Seawater aquarium. Marine aquarium at home! Where to start and how much does it cost

Before starting such a hobby, it would be right to read as much literature on this topic as possible in order to avoid common mistakes at first. Well, the main points of the plan, how to make a marine aquarium yourself, will be provided by our step by step guide: assemble the tank, install the main decorative elements, attach the switched off filters, filling them with fillers, ground them; fill the tank with tap water, stand for a day, drain; pour water from the tap to three quarters of the volume, turn on the filters, heating (25-26 ° C)

and pump, defend the system for seven days; turn off the devices, clean the filter from the carbon filler and lay a new portion, add sea salt to the water (37 grams of salt per 1 liter of water); turn on the pump to mix and dissolve the salt, then turn it off; when the water settles, clean the bottom with a siphon - there will be a cloudy sediment, it must be removed; lay the soil and bring in all the algae and decorations you have (stones, houses, shells);

measure the density of water with a hydrometer, bring the figure to 1'022-1'024 g / l, adding either fresh water, or saline solution, at the same time fill the tank almost to the brim (indent from the top edge 4-5 cm); wait a week for the water to settle, but after about three days turn on the filters, pump, skimmer and heating, add a preparation with bacteria or live stones (reefs); a week has passed, the bacteria managed to decompose dead organic matter,

and the filters purified the water; test the content of ammonium, nitrite and phosphorus, as well as acid-base balance(the norm of the first is not more than 0.5 mg per liter, the second - at least 8.0); if the indicators deviate, it means that the decay has not yet ended, simply put, something is rotting in the water - this must be found and removed (all stones and decorations must be removed and cleaned);

when all indicators are normal, you can start the first settlers - fish, 2-3 small individuals; at this stage, you need to check the indicators daily and carry out water changes until the bacteria colonize the contents of the aquarium and can not completely process the fish waste; when the process is established, launch new fish, 1-2 per week, carefully checking the performance with tests, changing the water; everything is gradually getting back to normal, and in three months you will have a reliable biosystem!

EQUIPMENT FOR SEA AQUARIUM

The first important purchase will, of course, be the tank itself. Its shape can be different, most often it is a container with a base in the form of a square, a rectangle, less often there are forms with a convex front (viewing) wall. Displacement matters - you will need at least 200 liters, preferably 400 and even more. Do not be tempted by 50 and 100-liter bottles - marine animals get sick and die in them.

Probably the most important purchase will be an external canister filter. Experienced aquarists recommend Eheim 2260 or 2250 and Fluval 403 or 303. You will also need special filler materials - these are ceramic chips, coal and a sponge.

Purchase a thermostat, a skimmer (a device for removing foam), as well as a pump or a pump filter - this is an apparatus for saturating water with oxygen, and in combination with a filter, there is also a waste disposal mechanism. Be sure to arrange the grounding of the aquarium: buy an RCD (residual current device) and call an electrician who will correctly bring it out and connect it.

The next purchase is a supply of coal and salt, bacterial preparations, acidity tests, a simple hydrometer (a float that shows how dense the water is) and a siphon to clean the bottom.

If funds allow, take another UV lamp with a power of 15 watts or more and a large canister (about 50 liters) to dilute the salt in it. The first month of aquarium care will require significant costs and effort, and then everything will become much easier - daily feeding and about an hour a week for maintenance of equipment.

Selecting the right volume

It goes without saying that the larger the volume of the aquarium, the more expensive its equipment. Although the best volume for the "sea" is considered to be a capacity of 200 - 250 liters. (it is easiest to maintain a balanced ecosystem in it), you can start with smaller aquariums - the best option would be 50 - 80 liters.

At all small aquarium(for example, 20 l.), if desired, can also be made “marine”, but maintaining constant water parameters in it is quite difficult. The rectangular shape of the container is more preferable than the cubic one, and this is due to the possibility of organizing proper lighting, as well as placing stones.

STONES FOR SEA AQUARIUM

Such stones are also called living, because they are genuine fragments of coral reefs from the ocean, and numerous colonies of beneficial bacteria live in their cavities. Some samples have real thickets of polyps (anemones) on their surface, and small crustaceans, crabs and marine worms inside.

Having brought home the purchased stones, they should be processed - washed under running hot water, always with strong gloves, since the listed types of unwanted inhabitants leave painful and dangerous burns and bites. After installing the stones, observe the life in it in dark time- hungry and active passengers will soon find themselves. At the stage of dealing with them, use special medicines or remove animals with tweezers.

