A saltwater aquarium will provide you and your children with the opportunity to watch fish and sea creatures in action and to learn about their activity patterns and their natural habitat. If you have chosen to purchase a tank, fish, and accessories, use the guidelines below to assist with setting up the tank and caring for the fish and other creatures.
Choose Varieties That Commonly Cohabitate
Although you and your children may be fascinated by many of the sizes and colors of the fish you see, it is not a good idea to select fish or sea creatures without knowing if they commonly live together in natural surroundings. While at a pet shop, ask for help from a clerk. A clerk can provide you with information about each species and will tell you which varieties are the easiest to care for.
Purchase Accessories
Effective filtration is necessary to break down and eliminate food waste in a tank. People often think that it is hard to maintain the cleanliness of a saltwater tank, but this not true. Aquarium aquacultured live rocks are limestone pieces that are found in real coral reefs. They are referred to as "live" because they have microscopic and macroscopic marine life covering their outer surface.
After placing one or more of these rocks inside of your aquarium, do not be surprised if you spot small snails, shrimp, or pink and purple algae emerging from the surface of each rock. These tiny creatures emit beneficial bacteria that are responsible for breaking down and eliminating food waste.
After purchasing rocks, buy some artificial foliage, tunnels, or scale models of buildings to add to the tank. Buy plenty of food and learn how much of the food to give to your fish and sea creatures each day.
Learn How To Prepare The Water
Spring water or filtered tap water should be added to a container that is not constructed of metal. The reason for this is because metal could contaminate water. Artificial salt or natural salt can be added to the water. A wooden spatula can be used to stir salt into the water until the granules have dissolved.
To determine how much salt is needed, ask for instructions when you make your initial purchases at a pet store. Saltwater should be room temperature before adding it to a tank. It will be necessary to test the temperature of the water to ensure that it isn't too hot or cold before filling the tank.
After filling the tank, fish and other critters from the sea can be added to the tank. Place aquacultured rocks along the interior sides of the tank. The rocks should eliminate most of the waste in the tank, but if you spot an overabundance of particles in the water, due to overfeeding your fish and sea creatures, use a net to remove the debris.
Share
