Marine aquarium, where to start? Marine aquarium for beginners. Modern look
Marine aquarium- This is not only an exquisite interior decoration and an exciting hobby, it is also a complex ecosystem, the maintenance of which will require a lot of time, effort and money. Such aquariums are usually started by experienced aquarists, since it can be difficult for a beginner to properly prepare everything necessary and start the system. Maintaining a saltwater pond is significantly different from maintaining a freshwater version.
- creation of an optimal water environment, since constant monitoring of the chemical composition, timely aeration and filtration using powerful equipment is necessary;
- water renewal, since special expensive devices are needed for water regeneration and purification;
- the need to purchase a large number of technical devices for maintaining the aquarium and place them on a separate stand;
- the high cost of marine life;
- the presence of sufficient space, since installing even a small sea pond requires a lot of space, which cannot always be provided in modern apartments.
- at back wall the largest plants are planted;
- then come smaller plants;
- the smallest plants are placed against the front wall.
- 1. Fill the tank 3/4 full with osmosis water.
- 2. Add special salt.
- 3. Start the pumps and turn on the heating elements, waiting for the salt to completely dissolve.
- 4. Measure the salinity of the water. If necessary, add liquid or salt, achieving readings from 33 to 35 ppm.
- 5. Measure the water temperature. It should be +25 degrees.
- 6. Pour pre-washed and boiled sand onto the bottom in a layer of no more than two centimeters.
- 7. Leave the aquarium for a day until the water becomes clear.
- 8. Place live stones in pre-marked places, which are needed for the water to mature.
Show all
What is a saltwater aquarium and how does it differ from a freshwater one?
A marine aquarium is an artificial reservoir that recreates part of the sea with its inhabitants. The main difference from a similar freshwater structure is that this system is much more complex. It requires the installation of special, expensive equipment that will maintain the required state of the water: maintain the optimal chemical composition, simulate the flow and create other conditions characteristic of the deep sea.
Such aquariums react very sensitively to any changes. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain the level of salinity, alkalinity, acidity and hardness of water, as well as its temperature within certain limits. At the slightest deviation from the norm, all inhabitants living in the tank may die.
When deciding to start a saltwater aquarium, you need to be prepared for the fact that it will cost several times more than a freshwater one, since all the equipment and consumables very expensive.
It is necessary to understand that the maintenance techniques for a freshwater aquarium are not suitable for maintaining a saltwater tank.
Possible difficulties
The first place to start when you decide to start a marine aquarium is to assess your own strengths and capabilities. It is necessary to have an idea in advance of all the difficulties that may arise when maintaining such an artificial reservoir.
The main difficulties include:
Preparatory work
Placing a marine aquarium can be incredibly difficult, especially if space is limited at home, because it is necessary to accommodate the sea creatures in their future home as comfortably as possible. Even the most beautiful artificial pond will lose its attractiveness if it is poorly located.
The choice of location should be such that the aquarium is clearly visible from all points in the room, regardless of where the window is located. It should be taken into account that prolonged exposure to sunlight on the tank is undesirable, as this provokes increased algae growth. Therefore, it is better to close the window with curtains or install flowerpots with plants that will diffuse sunlight.
The intensity of sunlight greatly depends on the time of year and is always different, so additional artificial lighting of the aquarium will be needed to organize the normal functioning of the fish.
The aquarium should not be placed near a cold wall or in a place where the temperature changes frequently, as this can harm the health of its inhabitants.
A large aquarium can divide a room
The artificial pond should fit well into the surrounding interior, taking into account the color and size of the furniture. An illuminated tank sets off dark-colored furniture favorably, but the aquarium should be the center of the composition, attracting all attention to itself. The reservoir is not large sizes You can place it along the wall, and use a large aquarium to divide the room like a partition.
You should not choose a place on tables or cabinets next to the TV, as fish do not like unnecessary noise. It is also necessary to maintain the recommended height from the floor surface. The middle of the front glass should be at human eye level so that it is convenient to view the fish.
The connection point of the aquarium must be hidden to maintain aesthetics
The aquarium can be installed on a special stand or on brackets built into the walls, which can reliably support the weight of a filled tank. The connection point must be hidden so that it does not spoil the aesthetic appearance.
All equipment used in aquarium maintenance must be grounded or otherwise protected.
Types of marine aquariums
All artificial reservoirs have their own distinctive features, allowing to determine their compliance with the requirements of aquarists. Marine aquariums are no exception. They are also divided into several types:
Aquarium view | Description |
Exclusively for fish | This option is the most budgetary and simplest, it provides small quantity decorations or their complete absence. In such a reservoir, predatory fish will feel good: moray eels, lionfish, triggerfish, as well as angels, clones and butterflies |
Mixed | In addition to fish, you can keep some invertebrates here: shrimp, starfish, sea anemones, live stones or soft corals. In such an aquarium, it is necessary to maintain bright lighting, which causes plaque to form. It is difficult to treat fish in such conditions, since medications are toxic to invertebrates |
Coral | In such aquariums there are a small number of fish, but there are many coral polyps |
Reef | They imitate the conditions of existence of real reefs. This option is considered the most difficult and expensive to maintain. Only corals, mollusks, crustaceans and sea anemones live here |
For predators | These usually contain sharks. They require a huge area and are not particularly attractive from an aesthetic point of view |
Large marine aquariums look especially beautiful with different fish. But here you need to start from how much free space there is in the room. One fish 2.5 cm long requires 9 liters of water. If we take into account corals and invertebrates, then the minimum volume of such a tank should be 200 liters.
Smaller containers quickly break down and are not suitable for breeding large quantity fish The shape of the tank must also be taken into account. It is preferable to choose standard rectangular aquariums; it is more convenient to place stones and decorations in them, create the correct lighting and provide optimal care.