A few more words about the second favorite element of decor - these are seashells in the aquarium. Decoration seabed, they are completely unsuitable for our purposes, but beginners often want to use them - beautiful after all! main reason to give up shells is the hardness of the water, which invariably increases due to these sources of calcium carbonate (essentially chalk). Not all aquarium fish will get sick and die, their possible proximity to shells depends on the species, but they probably will not be able to breed.

Water filtration and regeneration systems

The most important and difficult point in equipping a marine aquarium, because the water in it must be perfectly clean and contain a minimum amount of nitrates. If in vivo nature itself takes care of it, and sea ​​currents constantly bring fresh and clean water, then in an aquarium the problem of water purity can only be dealt with with the help of special equipment. Sump is a container made of organic glass, divided by partitions into compartments in which various aquarium equipment is installed.

The sump is usually equipped in an aquarium cabinet, but has a direct connection with the aquarium. It can be bought (now there is a large selection of sumps with everything necessary equipment) or made independently, in this case the aquarist has the opportunity for a unique selection of aquarium equipment that best suits him. The basic principle of operation of the sump is a closed cycle.

With the help of a return pump, water flows from the sump to the aquarium, and then, exceeding a certain level, enters the overflow box and then flows back to the sump by gravity. What should be in the sump? Defoaming column (skimmer). With the help of this device, organic matter, which is constantly present there, is removed from the water, even before the start of its decay. Even dirt invisible to the naked eye is quickly collected on the bubbles that the skimmer creates and accumulates in a special compartment, from where it is then easily removed. biological filter. For these purposes, a separate compartment of the sump is usually filled with filter material.

It can be coral chips, as well as special bioballs or other porous organic material. The larger the surface of the biological filter, the more bacteria are there, and, accordingly, the quality of the biological filtration improves. We must not forget about the amount of oxygen necessary for the process, as well as the rate of water flow through the filter. Together, these three factors create the biological stability of the entire system. Algae (refugium).

Algae are able to very effectively eliminate nitrates from water, in addition, microplankton reproduces in the algae, which serves as food for many inhabitants of the marine aquarium. To organize an algae, lighting is made above one of the compartments of the sump with running water, while the lamp must be powerful enough (70-100 W). Algae (hetamorpha) are placed at the bottom of the compartment, which grow and multiply very well under conditions of high nitrate content and bright lighting. Their number must be kept under control, because. If the algae overgrows, they absorb too many micronutrients from the water, which is harmful to the corals.

The flow of water in the algae should be slower than in the entire aquarium. Return pump. It is usually installed in a special sump compartment with a variable water level. At the same time, the compartment is made large enough so that in the event of an emergency power outage or a pump breakdown, it can accommodate the entire volume of water that will merge from the aquarium. To reduce the amount of draining water in the event of a similar situation, holes are made near the end of the return tube lowered into the aquarium at a distance of 1.5 cm below the water level.

When the level drops, air enters the holes and the drain stops. It is necessary to pay attention to the power of the return pump. The best solution would be a pump that can pump about 10 aquarium volumes per hour. In this case, the decomposition products will be removed from the aquarium in time, and the water will be saturated with oxygen to a sufficient extent. Auto top up. The system of compensation for water evaporated from the aquarium, which greatly simplifies the life of its owner, because. daily monitoring of the level is quite tedious.

Pump (specialized stores on this moment their large selection is presented) is installed in a separate compartment of the sump according to the instructions. Additional compartments. It is recommended to purchase or make your own sump, providing for the availability of spare compartments. Methods for purifying water in a marine aquarium are constantly being improved and, perhaps, additional compartments will be required to install any innovation. In addition, a water heater can be installed in the sump, which in this case does not spoil the appearance of the “sea” landscape created by the aquarist.

FISH FOR SEA AQUARIUM

To make your home sea delight not only with bright beauty, but also with a peaceful atmosphere, populate the tank with medium-sized and non-aggressive species. As new species are introduced, study the literature to find out which ones are easy to get along with and which ones are in conflict. If you decide to keep exotic predatory fish, you will have to limit yourself to one species so as not to turn your aquarium into a torture chamber.

But do not be embarrassed, the choice of fish without exaggeration is great. Appreciate the variety of marine aquarium inhabitants: parrot fish; triggerfish; hedgehog fish (without neighbors); soldier fish; angels: centropig, diacanthus and about 20 more subspecies; moray eels (without neighbors); fox fish; a broad family of butterflyfish; zebrasoma and other fish-surgeons; pseudochromis; clown fish; grams; dogs (without neighbors); tangerines; argus; gobies and many others.

