Right off the bat, you should know that a saltwater aquarium demands more work than a freshwater aquarium. Apparently, marine fish require stricter water conditions, especially when it comes to pH, temperature, and salinity. Now, to keep these factors in the correct range, you’ll need to have a regular maintenance regimen. The best thing you can do for maintenance is to plan ahead.
Let us remind you that setting up the environment for salt water aquarium fish will significantly impact the maintenance routine. Once the aquarium is up and running, a set maintenance protocol is required to keep the ecosystem healthy for the fish.
Tips for Aquarium Water Maintenance
Check salinity
Even heated saltwater aquariums with a tight-fitting lids will lose water to evaporation. Whenever that happens, you’ll see an increase in aquarium water salinity. This is because the water evaporates, it leaves salt behind – making the environment more concentrated. To fix this, you’ll need to add heated freshwater regularly. Consider getting yourself a hydrometer or refractometer to keep the salinity in check.
Change the water weekly
It is recommended that you stick to a strict water change schedule for the first few months. When you first set up an aquarium, it will take some time to cycle and balance the water levels. This is actually the balance between the new fish you are planning to add or have already added and your biological filtration. Once your tank is fully cycled, regular water changes will help keep the balance from becoming an issue later.
Maintain filtration
Part of your water change regimen should be inspecting your filter. It doesn’t matter what kind of filter you have; it should allow the water to flow freely and not get plugged in from the debris. You don’t want to replace all your filter media at the same time because if you do, you will lose the beneficial bacteria that make up the biological filter. You can simply rinse and reuse the filter unless it is falling apart. However, never rinse your filter in freshwater, or you may lose the beneficial bacteria it contains.
Make saltwater
Since you are keeping saltwater fish, you’ll need a way to collect or make saltwater. In case you live close to the beach and plan on collecting water, make sure it has been properly tested and is allowed under local laws. It is recommended that you sterilize the water for at least 24 hours with a UV sterilizer, so you don’t bring in any dangerous or nuisance pathogens from the “wild.” Use a dechlorinator chemical to remove chlorine or chloramine from tap water. Using Reverse Osmosis (RO) filtered water is best for mixing a salt solution.
Scrub off the algae
What do you get when you combine fish with water? Its algae. If you have corals in the aquarium, their need for strong lights will worsen the algae problems. Scrubbing the glass of the aquarium with a scrubber on a regular basis will help remove the algae buildup. If you have a severe algae problem, you should check the water quality. High levels of nitrate and phosphate will cause algae problems.
Check the water quality
You should know that maintaining good water is important to all kinds of aquariums. An effective aquarium plan will allow your system to be set up correctly with proper filtration. If you are starting out and the aquarium is still cycling, consider checking the water quality daily. Once you have made it past the initial cycling period, you can take a step back to check your water chemistry weekly.
Check water temperature
The only thing that you want to pay utmost attention to is temperature. It is advised you not to blindly trust the generic, sticky, external thermometers. Consider investing a few more dollars in a submergible thermometer or, better, a digital one. Check the temperature daily to make sure your heaters are working efficiently. Tropical saltwater fish are not happy when they are cold will eventually get sick and die.
Tips for Fish Maintenance
Feed the fish daily
Before even purchasing the fish, look them up online and see which diets would be best for them. Some salt water aquarium fish are quite picky when it comes to eating and if you are not prepared, those dollars would be for nothing. Most salt-wash fish feedings are best done as a broadcast. What does that mean, you may ask; well, it means the scattering of food over a large area of water surface, focusing on areas with increased water flow, such as filter outflows. When it comes to the routine, twice a day would be just fine.
Check on the fish
To make sure your fish are healthy, you must check the aquarium daily. Add “check on fish” in your daily chores reminder. Feeding time is a great time to evaluate their appearance and behavior. Marine invertebrates including corals should be evaluated every day. And if down the road if you face any issues, feel free to call your local aquatic veterinarian.
Quarantine the fish if needed
Every fish owner should have a quarantine tank at the ready. That tank doesn’t have to be a “crown jewel,” but it should have a complete filtrating that suffice. Fish in quarantine systems are usually more stressed out, so give them appropriate places to hide. Know this, a quarantine tank doesn’t have to be up and running at all times, but it is advised to place the quarantine filter in the main aquarium to get it running quickly.
Now that you know how to maintain your saltwater aquarium, it’s for you to know where to get all the supplies from.
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Wrapping Up
Maintaining salt water aquarium fish is not child’s play, as a matter of fact, it takes a lot of work. All you have to do is, follow the aforementioned tips and watch it all unfold. Your fish will thank you for that.