For reefs, special “nano cubes” are suitable, which are a closed ecosystem with already built-in equipment. large size. It allows you to reduce the cost of salt and chemicals, as well as introduce invertebrates into the aquarium at a lower cost.
Selection of fish
After determining the main characteristics of the aquarium and its installation location, you need to think about what kind of fish to populate it with. For beginning aquarists, it is preferable to choose pets that do not require special attention.
It is preferable to choose viviparous inhabitants, which include guppies, swordtails, and mollies, although there may be other options. Most often, marine aquariums are inhabited by:
Name | Description | Photo |
Guppy | These fish are calm and leisurely, and have an attractive variety of colors. They do not require a special composition of water. Males small size and are brightly colored, so they are easy to distinguish from females | |
Swordtails | There are 25 different varieties in this family. These beautiful fish reproduce easily, but after the fry appear, it is better to transplant the parents into another aquarium, as they can eat their offspring | |
Gourami | They have an interesting spotted coloring, which makes them stand out from the rest of the inhabitants. They are able to breathe atmospheric air, often show curiosity | |
Catfish | Original appearance combined with a peaceful character and unpretentiousness makes them desirable inhabitants home aquarium. They are also useful because they collect leftover food from the bottom. | |
Danio | Bright, attractive fish that live in schools. Due to their activity, they require a lot of space. They need high-quality, clean water with good aeration for normal well-being. | |
Ancitrus | Does an excellent job as an aquarium nurse, cleaning the walls of the container from small algae. Males are different a large number antennae around the mouth. It is recommended to feed with tableted spirulina | |
Goldfish | Although very common, it is fastidious. One adult fish requires 35 liters of water for normal health. They need clean water, so it has to be changed frequently. Differs in gluttony, so you need to limit feeding | |
If we are talking about plants, then in a marine aquarium you can have water moss, ambulia, sea lily, caulerpa and other algae. You can combine living plants with artificial specimens that require virtually no maintenance.
Scenery
For additional beauty and brightness, it is advisable to place interesting decorations in the tank. The interior must be thought out in advance, taking into account what inhabitants will live in the aquarium.
You can buy ready-made sets of several decorative elements. Their advantage is that the decorations are already thought out and fit together well. The disadvantage of this option is the high price. For a small set with a volume of about 60 liters you will have to pay at least $100.
All decor can be purchased individually in a specialized store.
An alternative option would be to assemble decorations from individual elements from scratch. You can buy all the houses, castles, artificial stones and other underwater structures and put them together into a single picture.
The most expensive option is to hire specialist designers who will help make all your dreams and fantasies about the underwater interior of a marine aquarium come true.
Additional equipment
To create a marine aquarium, you will need devices for lighting, devices for filtering and regenerating water, an aquarium refrigerator and pumps that create a current. All these items can come with the tank or be purchased separately if the aquarium is created by yourself.
To create optimal lighting, metal halide lamps with a power of 150 to 500 W are used. These lamps create light rays that penetrate to the very bottom without loss. Among them there are models suitable for night lighting. Alternatively, you can use LED lights or lamps daylighting T5.
Marine aquarium with sump
To ensure constant filtration and restoration of water properties, a sump is used, which is a plexiglass box. It consists of compartments where the necessary equipment is located. To install it, a separate cabinet and connection to the aquarium are required. You can buy it ready-made or assemble it yourself if you have the appropriate skills.
To create a flow, two pumps are used, each of which must pump from 50 liters per hour. water flow must be aimed at the stones. An aquarium refrigerator is used exclusively in the hot season to preserve optimal temperature water.
In addition, you will need a device that will monitor the main indicators of the chemical composition of water. Since conventional hydrometers and hydrometers often give erroneous readings, the health of the fish in such an aquarium may deteriorate significantly, and invertebrates and corals may die. To solve the problem, you need to use a refractometer. This device gives accurate readings and is easy to use.
In a marine aquarium, the water should have a temperature of +26 degrees, a density of 35 ppt and a salinity of 1.026 ppm. Before you start using a refractometer, it must be calibrated in distilled water.
How to start an aquarium?
After you have purchased all the necessary parts and equipment for the future aquarium, you need to once again check the serviceability of all parts. First you need to check the integrity of the tank by pouring regular water into it and leaving it for a day. If there are any cracks or leaks, they will show themselves during this time.
If there are no leaks, wash all equipment, including pumps, with osmotic water and install it in its place. Lighting fixtures, of course, do not need to be washed.
Decor and planting
The main decorative element should be limestone stone, no matter what style of decoration is chosen. Natural materials with metallic inclusions or volcanic origin are not suitable for marine tanks, as they can begin to dissolve when exposed to salt water and will pollute the aquarium. Volcanic rocks cause darkening of the water.
Several large limestone stones are used as the main decoration. This greatly simplifies the task of building a decorative structure and caring for it in the future.
Before building a structure from stones, a PVC sheet should be placed on the bottom of the tank as a substrate. This will protect the aquarium from cracks and splits. This material does not emit harmful substances and does not deteriorate in an alkaline environment. After everything is installed decorative elements and it is decided where the living stones will be installed, pumps are attached to organize the flow.
Live rocks are pieces of coral reef. They have a porous structure, through which all potentially dangerous and polluting compounds are converted into safe and chemically neutral ones. They can be placed on the bottom of the aquarium or placed in a biofilter.
Living rocks can look very impressive
When planting living vegetation, the following rules must be observed:
For beginners, unpretentious and tenacious specimens are suitable, for example, hornwort or vallisneria. They help to quickly establish balance; in the future they can be replaced with any other plants.
How to prepare water and fill an aquarium?