Life expectancy is different for everyone, but with good care, successful acclimatization and timely treatment, most species live 3-4 or about 10 years, and angelfish all twenty. Naturally, from the first days you will need to take care of feeding for the fish, given that different types they eat differently: there are herbivores, carnivores and omnivores, and some, for example, squirrel fish, feed exclusively on live food.

Select inhabitants so that it is easier to compose a diet for most or all at once. Do not flatter yourself that you can dig up worms, feed house flies, or get by with bread crumbs. For marine fish, branded food is not a whim, but a necessity, so be aware of your responsibility to animals and be ready to constantly buy good food a certain kind.

Organization of the correct flow

Current is a vital factor for marine life. It purifies the water, brings food and oxygen, and determines all the natural cycles of marine animals. In a marine aquarium, flow is especially important for "live" rocks. Only with intensive movement of water are they able to fully perform the function of a biological filter.

In conditions natural habitat marine animals get used to fairly strong currents, which are sometimes replaced by calm. Therefore, in a marine aquarium, some pumps can be turned off at night. The minimum volume pumped by the pump per hour for the "sea" should be 10-15 volumes of the aquarium, although 50 volumes will be the optimal indicator. The stream of water must not fall directly on the invertebrates.

It is better to direct it to the stones so that they are washed as intensively as possible. For these purposes, two pumps are usually used, installed opposite each other. In this case, the minimum number of stagnant zones remains in the aquarium, in which microlife can die due to lack of oxygen.

aquarium refrigerator

The usual temperature for a marine aquarium is 25-26 degrees. If its lower limit is easily adjusted using a water heater, then when extreme heat very often there is a problem with cooling water to the desired parameters. An aquarium refrigerator is not a cheap pleasure, but considering that in a particularly hot season, everyone can die due to overheating aquarium inhabitants, installing it justifies itself.

GROTTO FOR AQUARIUM OWN HANDS, FROM STONE FROM WOOD FROM CLAY FROM COCONUT

EXTERNAL FILTER FOR AQUARIUM OWN HANDS

If you decide to get exotic sea ​​fish, and create marine underwater reefs at home, you need to know where to start a marine aquarium. The higher the capacity of the tank, the more expensive all the necessary devices will cost. The optimal volume of the aquarium is 200-250 liters, in such a container it is easier to balance the aquatic ecosystem. You can choose and 80-100 liter tank rectangular shape, in which it will be easier to maintain lighting and other processes.

The first thing to consider when purchasing a water supply is that it must be capable of carrying water with a high salt concentration. Before buying devices, think about what kind of pets you want to see in your home pond. Consider their size, lifestyle, water parameters for living, and only then go shopping.

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marine aquarium lighting

The correct organization of lighting depends on the correct life cycle all living organisms. The power and spectral flux of light must be special for each type of plant and animal. The minimum allowable lighting intensity for a marine aquarium with soft corals is 0.5 watts per liter of water, with stony corals: 1 watt per liter. Seawater aquarium needs good lighting, because zooxanthellae live along with corals, these are algae that need bright light. In addition, saturated light will give a brighter color to the corals.

Animals of the Invertebrate group, which like shady places, should live in a shaded aquarium, which can be big amount arches or stones. On quantitative indicator light is also affected by the light spectrum (light temperature). Soft corals need white and bright light, while deep sea corals like low power spectra. If you light the aquarium with two white and two blue lamps, they will create comfort for all types of corals.

How to start lighting a sea (salt) water tank? Lamps with the highest power are made of metal and halogens with a power of 150-500 watts. They are suitable for aquariums with high walls, since the light can penetrate deep into the bottom without scattering around its perimeter. Some types of lighting fixtures have a night lighting function regulator that creates an imitation moonlight which is important for plankton reproduction.

In addition to metal halide bulbs, T5 bulbs can be used in the aquarium to daylight. They are compact and high power. With their help, you can make a night illumination with blue LED bulbs. Another plus of these bulbs is that they simulate sunrise and sunset while turning on and off.

Nowadays, LED lighting devices are popular, which serve for a long time, consuming little electricity. Some of these lamps can control light temperature by cycling sunny day. Quantity daylight hours in a marine aquarium - 10-12 hours.

How salt water is filtered and renewed

The marine aquarium should be distinguished by crystal clear water, with the lowest concentration of nitrates. Cleanliness in a closed reservoir can be provided by special equipment. The first is a sump, which is a reservoir made of organic glass, which is divided into cells (compartments) with the help of partitions, where different types of aquarium mechanisms are placed.

Watch a video about what a sump is, how it works and how it works.

