a million.0.5 particular gravity or 33PPT enable each and everything to run for 2-4 weeks till the tank is totally cycled and then you'll upload fish. Dont do corals till you improve the ligthing equipment and understand alot about water chemistry and parameters like calcium and so on.. For fish a pair of ocellaris clownfish will be fantastic, tangs will outgrow the 20 and choose a minimum of seventy 5 gallons for most. Dwarf lionfish are not from now on newbie fish, they're in many circumstances contact to feed besides and they pick a minimum of fifty 5 gallons.

Answer 4

A Marine Aquarium is difficult to maintain, it requires a constant ph level and proper temperature, with the right current flow, and full spectrum lighting for 12 hours a day.

I'm not a big expert on a maintaining a salt water aquarium, the internet is full of sources.

I hope you find what your looking for

Best Of Luck Joe

Answer 5

With what cityboi_42 said, yes, K-Mart and Wal-Mart and all those good places are nice and cheap, they don't carry the right equipment for a marine aquarium.

In terms of expense, it's pretty tough, especially if you don't have a steady job or anything. In terms of difficulty, it mainly depends on if you're going for a strictly fish tank, or if you want some corals and anemonaes in your tank as well. Of course, there's the water stats that you have to keep constant, especially the salinity and temperature, and the amount of time it takes for the tank to go through the entire nitrogen cycle. Depending on the size of the tank, it could take anywhere from two days to two weeks, and possibly even up to two months!

If you're really wanting a marine tank, though, I say go for it. Just remember to keep everything constant.

Answer 6

Depending on what you want to have in your aquarium. Animals I mean. If you are planning on putting fish in there then that would be okay but if you're talking about sharks and whales and dolphins.. WHOA! That may be too big. Other than that I don't think it would be too difficult if you're up for the challenge. I do warn you though, it'll take a lot of time to take care of the tank and the fish. But Feeding fish isn't hard right? That's one thing that isn't difficult!

Answer 7

They are NOT difficult to maintain. There are a few minor things to do each day, and once every 10-14 days, a partial water change will be needed. The most important thing is to DO IT RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING ! If you do it properly right from the start, you can be successful. Seek the assistance of a local aquarium retailer/specialist, and read as much as you can BEFORE you do anything.

Answer 8

I love my little brother to death really. He has a salt water aquarium- if he can do it then anyone can do it.

We have had them in our house our whole lives. Now he has and maintains his own.

If you have a petstore in your area that you trust then you can buy seeded sand and water from them. This way your tank is jumpstarted. It makes cycling a lot easier and it takes a lot less time.

The biggest pain is the water changes. It is a time commitement because you have to make the water.

Try starting with damsels. They are beautiful and very hardy. Dominos are my favorite- they get mean though.

I'm sure you'll do fine. Be sure to buy a book and do your research BEFORE you buy a tank. Your research will help you decide what size tank you will want.

Answer 9

It is expensive, and difficult to keep up, requires a lot of care. The fish get sick more frequently than fresh water fish.

Answer 10

Very expensive and very difficult. Don't try unless you've got 1,000 bucks to throw around and the motivation to read some books and work pretty hard.