Do not use regular tap water to fill a saltwater aquarium. To prepare it, you need to use a special osmosis device.
Osmosis device for water preparation
After preparing the water, the aquarium is started in the following order:
Marine aquarium salt
At this stage the tank is left for another 7 days. During this time, a green film appears on the front wall of the aquarium, and the sand takes on a darker shade. This is a completely normal phenomenon, and all negative reactions will pass by the end of the week.
How to start the system and add fish?
After completing all the necessary actions and connecting the equipment, it is necessary to proceed to the relocation of marine fish into it. To reduce stress, acquired animals must be released at night.
The first to go to the new aquarium are the less demanding inhabitants: mollusks and arthropods. After they have become comfortable in the tank, you can release the purchased fish. This will happen in a week. After another two weeks they are moved to new container corals.
During the start-up of the aquarium, it is necessary to constantly monitor the water condition. It is optimal if at all stages the concentration of nitrates and ammonium is below 0.1 mg/l. This will mean that the launch of the aquarium was successful. The final equilibrium of the entire system will be established only after 3–5 months.
Caring for a marine aquarium involves changing the water weekly by 20% and constantly monitoring its composition. You should also clean the walls of the aquarium regularly. The water temperature should be between +22 and +27 degrees. All filter elements must be kept clean.
If you decide to get exotic marine fish and create underwater reefs at home, you need to know where to start in a marine aquarium. The higher the tank capacity, the more expensive all the necessary devices will cost. The optimal volume of an aquarium is 200-250 liters; in such a container it is easier to balance the aquatic ecosystem. You can choose an 80-100 liter tank rectangular shape, in which it will be easier to maintain lighting and other processes.
The first thing you should pay attention to when purchasing a water supply is that it must be able to handle water with a high salt concentration. Before purchasing devices, think about what kind of pets you want to see in your home pond. Take into account their size, lifestyle, water parameters for living, and only then go shopping.
Quickly navigate to the article
Lighting in a marine aquarium
The correct lighting depends on the precise organization of lighting. life cycle all living organisms. The power and spectral flux of light must be specific for each type of plant and animal. The minimum permissible brightness of lighting for a marine aquarium with soft corals is 0.5 Watt per liter of water, with hard corals: 1 Watt per liter. A saltwater aquarium needs good lighting because zooxanthellae live with the corals, these are algae that need bright light. In addition, rich light will give a brighter color to the corals.
Animals of the Invertebrates group that like shady places should live in a shaded aquarium, which may have a lot of arches or stones. The quantitative indicator of light is also influenced by the light spectrum ( light temperature). Soft corals need white and bright light, while deep sea corals prefer low power spectrums. If you illuminate the aquarium with two white and two blue lamps, they will create comfort for all types of corals.
Where 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 W. They are suitable for aquariums with high walls because the light can penetrate deep to the bottom without being scattered 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 lamps, T5 lamps for daylight can be used in the aquarium. They are characterized by compactness and high power. With their help, you can create night lighting with blue LED bulbs. Another advantage of such light bulbs is that they simulate sunrise and sunset when turned on and off.
These days, LED lighting fixtures are popular because they last a long time and consume little electricity. Some such lamps can control the light temperature by reproducing a cycle sunny day. The amount of daylight in a marine aquarium is 10-12 hours.
How salt water is filtered and renewed
A saltwater aquarium should have crystal clear water with the lowest concentration of nitrates. Cleanliness in a closed reservoir can be ensured by special equipment. The first is a sump, which is a reservoir made of organic glass, which is divided using partitions into cells (compartments) where different types aquarium mechanisms.
Watch a video about what a samp 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 construct yourself or purchase in a store. The mechanism operates according to a closed cycle: water flows from the sump into the reservoir, after pumping from the return pump. When it is collected in the required quantity, the water enters the overflow tank, and then itself flows back into the sump. A skimmer is located in the sump - this is a device that purifies water from organic matter when it has not yet disintegrated. 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, a marine aquarium must have a biological filter, which is placed in a separate cell (compartment) of the sump. Porous material of natural origin or coral chips can be used as a biofilter. 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 food by some fish, can multiply in the algae. To make algae, you need to light a 70-100 Watt lamp over one sump cell with running water. At the bottom of this compartment you need to place a chaetamorph of algae, which multiply quickly in good lighting. However, when they multiply rapidly, they can take a lot of microelements from the water, which is detrimental to corals.
Return pump and automatic top-up
The return pump must be installed in a special compartment of the sump, which regulates the amount of water. A large compartment is assumed here, since during an emergency power outage, it could pump into itself all the water that could drain from the tank. You also need to know about the power of the return pump - it must pump in case emergency situation 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.
A saltwater aquarium is characterized by rapid evaporation of water. To restore its volume in a short time, an automatic topping 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 this, an aquarium with salt water should have special compartments that can be made with your own hands or purchased in addition. You can install a water heater in the sump, which regulates the water temperature. All marine home ponds are mini-plots from the warm, “tropical” sea.
Starting a marine aquarium is quite simple:
- Fill the tank with 75% of its capacity, infused water;
- Add branded sea salt to the water;
- Start the pump and water heating, 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 o C);
- Line the bottom with washed sand at a level of 2 cm. Install the treated decorations;
- 24 hours after the water has infused, you can add live stones. Within 7 days aquatic environment will be formed;
- First, mollusks and arthropods are released into the tank. After seven days - unpretentious fish. Corals – in another 2 weeks. Biological balance in a marine aquarium will be established in three months.
Preface.
No matter which way you go when starting a marine hobby, I simply insist that first of all you think about the finances that you are ready and able to spend on an aquarium, then about those who you will keep in it, and only then about the shape, size of the aquarium and the rest . Even if you start by buying an aquarium of a certain size, you CANNOT skip the stage of studying fish and corals!