The sump communicates directly with the tank and is installed in an aquarium cabinet, which you can design yourself or purchase from a store. The mechanism works according to a closed cycle scheme: from the sump, water enters the reservoir, after pumping from the return pump. When it is collected in the right amount, the water enters the overflow tank, and already itself flows back into the sump. A skimmer is placed in the sump - this is a device that purifies water from organic matter when it has not yet decayed. Small particles of dirt quickly accumulate in the bubbles from the skimmer, and are concentrated in the prepared cell, from which they are removed.

In addition to the sump, the marine aquarium must have a biological filter, which is placed in a separate cell (compartment) of the sump. A porous material can be used as a biofilter natural origin or coral crumb. The speed of water flow through the filter also matters.

Refugium, or algae - with the help of algae, you can purify water from nitrates, plankton, which is needed for the food of some fish, can multiply in the algae. To make an algae, you need to light a 70-100 watt lamp over one cell of a sump with running water. At the bottom of this compartment, you need to place the hetamorph algae, which multiply rapidly in good light. However, with rapid reproduction, they can take a lot of trace elements from the water, which is detrimental to corals.

Return pump and automatic refill

The return pump must be installed in a special compartment of the sump, which regulates the amount of water. A volumetric compartment is assumed here, since during an emergency power outage, it could pump into itself all the water that can drain from the tank. You also need to know about the power of the return pump - it must pump in case emergency tank volume multiplied by 10, and in just 1 hour. During this time, all undecomposed organic matter will be removed from the water in time.

See how to properly salt water for a marine aquarium.

The marine aquarium is characterized by the rapid evaporation of water. To restore its volume in a short time, an automatic topping up system (autotopping) is used. It consists of a pump, which is installed in a separate compartment of the sump as indicated in the instructions. In addition to it, in an aquarium with salt water there should be special compartments that are made by hand, or bought in addition. A water heater can be installed in the sump, which regulates the water temperature. All marine home reservoirs are mini-sites from the warm, "tropical" sea.

Starting a marine aquarium is quite simple:

• Type in the tank 75% of its capacity, infused water;
• Pour brand-name sea salt into the water;
• Start the pump and water heater, wait for the salt to dissolve in the water;
• Adjust the salinity of the water to 30-35 ppm using a refractometer;
• Take measurements of the water temperature (permissible temperature - 25 ° C);
• Line the bottom with washed sand at a level of 2 cm. Install the processed decorations;
• 24 hours after the infusion of water, you can put live stones. Within 7 days, the aquatic environment will be formed;
• First, mollusks and arthropods are launched into the tank. Seven days later - unpretentious fish. Corals - in another 2 weeks. The biological balance in the marine aquarium will be established in three months.

Marine aquariums are not only beautiful in themselves, but also add sophistication to the interior in which they are located. Their inhabitants are interesting and exciting to watch. However, behind all this beauty there are considerable costs of effort, time and money.

It is believed that such aquariums are difficult for beginners, and it is better to create them for experienced breeders. Moreover, the difficulty is not so much in maintenance as in the correct launch of this system. In any case, this matter must be taken responsibly and seriously.

In general terms, this is an artificial reservoir that imitates a piece of the sea with its inhabitants. He has big differences from a freshwater counterpart. This a complex system, requiring serious equipment to maintain certain water qualities, create currents and other conditions to support the life of the inhabitants.

How is it different from fresh water?

Marine aquariums are very sensitive to any environmental changes. All parameters, namely acidity, salinity, temperature, hardness, alkalinity, calcium content, must be strictly maintained within certain ranges. Any deviations from the norm will be critical for their inhabitants.

A marine body of water will require powerful equipment, special fixtures, and expensive and complex Consumables which are not needed for freshwater.

In addition, freshwater aquarium maintenance practices are not suitable for marine life.

Pros of a marine aquarium:

• attractive and exotic look an aquarium that can decorate any interior;
• very beautiful, interesting and unusual inhabitants, which you can not only consider, but also try to breed;
• the possibility of growing your own corals;
• does not require as frequent maintenance as in the case of freshwater.

Cons of a marine aquarium:

• it is difficult to provide an optimal environment, constant control over the chemical composition of water is required, powerful filtration and aeration are needed, only suitable certain type soil;
• it is not easy to renew water (draining and topping up part of it is not suitable), special devices are needed for regeneration and purification;
• it takes a lot technical devices for maintenance that cannot be placed in the aquarium, you additionally need to purchase a special stand for them;
• this is not a cheap pleasure, since the equipment, materials and themselves sea ​​pets are expensive.

