Saltwater Aquarium Set Up

Saltwater aquarium set up takes time but it is exciting adventure.

It usually takes 4 to 8 weeks before you can add any saltwater fish safely to your saltwater aquarium.

I know it is disappointing to wait too long before you can start putting fish into your saltwater aquarium, but you wouldn’t want to risk losing them.

Saltwater fish are quite pricey. So I would say that patience is the key!

Before we move on to more details of aquarium set up, think about these things first:

Location

Aquarium Size and Aquarium Stand

Substrate

Filtration, Lighting and Temperature

Decor/Aquascape

Inhabitants

With these in mind, you can really start a plan on putting a saltwater aquarium together.

Now, follow these simple set up steps and you will be on your way to creating a beautiful saltwater aquarium easily:

STEP 1

Choosing your Location, Aquarium Size and Aquarium Stand

The first step in saltwater aquarium set up is choosing a location that is nowhere close to natural lighting sources.

Close to windows, entrance that has a clear door where sun rays can come in and patios are a BIG NO!

Intense sunlight can produce excessive algae which are a beginner aquarist's usual problem. A cooler room temperature that is well-ventilated would be the best.

Choose a large enough location for your aquarium. Set up a level and well supported area for your aquarium and stand and is highly preferred. Make sure to leave enough space for electrical connections and other equipments as well as around the aquarium for maintenance and cleaning.

More in depth information on properly selecting saltwater aquarium location here.

Properly selected aquarium will help in a successful saltwater aquarium and set up will be a breeze. It’s not as hard as it may seem. The first requirement is a proper glass tank! It’s a mistake to buy a small aquarium "just to get started."

My suggestion is to get the largest aquarium you can afford.

It’s actually better generally for first timers.

But make sure it will fit your space and of course your budget!

Larger aquariums are more forgiving of beginners’ mistakes and provide a much more stable environment.

If you buy a small aquarium, I’m pretty sure that you will just upgrade to a bigger one later on.

If you're really interested in starting a saltwater aquarium system but can't afford all the equipments right now, I suggest learning about the "nano cube" technology.

Surface area of the aquarium should also be taken into account in aquarium set up.

Oxygen enters the water and, more importantly, noxious gases such as carbon dioxide escape into the air at the water surface. So the larger the surface area, the more efficient the exchange of gases will be.

Another important consideration in aquarium set up is the shape of the aquarium.

There are now too many unusual shapes to choose from in addition to the usual rectangular shape. From hexagonal to octagonal, bow-fronted and even trapezoidal aquariums are available.

But they all have their problems. They can be difficult to light, the saltwater fish may find it hard to establish territories or even swim properly or make viewing distorted and are harder to clean. The surface area could be compromised by an unusual shape.

Next is choosing something to stand it on. Choose a sturdy stand that is capable of supporting the weight of a filled aquarium.

If you're looking for the lowest priced aquarium stands available, of course, there's a huge selection on E-bay. Below you'll see the five lowest priced items being offered right now:

If you don’t follow this simple step, you are likely to have a huge mess or worse, a broken aquarium if it hits your floor. Make sure that the aquarium will fit perfectly on the stand you chose.

Go to Step 2: --> Prepare and set up your aquarium

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