Maybe you are ready to go from freshwater to saltwater. Several advanced freshwater hobbyists eventually decide to set up at least one saltwater fish tank. Maybe you saw a spectacular aquarium at a friend’s house or you just need a new challenge to keep you interested in the hobby. With the experience gained in keeping a freshwater aquarium, it will help you avoid some of the costly beginner mistakes. Remember to be patient and research the fish and equipment you plan to buy.
Beyond the aquarium, what other equipment is useful? Only some of the equipment, such as heaters, power heads, and lights, can be reused and may even need to be replaced or upgraded. In general, gravel and substrates, under-gravel filters, bubblers, and most painted decorations and plants should not be reused in a saltwater aquarium.
Start by cleaning the aquarium with a solution of warm water and vinegar to remove calcium deposits. Rinse until the vinegar smell is gone. There is no need to use bleach or soap. Note that if you used any copper-based medication in the aquarium, it should not be reused for a saltwater reef tank because copper may be present in the silicone, which can leach out and be harmful to corals and other invertebrates. If you only plan to keep fish, a copper-treated aquarium will be fine; otherwise, you must buy a new aquarium.
Next, soak heaters and power heads in a vinegar and water solution to remove calcium deposits. Clean the impellers on the power heads and gently scrub the glow plugs. If your heater is glass, consider upgrading to a titanium heater, as they are harder to break and won’t absorb salt. Most powerheads are adequate at first, but some aquarists upgrade to stronger Powerheads as they become more interested in corals.
For smaller aquariums, standard back-hung or bowl-hung filters will be acceptable for fish-only aquariums. For those who plan to maintain a reef or have trouble with high nitrates, consider a Hang on the Back Protein Skimmer. A Protein Skimmer works by mixing water and air to create millions of microbubbles. Debris in the water sticks to the microbubbles and is drawn into the neck of the Protein Skimmer. When the microbubbles burst, debris is pushed into the collection container where it no longer negatively affects water quality, unlike traditional sponge filters. Aquarists with tanks larger than 55 gallons should consider a sump with a sump protein skimmer, wet/dry filter, Refugium, or any combination of the three. Be sure to research the different methods and understand the advantages and disadvantages of each system.
For lighting, new fish-only hobbyists will be able to reuse their current fluorescent fixture, but may want to replace their yellow plant bulbs with daylight white or actinic blue bulbs. If you plan to keep a reef aquarium with corals, you may need to upgrade your lighting to Power Compact, T5, Metal Halide, or LED. These more intense forms of light allow corals to photosynthesize. Note that you don’t need to upgrade the lights right away, they can be added once you start maintaining the corals.
You will also hear about this material called Live Rock. Live rock is rock from the ocean with bacteria and living organisms on it. Live Rock will not move on its own or physically grow in size. Live Rock provides additional filtration, a structure for fish to hide, and a place to mount corals. The typical reef aquarium needs 75 to 1.25 pounds of live rock per gallon, but this can vary depending on the density of the rock.
Instead of gravel or fluorspar, most saltwater aquariums use Live Sand or Aragonite. These substrates provide a natural buffer against pH drops and will not need to be siphoned off if the proper cleanup crew consists of snails, crabs, starfish and shrimp.
Finally, a saltwater aquarium requires salt and some way to measure the salt. You should not use table salt or softener salt. Instead, buy a synthetic salt mix. To make salt water with a specific gravity of 1.020, add approximately two cups of salt to five gallons of reverse osmosis or tap water. Stir until the salt is completely dissolved. Then measure the salinity or specific gravity with a hydrometer or refractometer. Most saltwater aquarists will use reverse osmosis water as it is purified and does not contain phosphates or nitrates like tap or well water. This will reduce algae growth and make the hobby easier.
