Part 2 of 11: Beginner's Guide to Setting Up a Saltwater or Freshwater Aquarium
Embarking on the journey of setting up your first aquarium can be both exciting and daunting. Fear not! This step-by-step guide will walk you through the process, whether you're interested in a serene freshwater setup or a vibrant saltwater reef. We'll cover the essential equipment and highlight the key differences between freshwater and saltwater aquariums.
1. Choose Your Aquarium Type
Decide whether you want a freshwater or saltwater aquarium. Freshwater tanks are generally easier and more affordable for beginners, while saltwater tanks offer a stunning array of colorful marine life but require more maintenance and equipment.
2. Select the Right Aquarium Size
For both types, a tank 20 gallons or more is recommended for beginners. Larger volumes of water are more stable and forgiving of beginner mistakes. If you have been in this hobby for a while or you want to go all in with a tank larger than 125 gallons weight can be a consideration. Aquariums depending on what you put in them can weigh 8-10 pounds per gallon. That means the 220 gallon your drooling over weighs around 2,200 pounds, can your flooring support that?
3. Gather Essential Equipment
Freshwater Aquarium:
Tank: Glass or acrylic, at least 20 gallons. Acrylic tanks can come in interesting shapes like cylinder or spheres. However, they can scratch inside and out much easier than glass.
Filter: Hang-on-back, canister, or sump are your choices. Hang on back is most economical but can create trickling noise. Canisters are great options and are very quiet, though many reef tank enthusiasts don’t prefer them because they can lead to high nitrates if not serviced frequently. Sumps require holes in the display tank to pass through intake and return lines and drain down into a sump below the aquarium. This is the most costly option and offers the flexibility of adding skimmers, refugium or media chambers. They are the go to for reef tanks.
Heater: Adjustable to maintain water temperature (typically 75-80°F). Optional heater controllers keep water temperature more stable and add safeguards to failed thermostats.
Lighting: LED or fluorescent lights suited for freshwater plants and corals. The spectrum of light is the big difference between saltwater and freshwater. Freshwater is most often “full spectrum” like sunlight to grow plants and illuminate fish. Corals require heavier blue light spectrum that the zooxanthellae in the coral thrive under. Both plants in freshwater and corals in saltwater require higher intensity lighting measured in photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). This is a whole topic in it of itself and will be covered in the next blog so stay tuned!
Substrate: Gravel, sand, or plant-specific substrate are your choices for freshwater. Saltwater is best to use crushed coral or sand with the calcium to buffer pH.
Water Conditioner: To dechlorinate tap water. We use Seachem Prime for our maintenance customers. This is critical if your water is treated by a municipality as chlorine can kill aquatic life.
Test Kit: To monitor ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH levels are for both salt and freshwater. For saltwater reef tanks you need to test for Alkalinity, Calcium, Magnesium and Phosphates. There are reagent tests where you eyeball the color of your test to a chart to determine the value. These are not the most accurate but give you an idea where your level is at. There are new digital tests that give you a digital read out that offers higher accuracy.
Décor: Rocks, driftwood, and plants (live or artificial) for freshwater or specific rocks to saltwater called live rock for the fauna that is growing on and within it.
Saltwater Specific:
Tap Water Filter: RO/DI is reverse osmosis and deionization. This brings total dissolved solid (TDS) readings to 0 for ultra filtered water.
Salt Mix: To create saltwater from RO/DI water.
Hydrometer/Refractometer: To measure salinity.
Powerhead/Wavemaker: For water circulation.
Protein Skimmer: Optional but recommended for larger tanks.
Mixing Station: This is a system plumed into containers to hold freshwater from the RO/DI filter that is plumed into a mixing tank where saltwater is mixed. Aquatic Utopia can help you build one of these so call today for a consultation!
4. Set Up Your Tank
Clean the Tank:
Rinse the tank and equipment with water (no soap or chemicals).
Add Substrate:
Place 1-2 inches of substrate at the bottom of the tank.
Fill with Water:
Freshwater: Use dechlorinated tap water.
Saltwater: Mix salt with RO/DI water to the correct salinity.
Install Equipment:
Place the heater, filter, and any other equipment in the tank.
Cycle the Tank:
Follow the fish-in or fishless cycling method described in part 1 to establish beneficial bacteria.
Add Décor:
Arrange rocks, driftwood, plants, and other decorations. Often referred to as Aquascaping. Keep the Rule of Thirds in mind as you build this out to make the most visually appealing aquascape.
Install Lighting:
Set up and adjust the lighting system.
5. Introduce Your Fish
Freshwater:
Start with hardy species like guppies, tetras, or danios.
Acclimate fish gradually to the tank water.
Saltwater:
Begin with hardy species like clownfish or damselfish.
Acclimate fish using the drip method to match salinity and temperature.
Key Differences Between Freshwater and Saltwater Aquariums
Maintenance: Saltwater tanks require more frequent water changes and monitoring of parameters as stability is critical to corals and inverterbrates.
Cost: Saltwater setups tend to be more expensive due to additional equipment and specialized livestock.
Complexity: Freshwater tanks are simpler to manage, while saltwater tanks demand more attention to water parameters and equipment.
Biodiversity: Saltwater tanks offer a broader range of colorful and exotic marine life, including corals, anemones, and invertebrates.
By following these steps and understanding the differences, you'll be well on your way to creating a beautiful and thriving aquatic environment. Stay tuned for more tips and tricks as we continue our aquarium series or call Aquatic Utopia to build your dream tank today. Happy fishkeeping! 🐟🌊