I strongly advise against purchasing your first marine aquarium at Euphoria. Very often, a novice aquarist wants to get results in one day, which ultimately leads to the death of the purchased fish and other animals. We are not like that, it is important for us to achieve excellent result with our "sea".
Making a plan is the most logical start to a successful and long-lasting hobby! As I already wrote, I will put finances first. Without fooling yourself, decide how much you are willing to spend on a saltwater aquarium. A hobby should be a joy for the family, not a burden.
At the next stage, you will have to immerse yourself in the study of fish, corals and invertebrates living in sea water. Why is this important in the beginning? Yes, because a house is not built for a house, but for the one who will live in it. Fish and corals and other animals have their own requirements for the environment, and if they are not respected, the hobby can only bring trouble. I don't think anyone enjoys watching animals suffer. When we have decided on the inhabitants, we select the size of the aquarium, its location in the house, equipment for it and related consumables.
More details about all stages.
Finance.
Wallet, are you ready? I’ll give you an average figure that you should focus on: 13 dollars for one liter marine system with animals. The price can either decrease or increase. Ready-made nanoaquariums with a volume of about 30 liters will cost from 400 to 600 dollars. Yes, yes, get ready for such amounts!
Choosing fish for a marine aquarium.
Paradoxically, I want to start this section with the mistakes of beginners.
Basic mistakes of newbies:
- Overcrowding the aquarium and not leaving enough space for future fish growth.
- Introducing fish into the main aquarium without quarantine
- Introducing new fish into the main tank without adequate socialization
- Introducing aggressive and territorial fish into the aquarium first
- Keeping fish of varying aggressiveness
- The belief that all big fish are aggressive and all small fish are calm
- Buying adult and large fish at once, rather than small and young forms
- Periodically adding “another fish” to the aquarium.
- Buying fish on a “euphoric” market based on a picture without properly studying the features of maintenance, care and behavior.
Now that we know about the mistake, we are strong and will not allow them! Knowledge is power!
I’ll just list those who, without a twinge of conscience, can be chosen at the first stage of moving in, for they are stable and unpretentious:
- Amphiprion ocellaris Amphiprion oceliaris
- Amphiprion clarkey Amphiprion clarkia
- Amphiprion phrenatus(tomato) Amphiprion frenatus
- Swallow fish Chromis viridis Chromis viridis
- Dogfish two-color Ecsenius bicolor
- Dogfish Salarias fasciatus Salarias fasciatus
- Cardinal fish Pterapogon cauderni Pterapogon kauderni
- Lionfish Pterois Volitans (for large volumes)
- Fox fish Siganus vulpinus (for large volumes)
- Yellow zebrasoma Zebrasoma flavescens (for large volumes)
I also want to mention those fish that a beginner should avoid.
BEGINNERS AVOID the following fish:
- Angelfishes:
- Apolemichthys species: all
- Desmoholacanthus arcuatus
- Centropyge bicolor
- Pomacanthus xanthometopon
- Pomacanthus imperator
- Pomacanthus navarchus
- Centropyge multifasciata
- Pygoplites diacanthus
- Holacanthus tricolor
- Holacanthus venusta
- Anthias – all
- Platax pinnatus
- Butterfly fish - everything
- Oxymonacanthus longirostris
- Zanclus cornutus
- Family Scaridae - all
- Rhinomuraena quaesita
- Family Syngnathidae - all
- Plectorhinchus chaetodontoides
- Surgeons
- Acanthurus Achilles
- Acanthurus lineatus
- Acanthurus leucosternon
- Naso vlamingii
- Acanthurus nigricans
- Family Malacanthidae - all
- Wrasse:
- Labroides spp.
- Macropharyngodon spp.
- Anampses spp.
Methods for choosing the number of fish.
SELECTION BY MAXIMUM FISH SIZE. Remember the rule : 1 cm of fish per 2 liters of water (if there is an LCD of at least 30% of the volume of the aquarium, skimmer). For example: We want 10 fish. We look in the atlas for information about the maximum size that a fish can reach and count: 3 x 10 cm, 2 x 7 cm, 1 x 15 cm, 1 x 12, 6 x 5 cm. Total: 30+14+15+12+30 = 101 cm multiplied by 2 liters = 202 liters. We buy a 200 liter aquarium. ATTENTION, this is considered if you select by the maximum (reference) size of the fish that they can reach, and not by the actual one!
CHOICE BY ACTUAL FISH SIZE. I recommend on 1 cm of fish 3-4 liters of sea water (if there is an LCD at least 30% of the volume of the aquarium, skimmer).
Also in the guide we pay attention to the minimum volume of an aquarium for fish. If minimum size If the aquarium in the directory is larger than our calculated one for the entire system, then we do not take such fish.
I recommend using this reference book: Atlas of marine aquarium fishes. Dr. Burgess's. Third edition. You may find completely different numbers in other sources, so I recommend choosing one “star” to guide you.
How to work with the directoryA couple of fish combinations for different aquarium sizes:
- Aquarium about 150 liters:
- Amphiprion ocellaris – 2 (pair)
- Sphaeramia nematoptera – 2
- Nemateleotris magnifica – 1-2 or Gobiosoma oceanops – 2-3
- Cryptocentrus spp. – 1 (if possible + shrimp of the genus Alpheus spp.) or Amblyeleotris spp. – 1 (if possible + shrimp of the genus Alpheus spp.)