Types of aquariums

Marine aquariums have their own varieties. Here are the main ones:

1. Only for . The cheapest and easiest to care for compared to the rest. The emphasis in it is on fish, so there is little scenery. Most often, predators (lionfish, moray eels, triggerfish), coral (angel, butterfly) and small flocks, like clowns, are placed in it.
2. Mixed, in which fish coexist with invertebrates ( Starfish, sea anemone, shrimp), soft corals, some coelenterates and live stones. Such reservoirs are more interesting, but they have their drawbacks: it is problematic to combine fish and invertebrates, brighter and longer lighting is required, which contributes to the rapid formation of plaque, it is difficult to treat fish due to the toxicity of drugs to invertebrates, and so on.
3. Coral, in which these polyps are adjacent to a few fish.
4. Reefs that mimic the landscape, lighting, and population of a coral reef. This is the most expensive and most difficult aquarium to maintain. It will only be possible for specialists in marine aquaristics.
5. Sharks, in which (as the name implies) sharks live.

What is required for arrangement?

Not every fish lover will decide to create a marine aquarium. The main reason is that many simply do not know how to properly organize it and what to pay special attention to. So what you need to buy:

1. Aquarium. The best option- This is a rectangular container of 200-250 liters. It will be easier to properly place the stones, maintain balance and provide high-quality lighting. The stand under it must be strong. Indoor location - not in direct sun.
2. Next, it is worth considering and compiling a list of inhabitants, taking into account their number, compatibility and needs.
3. Pick up equipment. The main condition is that it must be resistant to salt water.

Lighting. Most often, the home sea is equipped with LED lamps 150-500 watts. They give light that reaches the bottom almost without scattering. Some of them have a night light function. You can also use lamps daylight T5 or metal halide lamps. The latter must be treated with caution, as they often explode when water hits them. In addition, they lack the blue spectrum necessary for anemone growth.

Filtration and regeneration of water. The cyclicity of these processes is ensured by a sump - a box made of plexiglass with compartments that house a variety of equipment (flotation machine, refugium, return pump, automatic topping up and additional compartments). It is located in a cabinet. Has a connection with the aquarium. Can be bought ready-made or self-assembled.

Marine aquarium equipment and its functions:

1. Skimmer, skimmer or skimmer – important element in setting up a marine aquarium. As you know, life in an aquarium is accompanied by organic waste, which further breaks down into relatively harmless ammonium ions and dangerous ammonia. At elevated pH values, the proportion of ammonia in aquarium water increases, which can lead to poisoning of aquarium inhabitants. IN freshwater aquarium with an average pH value of 6.5-7.5, not much ammonia is released, so you can rely on biological treatment due to nitrifying bacteria. In a marine aquarium, things are somewhat different. The pH value in it is higher, and reaches 8.2-8.3, so much more ammonia is produced in it. For this reason, it is much more efficient to remove organic waste before they break up and join the chain. This is where a skimmer comes in handy.
   This device is a cylindrical container filled with water. Through it, with the help of a sprayer, a lot of ozonized air bubbles pass, entraining various organic suspensions, which are subsequently removed from the aquarium in the form of foam into a special foam collector. Clean water enters the additional filtration system or back to the aquarium.
2. Filter may be internal or external. In a marine aquarium, it practically does not perform biological filtration, the algae and bacteria in the soil and decorations cope with this role. You can fill the filter with coal, antiphos or synthetic winterizer. They absorb various suspensions, and coal removes toxins from the water and makes the water transparent. It should be replaced once a week, and the sponge should be washed periodically.
3. Refugium and algae. A useful compartment that performs biological filtration, in some cases serving as a source of microplankton, as well as enriching the water with oxygen and preventing acidity from falling at night. It grows beneficial algae absorbing nitrates, carbon dioxide and release oxygen. It is usually placed after the flotator to ensure better water purification. They settle in the refugium beneficial species algae, mainly caulerpa or hetamorpha.
4. Auto top up. It is no secret that the water from the aquarium is constantly evaporating, and its salinity is increasing. This can be avoided by auto-topping, which adds osmiated water to the aquarium.

Flow. Usually take two pumps. Each of them should pump an average of 50 volumes per hour. The stream of water is directed to the stones.

Aquarium refrigerator. It is needed to prevent overheating of water in hot weather.

How to prepare the water and start the aquarium?

Ordinary water is not suitable for home sea. You need a special one, prepared with sea salt, which, in turn, can be bought at specialized pet stores.

