Description
This article is from the Beginning
Saltwater FAQ, by Thomas Sasala with numerous contributions by
others.
04 Setting Up
The following section briefly explains what you need to do to
initially setup your tank.
The first thing you need to do is to place the stand in it's final
position. Make sure the stand is level in all direction. Next, place a
piece of Styrofoam or rubber on the top of stand where the tank will
sit. This eliminates small gaps between the stand and tank reducing
pressure points which might cause the tank to crack after being
filled. After the stand is positioned, place the tank on the stand.
Make sure the tank is level in all directions. Note, a tank that is
not level has a great chance of cracking after it is filled.
Where ever you place the tank now is most likely where it will remain
for its lifetime. You should never move a tank that has water in it
since this is a sure way to crack it.
Once the tank is placed, install the filtration. If it is an UGF, then
place the filter plate(s) on the bottom of the tank. If it is a
wet/dry, then connect the prefilter and all the hoses.
Prior to adding the substrate, rinse it with plain water until the
water runs clear, and then add it to the tank. On top of the substrate
arrange the decorations. Now the saltwater may be added. The easiest
way to add water to a tank is to place a plate on the substrate and
pour the water onto the plate.
When initially setting up your tank it is okay to fill the tank with
dechlorinated water and then add the salt mix. However, subsequent
water changes need to be premixed. Pre-mixing saltwater is done for
two reasons, it gives time for the salt to thoroughly dissolve and
also allows the water parameters to stabilize. Adding 10 gallons of
freshwater and then an appropriate amount of salt to an established
tank is a big mistake (and an excellent way to kill your inhabitants).
One note on making saltwater. The source water you use for mixing is
extremely important to the overall success and health of the system.
There is more to be said about this later, but for now, realize that
tap water probably won't be good enough for your tank.
When all the water is in place, start up the filter system and check
for any leaks (of both water and air). Let the tank sit for a day or
so to clarify (with the filtration running). Now you can add fish.
How many fish you add for the cycling process depends on the size of
the tank and the cycling method you choose. You can cycle a tank
without any fish at all. In this case, you add ammonium chloride to
simulate fish waste and an initial source of nitrifying bacteria. It
is best to get a bacteria culture from an established saltwater tank.
This can be in the form of some substrate, old filter media, or some
macroalgae such as Caulerpa spp.. Live rocks are also an excellent
source of nitrifying bacteria.
If you choose to cycle your tank using fish, which is infinitely more
interesting than a tank full of circulating water, the number of fish
needed depends on the size of the tank. In any case, two fish are
preferable to one. If one fish dies, you will still have one to finish
the cycling. Of course the second fish may pass on too. If all the
fish die, then you have to remove all the contaminants from the tank
and introduce more organisms (read this as start all over).
Cycling doesn't have to be limited to fish though. Crabs and mollusks
can also be used. However, since these organisms don't produce much
waste, it will take longer to cycle the tank.
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Tags
aquaria, fish, acquarium, tank, fishkeeping, saltwater