- Aquarium about 200 liters:
- Chrysiptera parasema – 3-5
- Halochoeres chrysus – 1-2
- Centropyge loricula – 1 or Neocirrhites armatus – 1
- Escenius midas – 1 or Salaris fasciatus – 1
- Siganus vulpinus – 1 or Zebrasoma flavescens – 1 (they require an aquarium at least 120 cm long)
- Aquarium 200 – 300
- Paracanthurus hepatus – 1-2
- Chromis viridis – 5-7
- Centropyge bispinosa – 1
- Oxycirrhites typus – 1
- Pterapogon kauderni – 2-3
- Aquarium 300-400 liters:
- Centropyge argi – 1
- Gramma lotero – 2 or Gramma melacara – 2
- Apogon maculates –2
- Myripristis jacobus – 1-2
- Serranus tortugarum – 3
As a replacement you can use:
- Bodianus pulcellus
- Lioproma rubre
- Aquarium over 400 liters:
- Pterois volitans or Dendrochirus zebra
- Rhinecanthus aculeatus or Odonus niger
- Paracirrhites arcatus
- Zebrasoma xanthurum or Zebrasoma flavescens
As a replacement you can use:
- Cephalopholis urodeta
- Echidna nebulosa
- Gymnomuraena zebra
Above is a selection of more aggressive and larger fish.
When we have decided on the number and types of fish, open the atlas of sea fish and write down the maximum sizes of the selected fish: 2 x 15 cm, 3 x 10 cm, 2 x 8 cm, 3 x 9, 2 x 6 cm, 1 x 12 cm. Total: 30 +30+16+27+12+12= 127 cm multiplied by 2 liters = 254 liters. We buy a 250 liter aquarium. Once again, please note that this is a method of calculating the number of fish by maximum size and not the actual one.
Choosing corals for a marine aquarium and their mounting.
Corals can become another resident of our marine aquarium. In aquarium farming, it is customary to group corals according to the following characteristics:
- presence or absence of a hard calcium carbonate skeleton
- size of polyps
Thus, corals are divided into:
— soft: Amplexidiscus, Briarium, Cladiella, Clavularia, Dendronephthia, Discosomes, Rodactis, Ricordia, Sarcaphyton, Scleronephthia, Sinularia, Xenia, Zoanathus and others. It’s worth starting to get acquainted with corals with this group, as they are less demanding in terms of living conditions.
—hard with large polyps– LPS: Acantastraea, blastamusa, catalaphyla, caulastraea, cycloseris, duncanopsamia, euphyllia, favia, goniopora, lobophilia, oxypora, platigyra, plerogyra, scolimia, trachyphyllia, turbinaria and others.
— solid with small polyps– SPS: Acropora, montipora, pocylopora, seriatopora and others. Demanding about conditions of detention.
— anemones: sea anemones. The tentacles of these corals are one large polyp, like a case or shell filled with water.
Which coral to choose?
Start with less whimsical soft ones: zoanatas, palitoy, clavularia, briareum and others. Gradually adding LPS and ATP. SPS corals are very demanding regarding water conditions, currents, and light. At the first stages, I don’t see the point in chasing something outlandish and incredibly desirable for you. Buy those corals that are affordable and in stock. After a few months of “swimming”, you will understand what kind of living creatures you want to add. Don't forget that corals grow and increase in size. Therefore, leave room for your pets to develop. In addition, many of them can show aggression and sting neighbors while winning their place in the sun.
Most often, corals are sold not isolated, but attached to a piece of stone (such a stand is called a plug). But there is no need to rush to fix the coral. First, you need to place it in the intended habitat and observe for a while, see if the level of lighting in this place is appropriate, the current, and how the coral will feel. The coral has dissolved its polyps and feels good - it can be fixed. The most convenient and inexpensive, in my opinion, is to use two-component epoxylin. Take equal parts from each sausage and mix. We wait 3-4 minutes (this is necessary so that the composition does not collect dust in sea water) and then we fasten the surfaces we need directly under water. You can also use glue moment GEL. If you received a coral without a plug, then you can safely attach it to the stone with ordinary injection needles, rubber bands or tourniquets. There will be a separate article about this in more detail. After 10 days, the coral will grow to the substrate and the additional fasteners can be removed.
Selecting invertebrates for a saltwater aquarium:
- Snails
- Lithopoma (Astraea) spp.
- Trochus
- Turbo
- Shrimps
- Lysmata amboinensis
- Lysmata debelius
- Stenopus hispidus
- Lysmata wurdemanni
- Hermit crabs
- Dardanus spp.
- Calcinus spp.
- Sea urchins
- Diadema antillarum
- Diadema setosum
- Echinometra lividus
- Tripneustes gratilla
- Worms
- Family Sabellidae
- Family Serpulidae
- Stars
- Class Ophiuridea (brittle stars)
- Starfish:
- Blue starfish Linckia laevigata
- Red starfish Fromia elegans
- Orange Fromia monilis
- Bivalves
- Tridacna crocea
- Tradacna maxima
Shrimps, hermit crabs, brittle stars, and snails are essential inhabitants of a full-fledged marine aquarium biotope. Hermit crabs can grow to large sizes and become a nuisance in the aquarium. Therefore, the free shells for them should not be large in size so that they do not grow quickly. sea urchins should only be purchased for aquariums of sufficient size.
Technical equipment for a marine aquarium for launch.
Let's continue the example with a 250 liter aquarium. For such a marine system you need to make or buy:
- the aquarium itself
— SAMP (more about it below, you can do without it).
A cabinet that will support the weight of the aquarium. Most often, a metal frame is made, which is sheathed with chipboard. It is important to provide legs with which you can level the aquarium.
— a hydraulic system connecting the aquarium and SAMP. It is made from PVC pipes with an adhesive joint. All elements must be made of plastic, since sea water will corrode almost any metal. As standard, they make a drain pipe, an emergency drain pipe (if the main drain suddenly becomes clogged), and a return line.