The first steps to prepare sea water:

1. Fill 75% of the aquarium with tap water.
2. Turn on all equipment except skimmer and UV sterilizer.
3. Let the aquarium brew for a week.
4. Turn off the filter and fill the aquarium with sea salt at the rate of 37 g/l.
5. Turn on the pumps and the heater, wait for the salt to completely dissolve in the water
6. In a separate container, prepare a solution of sea salt purchased at a pet store. The salt concentration in it should be 1.5-2 times higher than in the aquarium (55-70 g/l). The amount of solution should be 25% of the volume of the aquarium.
7. Measure the salinity level using a refractometer. Normally, the device should show 33-35 ppm.
8. Measure water temperature. It should be 25 degrees Celsius.
9. Fill the bottom with fine coral chips or sand with a layer of no more than 2 cm. It must first be washed and boiled. Install decorations (if planned). Process them first too.
10. On the fifth day, you can turn on the filter and skimmer, and on the seventh day, you can add live stones and / or bacterial preparations to the aquarium to establish biological balance.

During the launch period, processes such as darkening of the sand or greening of the windows can occur in it. This is normal and should be gone by the end of the week. After that, the aquarium is ready to receive the first inhabitants.

As for future water changes, the first is done no earlier than after 3 weeks, and the next weekly, 15 percent of the liquid.

Living stones are an indispensable element of the decoration of a marine aquarium. They contain microorganisms, plankton, algae and even some primitive inhabitants, which are indispensable attributes of the marine biotope. They make it easier to start an aquarium, improve the health and lifespan of animals, and for some species of invertebrates and fish, they are a necessary condition.

Get them on coral reefs and transported to the point of sale in a wet state. Since the reefs are now under threat of extinction, producing countries impose great restrictions on the extraction of material. For this reason, it is becoming more and more difficult to find live stones on sale every year, and their price is growing.

Live rock should be chosen with the utmost care, and should have a large amount of protrusions and porosity formed by the skeleton of dead corals. They shouldn't have a large number dead organics. It is also necessary to examine the object for the presence of unwanted inhabitants, such as carnivorous crabs, mantis shrimp, polychaete worms, planaria, aiptasia, filamentous and blue-green algae.

Settlement

To reduce the level of stress and anxiety, it is better to transplant the purchased living creatures into a prepared marine aquarium in the dark. The first inhabitants should be unpretentious. First you can start mollusks and arthropods, then a week later fish (not aggressive and not territorial). Corals are planted in last turn not earlier than 2 weeks later.

In the process of settling, constant monitoring of water quality is required. There is no need to rush to accommodate everyone. When the last fish are planted in the aquarium, and the concentration of ammonium and nitrite is consistently below 0.1 mg/l, the start-up period is considered to be successfully completed. But finally the biological balance will be established only after 3-5 months.

Although a marine aquarium is a costly project and requires a lot of effort to start up, you should not immediately abandon this idea. If you already have some experience with a freshwater body of water, and you feel the strength and desire in yourself, go for it. We hope that this article will help you navigate at the initial stage.

Video tutorial from the channel " living water» on launching a marine aquarium:

This artificial reservoir is a real island of miracles in the sea of ​​everyday life, an amazing object for observation and a true decoration of the interior. Many dream of it, but not everyone can afford it. For some this expensive pleasure, others fear that they will not be able to cope with complex equipment and maintenance. Nevertheless, experienced and even novice lovers of the underwater world are quite capable of this task. And expert advice will help in solving it.

Water

Keeping a small marine aquarium for an amateur, especially a beginner, is almost impossible. It is recommended to purchase a vessel with a volume of 200 liters or more. The water in it must meet strict criteria. Suitable for aquarium sea ​​salt. Starting the system, salt is poured gradually, starting from 3 kg per 100 liters. It should be borne in mind: the salt will completely dissolve only after 1-2 hours. As a result, the water temperature should be 25-26⁰С, salinity - 30-35%, density - 1.023-1.025. These parameters are controlled by a hydrometer. The pH level must be observed within the range of 8-8.4, the amount of nitrite - a maximum of 0.2 mg per liter. Corals and invertebrates need calcium in proportions of 400-500 mg/L. To control and normalize the aquatic environment, special devices, tests and preparations are needed.

Aquarium inhabitants

For an unsettled aquarium and an inexperienced owner, unassuming environment kinds. For example, it can be crayfish, mollusks. About a week after launch, you can move on to the fish. A good choice would be a yellow-tailed chrysiptera. First you need to take care of shelters - she needs them. We also advise you to pay attention to dascyllus and yellow zebrasoma.

