When it comes to saltwater aquariums, suddenly things become complicated. So many factors to consider – salinity, alkalinity, temperature, waves – you name it!
But people are keeping reef for a long time now. With a bit of patience and right piece of information it is quite easy I must say.
Then comes the challenging part. All information are available in the internet, but in a scattered way. Not to mention, there is a good amount of wrong info circulating as well.
This inspired me to create this ultimate reef aquarium guide. I am an aquarist to the core and it gives me immense pleasure to create an underwater ecosystem, be it freshwater or saltwater.
I am not putting my self in the position of someone superior in the aquarist community. I am still struggling and learning new things. And all through my journey I want to share the knowledge with my fellow aquarists.
Now lets dive deep into the topic – how to create a successful saltwater reef aquarium without doing much mistake (at least the ones I made)!
CHAPTER 1:
Choosing Your Aquarium And Selecting Your Fishes
Choosing your aquarium depends on personal preference. There are wide varieties of aquariums available in the market and you can even make your own custom size. Before buying a fish tank first you should decide what you will be keeping in it.
As our focus is to create a reef tank we should be even more careful while selecting the fishes. All species are not reef safe. Let’s checkout the options we have.
Best Reef Safe Fish: What Fishes to Select for Your Saltwater Aquarium
The first thing you need to know when it comes to buying fish for a saltwater aquarium is about their compatibility. Some fish are peaceful towards others and there are some fish that attack everything they see. Without knowing whether a particular fish can reside with other tank mates peacefully or not can lead to…
What Type Of Aquarium Is Right For You: [Fish Tank Selection Guide]
The success in the aquarium hobby requires research, learning, and patience. Most people do not spend time researching and discovering the current aquarium choices at home. Due to lack of research, many people have failed to maintain an aquarium successfully. Every year, thousands of new fish keepers will discover the natural wonders of the aquarium….
CHAPTER 2:
List Of Necessary Equipment And Selecting the Best Ones
To create and maintain a successful reef aquarium there are possibly hundred of items that you can buy. But all these are not mandatory. Some will make your life easy, some are good to have and some are just fancy stuff. Let me compile the must have items first –
- Filtration System
- Lighting For Your Coral Reef
- Protein Skimmer
- Heater
- Chiller
- Wave Maker
- Reactors
- Refugium
- RO/DI System
- Auto Top Off
- Dosing Pump
9 Best Refugium Lights For Chaeto & Macroalgae Growth
Refugium lights are the fastest and safest way for the growth of coral reefs and Chaetomorpha. An optimum level of lighting can double the growth of plants and also the macroalgae. A high-quality refugium light not only enhances photosynthesis but also assists the filtration process of the tank. In the market hundreds of lights are…
Selecting The Best Aquarium Media Reactor: Everything You Need to Know
Maintaining an aquarium (saltwater or freshwater) is a tedious task. It requires constant attention and effort from the keeper. And sometimes, despite all your effort, all can quickly go south! At times, even the premium aquarium filters have a hard time maintaining the environment of your tank. Chances are, you tried several alternatives. However, the…
Top 5 Best Auto Top Off Systems For Aquariums (Reviews & Guide)
Saltwater aquarium or reef tank is a high-maintenance hobby. From feeding the fish to cleaning the aquarium – the list of daily chores adds up. Add in the fact that you have to replace the water that evaporates each day to maintain healthy salt levels and avoid your fish tank getting too dry, and you…
Best Reverse Osmosis De-Ionized (RO/DI) System for Saltwater and Reef Aquarium: [Reviews, Buyer’s Guide, Maintenance Tips]
If you’ve set up your reef aquarium, you’re probably smitten by its aesthetics. Well, it is our painful duty to inform you that if you want this beauty to last, you’ll need an RO/DI (reverse osmosis) system. (But I’ve already spent a considerable amount on my aquarium!!) We understand. Saltwater tanks are costlier than their…
5 Best Dosing Pumps Reviews: Automate Your Freshwater Planted Tank or Saltwater Reef Aquarium
It takes work to keep an aquarium healthy. From maintaining cleanliness to having a constant supply of fresh water (or saltwater), there are many things you must think about. Whether you are keeping fish, plants or reef, all aquariums also need a constant supply of essential nutrients to keep their inhabitants happy and healthy. Unfortunately,…
Top 4 Best Calcium Reactors For Reef Aquarium: [Reviews & Comprehensive Buyer’s Guide]
As we generally link reactors with nuclear reactors, the name ‘calcium reactor’ might seem quite scary if you’re not aware of them. Well, it’s actually not that complicated. It’s a chamber that recirculates water and slowly dissolves calcium carbonate media. Maintaining the water quality of reef aquariums is extremely important. The calcium reactor helps to…
Top 10 Best Aquarium Wavemakers: [Reviews & Buyer’s Guide]
The best reason to buy an aquarium is to increase the beauty of a place. With the aquarium, we also buy a lot of accessories. But one real accessory that actually works to increase the beauty of the aquarium is missed by all. I’ll talk about that today. In this article, I will list the…
What Is A Refugium And Why You Should Install One In Your Saltwater Aquarium