Electrician. On average, you need 10-15 sockets. Most aquarists place sockets in a cabinet under the aquarium. I make a separate small bedside table and put all the electrics there. In addition, I install a separate RCD for the aquarium (for additional protection against current leakage), and distribute the load across 3-5 circuit breakers. I also always provide an uninterrupted power supply for 24 hours for the circulation pumps.
— lighting
— a bunch of different other things: from lighting in the cabinet to an aquacomputer.
What is SAMP?
For more practical maintenance of a marine aquarium, we will make an additional aquarium - SAMP. We will place all our equipment in it and organize some stages of filtration. Most often, SAMP is placed in a cabinet under the main aquarium. The standard volume of SAMP is usually equal to 30% of the volume of the main aquarium - this is a rule derived from practice (for our example, about 70 liters). The classic SAMP is divided into 3 sections: drain, algae, return compartment. The water is drained into the first section. A skimmer is most often installed in this department. It helps maintain high quality water, removing organic matter from the water. Then it enters the second compartment, where marine macroalgae (caulerpa, chaetamorpha) are located, which help remove nitrates and phosphates from the water and compete with lower unwanted algae. In the last compartment there is a return pump, which supplies water back to the aquarium through a pipe system.
Should you make a marine aquarium yourself or buy ready-made options? This is everyone's personal choice. There are some things you can do yourself and I even recommend it. In the near future, materials will appear on the portal detailing independent “seabuilding”. If you have money and lack time, it is better to buy. It is important to understand that at first you will need to devote a lot of time to your hobby, so if time is very tight at the stage of purchasing equipment, think twice, do you need it? When the system stabilizes, taking care of the aquarium will not take much time.
Choosing a place where the aquarium will be located.
It is very important to determine the location for the aquarium in advance and when installing the aquarium, make sure that it is level and not tilted to any side. It is also worth understanding that the aquarium will be viewed from all sides, from 3 sides, from 2 sides, or only the front part. This nuance can affect the interior decoration of the aquarium and its structure in general.
Choosing equipment for a marine aquarium.
It is difficult to give detailed advice on the choice of equipment. Currently there is huge amount manufacturers, choose to suit every taste. If you want it cheaper, order from China. Let’s just dwell on listing what is necessary to get started and some nuances:
- return pump
- circulation pumps
We pay attention to the volume of circulation and method of fastening. It is better to take one with a magnetic base rather than suction cups, which can come off and create a storm in the aquarium. There are options with controllers. I don't think you need a controller when starting out. The circulation volume we need in the main display is in the range of 10-50 aquarium volumes per hour. I would recommend this: for 250 liters there are two pumps of 3000 l/hour each, or you can have one for 3000 l/hour and the second for 5000 l/hour. Do not forget that two low-power circulation pumps are better than one powerful circulation pump.
Let's look at the volume of the aquarium the skimmer is designed for. It is better to take with a margin of about 30%. The following parameters are important: ease of maintenance, ease of setup, stability of operation, noise and other parameters. So before making a choice, it is better to consult your colleagues on the forum. You can buy a pump for the skimmer and make the body yourself.
- heating pad with thermostat
It is better to take two smaller ones instead of one powerful one. Don't forget about reliability.
- thermometer
Here is a field for imagination and choice - whatever your heart desires.
-refractometer for measuring water salinity or hydrometer or hygrometer
Experienced aquarists use a refractometer. But you can start with cheap options: a hydrometer or hygrometer. We will need these devices when starting and monitoring the salinity of the water in the aquarium.
There is a bunch additional equipment, but for starters, the above is enough.
Choosing lighting for a marine aquarium.
A separate point is lighting. If you are planning an open aquarium, think about a lamp mount in advance. To illuminate a marine aquarium, you can use fluorescent lamps(LL), metal halide lamps (MH), diode lighting.
Each of the listed points has an army of its fans and defenders. Whatever is available, buy it. Do not forget that T5 and MG waters located close to the surface will heat it up. And for a marine aquarium, the question is often how to cool it, especially in summer. In addition, once every six months or a year, these lamps must be replaced with new ones (as manufacturers say, although practice suggests that lamps can be used for 2 or more years without problems). For LED lighting, the first question is price. But there is an advantage - energy saving.
Pay attention!
Important! When all the equipment has been purchased, we need to decide: is there enough wiring power to power all our stuff without overloads? Currently, copper wire with a cross-section of 2.5 mm is supplied to the sockets. Usually there is a 16 A circuit breaker per line of sockets, which means that our load should not be more than 3000 W, otherwise the machine will break. Be sure to find out what else is posted on this thread. If the total power of the apartment junk of this line is close to 2000-2500 W (the main thing is to make sure that the electric kettle and washing machine are not powered from this line) - look for another option for powering the aquarium.
Choosing soil for a marine aquarium.
The aquarium and cabinet have been purchased, the equipment is lying around, the lighting is waiting - it’s time to start buying soil and stones. How much soil do you need? There are many different calculators for calculating the weight of soil at a given height. I would simplify everything to the following formula: 10% of the volume, that is: volume 30 liters - rash 3 kg of soil; volume 200 liters rash 20 kg of soil. With this method, the height of the soil will be about 3 cm. Lately Aquariums without soil are gaining popularity, especially in the West. I don't think this is a good solution for a marine aquarium biotope.
The question remains about the quality of the soil and its fraction: aragonite sand, coral chips or something else? There are no comrades according to taste and color - whatever is available, buy it. Some people use sand and are happy, others use coral chips. Some people switch from sand to coral chips, and others vice versa. Currently they offer to buy “live sand” - if you have extra money (down the drain) - this is your option. Better save and buy extra kilos living stones that are truly alive. Nuances. The whiter the aragonite sand, the smaller the fraction. And vice versa, the yellower the sand, the larger it is. If you plan to keep fish in the aquarium that dig sand (gobies, even clowns can dig), then you should choose coarser sand so that the rising sand quickly settles and there is no turbidity in the aquarium. Usually in small aquariums a fine fraction is used. IN large aquariums It is more practical to use coral chips or coarse aragonite sand. Color special significance does not, since it will change after some time.