A good set, according to experts, will be such a selection of the first tenants: two hermit crabs, one each of a mandarin duck, a yellow zebrasoma and a yellow tweezer butterfly, 1-2 yellow-tailed chrysipter and pseudochromis.

Before populating an aquarium, calculate its capabilities. The stocking density of waterfowl depends on their size. There are various calculation methods, we recommend this: for every 10 cm of length big fish 60 liters of liquid are required, and for every 10 cm of small ones - 35 liters.

Invertebrates, that is, crabs, shrimps, mollusks, in addition to the main food, require special additives - iodine and trace elements. If you decide to get fabulously expensive corals, then for them you will have to purchase various types of plankton and trace elements.

Priming

As the main bulk material predominantly use coarse grained sea ​​sand. The best option for a marine aquarium, aragonite is considered to stabilize the pH level in the water. But keep in mind that it softens the water, therefore, it is not suitable for keeping lovers of hard water. It is recommended to lay a layer of sand at 2.5-3 cm. So-called living ones are poured on top - crushed pieces of natural coral, tuff, lava rock, large pebbles. Data natural materials, firstly, they release microorganisms beneficial for the home sea into the water, and secondly, they provide the necessary biological filtration. This layer should be 5-7 cm thick.

Lighting

The larger the capacitance, the more powerful the light source must be. If only fish live in the aquarium, then it may be enough to make it comfortable to watch them. The most popular fixtures are fluorescent, metal halide. Some animals, such as anemones, require the use of fluorescent and actinic blue lamps.

Equipment

First of all, you should equip the aquarium with a high-quality mechanical filter to remove suspended particles. For the purpose of filtration, it is also necessary to purchase a protein collector that absorbs biodebris, and a nitrate reducer - this biological anaerobic filter adsorbs nitrates.

The most important piece of equipment is the pump, which generates the water flow necessary to maintain the stability of the entire aquarium system.

For supporting desired temperature water, it is required to install a heater, “blown around” by a water jet.

Calcium-reactor keeps the mineral composition at the required level aquarium environment.

To remove from the surface of the water organic matter carbohydrate and protein origin, you should purchase a skimmer.

The vital activity of the aquarium environment must be ensured by a system of uninterrupted autonomous power supply.

In specialized stores you can buy a complete system for marine aquariums.

Design

Creating an underwater interior is an exciting activity that allows you to show your taste and creative imagination. In this case, it is recommended to follow certain rules. The main element of decorating a marine aquarium are living corals - amazingly beautiful creations of nature. You should choose a place for them, based on what kind of lighting they need, whether they will be in a comfortable position for feeding, what water pressure they prefer, at what distance from each other they will be located. Intestinal animals in the struggle for survival have developed weapons of defense and attack - burning organs - nematocytes. If the corals are too close, the aquarium can turn into a battlefield. Some of these polyps form the so-called tentacles of aggression towards the competitor. The coral they target may die.

When arranging a marine aquarium, you need to take care of enough hiding places for fish - these sensitive creatures are stressed and need shelter. You can build grottoes yourself from stones or buy special decorations.

If you are introducing a fish with a particularly unusual and spectacular color and shape, such as a lionfish, a sohal or an angel, decorating with corals is not recommended. The luxury of the color of fish and sedentary invertebrates come into conflict, breaking the harmony of the interior.

Looks great and is useful for maintaining the bio-environment in the aquarium construction of live stones. They are cut from coral reefs and transported in a wet state so that the algae, worms, and microorganisms inhabiting the reefs are preserved. These stones act as a natural biological filter. You can build a structure using a frame or pins.

From the foregoing, it is clear that the maintenance of a marine aquarium is not an easy and expensive business. However, the costs and efforts pay off with the great aesthetic pleasure and state of peace that the presence of this particle of the underwater world in your home gives.

Marine aquariums in our country have not yet received such widespread like freshwater. Perhaps this is due to the problem of the availability of natural sea water, especially if there is no sea nearby. However, as strange as it may seem at first glance, the presence or absence of a natural salty environment does not affect the (or reef) aquarium in any way. Such water can and should be prepared independently, and the preparation technology has long been worked out in practice.

The word is in quotation marks for a reason. This is a synthetic marine aquatic environment, the basic principle of which is to add salt to fresh water in a certain proportion. Actually, this could be the end of consideration this question except for a number of important conditions. They need to be considered in more detail.

What kind of salt is needed to start an aquarium?

As is known, chemical composition salts are different, and they are used in different ways.

For example, there is sea salt for baths (widely used both in ordinary households and in beauty salons), rock salt, edible table salt (regular or with the addition of iodine).

