Initial Set up
Day 1: Decide on the location of your tank before you start. Ensure that it is out of draughts and direct sunlight. Fill the tank with water (natural sea water or fresh water) to the desired level. If using fresh water, add the amount of marine salt required to achieve target SG.
Setup power heads, filters and heaters. Turn them on and leave overnight to mix. CAUTION: Do not turn on your electrical equipment until there is water in the tank and your hands are completely removed.
Day 2: Test temperature and raise/lower the thermostat if required. Test the specific gravity and add fresh water if the reading is too high or marine salt if reading is too low.
Day 3: – Day 42: Add substrate and live rock and let cure for a few weeks (add small amounts of food and rock/sand from established systems to seed biological filter). You can add Mollies, which have a very wide tolerance to salinity, to ‘seed’ the filter.
Test ammonia and nitrite regularly to determine when appropriate to start stocking with fish (slowly). The nitrogen cycle in marine systems is much slower than that of freshwater systems. It may take up to 6 weeks before the cycle is complete, and nitrates are produced.
Introducing Marine Fish into tank
Before starting, test the tank water once again. Ensure that all water parameters are correct.
Before purchasing fish, ensure that all requirements (feeding, hiding spots, room to grow to adult size) of the species can be catered for and ensure that the fish you have chosen will be compatible. The care sheets available from the Aquarium Industries website will provide valuable information here. We also recommend that you check what water parameters your Aquarium retailer has, and then keeping your parameters as close as possible to those.
Once you have purchased your fish, immediately take them to your home. Do not leave them in the car, and do not place them in hot areas.
Float the bag in the aquarium to acclimate temperature. Do not open the bag at this point.
Leave for 15 – 30 minutes.
In a dark quiet area, setup a container with an airstone. Pour the contents of the bag (including the fish) into the container.
Over a period of 1 – 2 hours siphon water from the main tank (using a small airline tube) into the aerated container to slowly acclimatize the fish. This process may be sped up with hardy species or with fish that are not stressed, and may also be lengthened for delicate species (including shrimp and echinoderms) that do not adjust well to changing conditions.
When ready, use a clean, sterilized net to catch the fish from the acclimatization container and put into the main tank. In some cases the fish can be placed in a floating basket within the tank, while it becomes familiar with its new home and new companions. This also helps the existing fish acclimatize to the arrival of a new tank mate. Using this technique also helps you to identify any aggression, without the fish actually having the opportunity to fight.
Ensure that the lights are off and that there are plenty of places to hide for the new fish that may come under scrutiny from existing tank mates.
It is not unusual for fish to hide for several days until they become accustomed to their new home.
Do not feed on Day 1. Don’t be concerned if the fish do not feed for the first 3 – 4 days.
Suitable Fish
Hardy fish which are suited to beginners include Damsels, Clownfish, Blennies & Gobies, as well as some Tangs and Wrasse. Visit the Aquarium Industries website for more details about each of these species, along with information about other popular Marine Fish.
Stocking Densities
- Fish only tank
Stocking densities are much lower than they would be for freshwater systems. The number of fish that you can hold depends on the species and the effectiveness of your filtration system. - Reef systems
Because invertebrates are more sensitive to organic matter than fish, stocking densities must be lower than in fish only marine systems.
Regular Maintenance
As stressed elsewhere in this care sheet, good maintenance is critical to the success of a Marine tank, as Marine Fish cannot tolerate fluctuations in water quality in the same way that freshwater fish can. Regular testing, cleaning, and appropriate feeding are vitally important.
However, as long as the tasks are performed regularly, the work is not overly time consuming. Prevention is better than cure, so follow these guidelines to ensure that your tank stays in top condition.
Daily
Feed fish and check on behavior for potential issues (health or territorial). While feeding, perform a quick visual check to ensure that all pumps, filters and lights are working.
Weekly
Test the water and adjust where necessary (only fresh water is necessary to top up losses from evaporation). Clean algae from the front of the tank. Check flow rates of filters and remove ‘scum’ from collection chambers of protein skimmers.
Every 2— 3 weeks
Perform water changes when nitrate levels get to the high end of tolerance range (see water parameters) if you do not have other methods of removing nitrates.
Every 6 months
Change tubes or light bulbs on tanks containing corals, and globes in any UV units.
Potential Health Problems
95% of health problems experienced by fish, both freshwater and marine, relate to poor water quality. Problems which can be experienced may be Viral, Bacterial, Fungal or Parasitic. All are able to be treated using commercially available treatments, coupled with good maintenance and improved feeding.
For a brief overview of the possible health problems experienced by Marine Fish, download the ‘Marine Fish: A Guide to Health’ Care Sheet from the Aquarium Industries website.
With a little care, you will enjoy many years of pleasure from your Marine tank. Visit Aquarium retailer Shop today to start!