Selecting stones for a marine aquarium.
So, we come to the choice of stones. The question is very subtle and delicate. You can buy shell rock, tuff, dry reef stone (DRS), a lively version of the previous stones, live stones (LC) “from the wheels” (these stones just brought from the sea, usually collected collective orders and delivered by a certain date) and overexposed LC ( LCDs “from wheels” that were not sold simply go into the aquarium and languish there, waiting for their buyer).
First things first. If you want to make columns, beautiful slides inside the aquarium, buy shell rock, tuff, SRK and create it. No one is rushing you, you can fasten it this way and that, drill here and there. Make frames for them from PVC pipes. We assembled your masterpiece columns in the aquarium, something didn’t fit and we didn’t like it - we took it apart and remade it. But lively stones, liquid crystals “from wheels” and overexposed liquid crystals should be purchased when the aquarium is already salted. There is not much time to make a landscape from “living” stones, and you need experience. But if you want to be able to quickly add animals to your aquarium so that it matures faster, buy any of the options for live or animated stones.
A few words about the nuances with stones. When choosing an IBS, you need to understand that the necessary microorganisms will not be able to colonize the stone both inside and outside right away. This may take from 3 to 9 months. When purchasing an LCD, various micro and macroorganisms already live both “on” and “in” the stone, so the aquarium quickly achieves biological balance.
Choosing a water source for an aquarium.
Due to the poor quality of tap water for a saltwater aquarium, it is advisable to purchase osmosis water or have access to distilled water. Why do we need water of this quality? To prepare artificial sea water. After all, to obtain artificial sea water, we dilute aquarium sea salt, consisting of many different components, with our water. Since tap water contains a lot of mineral salts, no one can predict how the components will interact sea salt with minerals in water. We don't want to poison our aquarium. And water that has passed through an osmosis membrane (and distilled water) has no or virtually no mineral salts. Therefore, water treatment is a very important point. To be sure, do an analysis tap water at the local sanitary and epidemiological service. If the water quality is good, try using tap water. But be sure to report your experience.
Starting a marine aquarium. Options for “revitalizing” the system.
After the aquarium is filled with water, we need to “revive” it and start the biological processes that take place in natural water. Most often, this process is called the launch and maturation of a biological filter. What is this for? In the process of life, fish and other inhabitants emit waste - these are potentially dangerous and toxic nitrogenous compounds: ammonium/ammonia (this is one substance, but in an acidic environment it exists more in the form of ammonium (which is less toxic), and in an alkaline environment it exists more in the form of ammonia (which is the most toxic)). To neutralize them, there are special bacteria in nature that, feeding on ammonium/ammonia, release less toxic nitrates it s. But nitr it s can also kill animals even in small concentrations. They also need to be converted into less toxic compounds - nitrate at s. And for this there are their own bacteria, which feed on nitrate it they convert them to nitrate at s. This is a very simplified diagram of the incomplete nitrogen cycle. And all our efforts are aimed at its formation. How do we properly start the nitrogen cycle?
The following options exist:
- Bookmark LCD or OZhK.
- Laying living soil.
- Introducing a culture of nitrogen cycle bacteria. For these purposes they are sold various kinds drugs.
- Add ammonia (ammonia) to the aquarium every day.
- Add fish food as if you were feeding all the fish you introduce.
- Plant fish that are resistant to ammonium/ammonia/nitrite/nitrate fluctuations and feed them. You can use freshwater mollies or guppies transferred to sea water for a week. You can also plant resistant Pomacentraceae.
The first three options are based on the immediate creation of a sufficient population of nitrogen cycle bacteria, thereby accelerating the maturation process of the aquarium. Regarding special preparations, bacteriologists unanimously say that such preparations can significantly speed up the startup of a biological filter, up to a day.
Options 4, 5, 6 are based on the fact that nitrogen cycle bacteria exist everywhere, but in small quantities. Therefore, we simply have to grow the population of bacteria we need in the aquarium. To do this, we add a nutrient medium for them, and they themselves gradually multiply and begin to fully perform the functions of processing toxic ammonia into nitrites and nitrates.
With great success, you can combine these methods in various combinations.
How does the maturation process of a marine aquarium occur? What to expect?
The process of full maturation of the system can take six months or more (here we're talking about not only about the formation of the nitrogen cycle but also about many other processes occurring in natural conditions). Since it is difficult for us to look into the microbiological changes in the aquarium, we will evaluate the maturation process visually and based on the results of tests of sea water. What do we see? At first, a brown coating/mucus appears on the sand, stones, glass - this is diatoms. After some time (from several days to several weeks or more) they will begin to disappear on their own. Next, green filamentous and red mucus-like algae will begin to appear.
All this does not look very nice, but there is nothing terrible about it, since it takes time for the aquarium to become itself. Help your “sea” by mechanically removing large accumulations of algae. This can be done with your hands or by siphoning with a tube. Monitor the parameters of sea water (density, temperature, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, phosphates), regularly make 10-15% changes once a week (be sure to monitor the quality of water for replacement). It would be nice if you have macroalgae (chaetamorpha, caulerpa or others) in your aquarium. They will create competition for nutrients microalgae, which are undesirable in our system.
Settling a marine aquarium.
We focus on ammonia/nitrites/nitarts tests. If the first ones are at zero, and nitrates are below 50 (for corals, preferably below 20), you can launch stable pioneers. Start with hermit crabs, snails, brittle stars. Of the fish, give preference to the fish that are higher on the list for beginners. Do not add more than 2-3 fish at a time, as the biological cycle is not yet established and excessive load may disrupt it.