There are also several types of technical salt: anti-icing, as a reagent, as part of dishwashing detergents in dishwashers etc.

The main condition: none of these salts can be used to prepare the aquatic environment of a marine aquarium in any case!

Only special commercial salt with the inscription "For marine aquarium" is suitable, prepared synthetically based on scientific developments in the field of aquarism.

Such salt can be purchased at pet stores or online stores, where it is presented very widely. Suffice it to mention such compositions as:

• Aquarium Systems Instant Ocean;
• Elos reef special salt;
• Royal nature pro tropical salt;
• Seachem aquavitro salinity;
• RED SEA, Marine Life;
• TETRA brand salts;
• synthetic compounds from Tropic Marine and some others.

Each commercial powder has detailed instructions for use, the requirements of which are mandatory for the preparation of synthetic sea water.

When choosing one or another salt, it must be borne in mind that they are for reef (coral) or fish aquariums. However, there are universal salt mixtures.

Water treatment

There are at least three main approaches to preparing water for its subsequent salting: using ordinary tap water, distillation and osmosis (running water through a reverse osmosis unit).

Pros and cons of tap water. Although many experts strongly oppose the use of ordinary tap water for salting, some saltwater aquarium owners use it as a starting material. It is not less than 24 hours, filtered (including using a carbon filter), and then special proprietary compounds called conditioners are added.

For example, German aquarium air conditioners such as Tetra, Aqua Medic, Preis Aquaristik or hW-wiegandt do a pretty good job of purifying tap water from nitrites, phosphates, chlorine, heavy metal ions.

How do marine life feel in such an environment? Hardly comfortable.

Distilled water perfect for cooking sea aqua. Purified from all harmful substances by distillation, it is immediately ready for salting. One disadvantage of this method- it is very expensive in terms of cost. Household electric distillers have a small capacity, high cost and consume quite a lot of electricity.

Reverse osmosis installation. Passing tap liquid through a reverse osmosis plant is much cheaper than distillation and allows you to get an almost perfect starting material. The essence of this method is the passage of water under high pressure through a special translucent membrane. The water obtained in this way does not need to be treated with air conditioners; special salt can be added to it immediately.

Household reverse osmosis unit is relatively inexpensive, small in size, easy to install inside the aquarium stand, can supply osmosis water through a hose in a thin stream directly into the aquarium.

Why is it necessary to thoroughly purify water?

As you know, a lot of various impurities are dissolved in tap water. This is easy to check if you use a quality control device called a TDS meter. By the way, it would be nice for every owner of a marine aquarium to have such a device. It is easy to use and inexpensive.

By lowering the TDS-meter into a container of water, you can measure the concentration of foreign substances in it in parts per million (on the scale of the device they are marked with ppm divisions).

For example, if the device shows 450 ppm, then this means that 450 mg of unknown impurities are contained in one liter of sample.

One can only imagine what would happen if concentrated commercial sea salt reacted with these impurities!

What quality of the aquarium aquatic environment can we talk about in this case?

So it turns out that the source water must first be thoroughly cleaned, and only then salted.

Preparing sea water

Only after cleaning the primary material can you start salting.

If the aquarium is small, then it is better to prepare the marine aquatic environment in a separate container and then pour it into a jar.

• metal, galvanized, enameled basins, pots, buckets;
• plastic containers not suitable for food;
• jars, canisters and other containers that once contained chemically active and toxic substances(fuels and lubricants, solvents, paints, varnishes, etc.).

But the plastic canister (or bottle), where it was originally drinking water, is quite suitable.

The process of adding and dissolving salt is very simple, it is described in detail on the label. commercial product. And you can pour 1/3 of the required volume full weight salt powder, and then add osmotic water, bringing the volume to normal. And you can gradually pour salt into the full volume of fresh osmotic water. By the way, if the aquarium is large, then this is usually done.

However, immediately after salting, the sea aqua is not yet ready. It is necessary to wait until the constituent elements of salt fully enter into interaction with each other and with aquatic environment. As a rule, this takes no more than 24 hours. And only then you can turn on the aquarium equipment, start the aquarium.

For the first 2-3 weeks, it is advisable to monitor the water parameters daily: salinity - with a hydrometer, and hardness - with special tests to measure the total hardness.

Competent preparation of sea water is a very serious and rather time-consuming process, on which the successful functioning of a marine or reef aquarium depends. And if aquarium inhabitants feel good, then synthetic sea water is done right.

An example of how to cook sea ​​water for an aquarium, look at the video.