The growth of microorganisms such as copepods, amphipods or macroalgae in your saltwater aquarium can be hard especially if you have a large or growing fish population. The microorganisms have no chance of thriving in an environment with a huge population of predators. Yet they are crucial if you want to create a natural habitat…
Top 10 Best LED Reef Lights: [Reviews & Buyer’s Guide]
Looking for best LED reef lights? You have come to the right page! Here you’ll find everything you need to know about LED reef lighting. Getting the perfect LED reef light is imperative for any reef tank. And for corals, it’s equally important. A perfect reef LED light will not only make your fish tank…
Top 8 Best Protein Skimmers Reviews With Comprehensive Buyer’s Guide
Do you want to see your fish tank clean every time you get home? Then you can’t deny the importance of a quality protein skimmer. Specially if you have a saltwater tank or reef aquarium. If not for the look, you’ll definitely need a protein skimmer to let the fish live in a healthy tank…
Top 10 Best Aquarium Heater Reviews With Complete Buyer’s Guide And Side by Side Comparison
Fishes tend to be very finicky when it comes to living in a closed ecosystem. But you cannot even blame them, because they are too adorable? Nope, because their life is very delicate. And if you care for your fish, you will need to ensure that it is living it’s life to the fullest inside…
Top 10 Best Aquarium Filter: The Complete Guide To Select The Right One (Reviews, Top Picks & Side by Side Comparison)
Aquarium Filters are inseparable components of fish tanks. Without them, the isolated ecosystem of an aquarium will have a hard time trying to stabilize itself. Moreover, those ecosystems most probably won’t be able to come to balance without help at all. And that help is a good fish tank filter. That’s why in the fish-keeping…
CHAPTER 3:
Make It Salty And Test The Water Parameters
Ah the obvious part of a saltwater reef tank – to make it salty. We have got the list of necessary equipment, so lets talk about reef salts and how to mix it for your salt water aquarium. Our prime target is to create an environment which replicates the ocean. So we need to control the water parameters and get them tested time to time. Success of your reef tank depends mostly on it.
Most Important Water Parameters for a Saltwater and Reef Aquarium
When most people plan to start their first ever saltwater and reef aquarium they have a notion that water parameters in a saltwater environment is a difficult topic. However, I believe this is just a notion and the truth is quite different. If you go into the in-depth complexity and analysis, things may seem to…
How To Mix Saltwater For A Marine or Reef Aquarium
Always dreamed of a nice marine aquarium? Don’t know how to get started? Don’t worry. Follow my six-step instruction, and you’ll have a saltwater mix for your reef tank in no time. But before we jump into the salt-mixing part let us know some important facts and chemistry about sea water. To replicate a piece…
Top 5 Best Aquarium Test Kits For Freshwater, Saltwater, And Reef Tanks: [Reviews & Buyer’s Guide]
It goes without saying that if you’re an enthusiast of marine life you should have an aquarium full of fishes at home or at your office. You might think that fishes can survive in the pond or river without anything, so, they could survive in a fish tank without anything but food. That’s not true…
Top 5 Best Reef Salts: Comparison, Reviews & Buyer’s Guide
Coral reefs are perhaps some of the gorgeous stuffs out there. Even enhanced is having one in your peculiar interior. With convention saltwater aquariums, you could make a stunning setting in your place or office. Aquarium professional designer efforts in alliance with planners and decorators to fit in the visual features of your custom plan…
CHAPTER 4:
Live Rock, Live Sand And Cycling Your Reef Tank
You need to select your preferred live rock. Cure the rock. Choose the sand for your reef tank and start the cycling process. In saltwater aquarium the beneficial bacteria colony grows inside the live rock and deep inside the sand bed. So they are very important for your reef tank.
How to Cure Live Rock for Your Saltwater Aquarium Or Reef Tank
Reef tanks are getting more and more popular day by day. Though some of the system and ideas revolving around such tanks keep changing, what remains constant is the live rock. Be it artificial or natural, live rock happens to be the most important part of a saltwater aquarium or a reef tank. You may…
Live Sand For Your Reef Tank: Ultimate Sand Guide
Whether you’re just getting started with a new reef tank, or you already have a tank and are looking for ways to optimize the way it works, live sand can be of help in creating the perfect environment for the inhabitants of your marine aquarium. In this article, I’ll explain a few things about live…
Top 5 Best Sand for Saltwater Aquarium: [Reviews, Comparison & Buyer’s Guide]
Who doesn’t want his saltwater aquarium to look like a piece of beautiful sea? In fact, when it comes to adorning the bottom layer of your fish tank, aquarium sand is the only substrate that has no other alternatives. Glad to say, this guide has been exclusively designed for those saltwater aquarium enthusiasts who are…
How To Cycle A Saltwater Aquarium or Reef Tank
According to the 2017-2018 survey on pet ownership by the American Pet Products Association (APPA), 2.5 million Americans own saltwater fish. Even though this number is very low compared to the 12.5 million freshwater fish owners, it is still a big number. If you own a saltwater aquarium or a reef tank, then you must…
CHAPTER 5:
Fish Selection And Stocking Guide
At this point you have a cycled tank and it is ready to add fish. We already know what type of fish we should keep but again here are some popular options and also how to quarantine them properly before adding to the main display tank.
Fish Compatibility, Selection, Acclimation And Stocking Guide For A Marine Reef Tank
If you have ever seen a vibrant saltwater tank or gone scuba diving in the ocean, you will know how beautiful the reef environment is with its fishes and corals. Most people want to recreate that beauty by setting up their reef tanks at home. However, you cannot just randomly stock an aquarium with fishes…
How to Quarantine Saltwater Fish: [Step By Step Guide]
If you’re interested in keeping an aquarium in your home, then you need to know the basic rules and regulations of fish keeping. Don’t just get too excited after setting up your nano reef tank. To make sure that marine life stays healthy, you need to consider quarantining the fish. In this article, we’ll be…
10 Best Saltwater Fish For Beginners: [That Are Easy To Keep]
There are quite many saltwater fishes that you can possibly keep in your Aquarium. It, however, doesn’t mean that all saltwater fishes are compatible. If you are a beginner then, you should be extra careful about the fishes you keep. This is due to the fact that saltwater fishes can be more difficult to take…
CHAPTER 6:
Adding Corals To Your Reef Tank
It is your personal preference which type of coral you want to keep. You can go for mixed reef as well but please remember that different corals have different requirements, be it light or nutrients. You need to acclimate the corals while adding to the tank and ensure proper nutrition for them.
10 Easy & Best LPS Corals For Beginners
Seas and Oceans all around the world have millions of corals. There are many species of corals around the world and it’s estimated that only a small percentage of them have been documented. There are quite many types of Corals that you can buy. There are corals that need a lot of water to live…
Top 5 Best SPS Corals For Beginners: How Can You Keep Them Successfully in Your Home Aquarium
There are quite a few SPS corals that you can get for your reef tank. While it is true that LPS corals are comparatively easier to take care of, with proper knowledge, you can get your fish tank to shine with SPS corals too. Keeping this in mind, we are going to review some of…
Introducing Coral To A New Reef Tank: Coral Acclimation Guide
In the tropics, people go snorkeling every day just to catch a glimpse of the beautiful fish and coral that live there. So, being able to have a mini version of those reefs in your home is an amazing and rewarding experiences. It does take work and dedication. But if done properly, you can have…
Top 5 Best Food for Corals: Reviews, Feeding & Buyer’s Guide
You’ll have to take care of a lot of things in order to grow and maintain a reef tank full with corals. To grow corals, providing them with the best food is one of the most important things. As corals are very delicate, in order to survive they need balanced nutrition which comes from the…
CHAPTER 7:
Maintenance Tips And Handling Common Issues
Maintaining a saltwater tank is an ongoing process that requires patience and dedication. You need to keep checking the water parameters, dose regularly to ensure healthy growth of you fish & coral and also firefight issues like aiptasia or different types of algae like red slime or cyanobacteria. This section will be updated frequently to cover all common issues and how to handle them.
How to Get Rid of Aiptasia Anemone from saltwater aquarium
Aiptasia Anemone; an enemy to all aquarists. It reeks of despair and destruction. For this blood-thirsty parasite, your habitual aquarium is an oasis. Their ruthless assault is enough to drive any tank enthusiast nuts. As an enemy, it attacks in large numbers and surrounds the whole tank, harming all its habitat. These vicious creatures multiply…
Red Slime Algae in Reef Tank: Causes & Solutions
Aquariums around the world display beautiful marine life. It makes it easier for people who are not able to scuba dive enjoy the vivid beauty of the sea. Likewise, aquariums are fun for both adults and children; however, if we cannot see what is on display, then where’s the fun in that? If your reef…
A Step By Step Guide To Fragging Mushroom Corals
As an aquarist, we understand how tricky it is to manage all the marine species. Although there are many hacks or tricks for maintenance, you need to know when to apply the techniques so that your aquarium is in excellent condition. And today, we will be discussing one such essential technique that can help you…
A Step by Step Guide To Fragging Zoas
Fragging is one of the primary hobbies and also a source of income for any reef enthusiast. No one wants to ignore the possibility of a few extra bucks, right? Even if you are not an experienced reefer and you wish to begin reefing, then zoanthids are one of the easiest corals that you can…
How To Frag Corals: The Definitive Guide
One thing that pops into our mind when talking about frags is grenades. So, let us clear out the air; we are not talking about crazy war equipment; instead, we are discussing about fragging corals and how to do that by yourself. Most of you probably have limited knowledge of aquarium and corals; however, it…
Dosing your reef aquarium regularly – What, why and how (Detailed Guide)
We understand your desire to purchase and even maintain a reef aquarium. It has all the vivid colors, and it feels like you have a mini ocean right in your living room. However, the aesthetic value you get from this aquarium comes at a cost (don’t spook prematurely!) By cost, what I mean is, you…
Hope this guide will be helpful for your reef tank journey. Please feel free to ask any questions in the comment section and I will be happy to answer them as best as I can. Best of luck!