Step-by-step settlement of a marine aquarium:
- After start:
- First settlement:
- Amphiprion ocellaris ———-2 — 15x2x2=60 liters
- Second move-in in 2 weeks:
- Chromis viridis ——————-3 —- 10x3x2=60 liters
- First settlement:
- Moving in after 1-2 months:
- First settlement:
- Escenius bicolor ——————1 — 8x1x2=16 liters
- First settlement:
- Second placement for the 1st-3rd month:
- Amblyeleotris guttata (or japonicus, or latifasciata, or steinitzi) or Cryptocentrus cinctus + shrimp Alpheus bellulus or Stonogobiops nematodes + Alpheus randalli - 8x1x2=16 liters
- Nemateleotris magnifica ——2 —9x2x2=36 liters
- Third placement for the 6th month:
- Pterosinchiropus splendidus—1+1 (male and female)—-6x2x2=24 liters
- Centropyge bispinosus –1 —12x1x2=24 liters
TOTAL: 60+60+16+16+36+24+24=236
Please note that the third addition is only for the 6th month, since these fish must live in a fully mature aquarium. It is possible to move in earlier, provided that the system is mature.
How to properly introduce animals into an aquarium?
In the transport package, water should occupy only 1/3 or 1/4 of the volume, the rest is oxygen or air. We place the bag with the animal in the aquarium to equalize the temperature. Next, within 30 minutes we equalize the water parameters of the bag and our aquarium. This can be done with a dropper or by gradually adding water in a glass every 3-5 minutes. The stages of transportation and acclimatization are very important, since the health of your pets directly depends on them. After the parameters have been adjusted, invertebrates, including corals, can be transplanted into the aquarium, but it is advisable to place the fish in a quarantine aquarium for 3 weeks in order to avoid introducing diseases into the main aquarium.
For convenience, plan the stocking of your aquarium in 3-4 stages and write down which fish and which corals you plan to stock. Try not to deviate from the plan in terms of timing and number of fish. Of course, if an attractive offer for marine life appears, you should not refuse, but you should not abuse it either. Who needs problems in an aquarium? To those who behave inconsistently! We're not like that. The fish have been launched - the aquarium has come to life.
Congratulations, you have new member family! Don't offend him.
These are, perhaps, the main points that I would like to draw the attention of a novice aquarist. This short article should be the beginning of a systematic study of the literature on marine aquarium keeping. Happy sailing!
This article was written specifically for the site.
Copying of material is permitted only with a link to the source.
Join us on social networks.
The sea has long attracted people, depths of the sea and their inhabitants are a mystery, a riddle that humanity has constantly tried and continues to try to unravel.
The first attempts to keep marine animals in aquariums were made at the beginning of the 20th century. But a real surge in the development of marine aquariums occurred at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries. Today we can recreate at home various parts of the ocean, from the coastal shelf or hard reef to the depths where almost no sunlight penetrates.
Often admiring marine aquariums, we want to see similar beauty at home. And this thought entails a number of questions: “How to do this? How much does it cost? Will we make it? How does a saltwater aquarium differ from a freshwater aquarium” and so on...
Let's try to answer these questions.
So, you have decided to get a marine aquarium.
Question one: where to start?
In this case, it is better to start with an “easy theory”.
Marine hydrobionts (they are also inhabitants of marine aquariums) are one of the most ancient inhabitants on earth, the conditions of existence of which have hardly changed. From this follows the primary principle of marine aquarium keeping, to which we will return later, namely stability.
First let's find out the difference between freshwater and marine life. Some live in fresh water, others - in salt water, and these liquids have different chemical compositions, which entails differences in the structure and functioning of the organisms of freshwater and marine fish. The above implies that sea fish will die in fresh water, and vice versa. There are exceptions to every rule, and there are fish that can thrive in waters with different salinities, but even these cannot be suddenly moved from one environment to another.
Therefore, maintaining a saltwater aquarium requires specially prepared seawater.
Let's return to the question of stability, what does this mean? Water has various characteristics (parameters), both physical and chemical. All of them are important, but there are a number of priority ones that must be constantly maintained at one given level or have minor permissible deviations. These parameters include: salinity, concentration of nitrate nitrites, temperature. We are helped to maintain these parameters stable by specially selected equipment, which will be somewhat different from what is usually used in freshwater aquarium keeping. Parameters are monitored by specialized tests and instruments.
Stability results in the so-called “cleanliness” of the aquarium. The “cleanliness” of an aquarium is a conditional indicator that reflects how correctly the system as a whole functions; this expression combines several concepts:
- Water quality.
- The concentrations of substances toxic to hydrobionts are within normal limits (for example, these are substances formed during the life of fish).
- The concentrations of other substances leading to external contamination of the container, through overgrowing of the walls or the growth of unwanted algae, are normal.
- Maintaining cleanliness of walls, soil, etc.
- Water transparency.
In nature, seas and oceans have a self-cleaning function, but in an aquarium we achieve this by installing the necessary equipment, constant human monitoring and prompt elimination of failures or deviations.
The quality of water is influenced by the density of planting of hydrobionts, that is, the number of animals that we plant in the aquarium. According to Wikipedia, the World Ocean covers 71% of the earth's surface, so it can be assumed that the population density of its inhabitants is low. The same principle should be followed when creating a marine aquarium. Low stocking density generates smaller quantity substances produced during metabolism, which reduces the load on the system as a whole and helps it maintain stability.
In addition to planting density, there is a separate question about the compatibility of aquatic organisms. It should definitely be taken into account when choosing the living population of an aquarium.
The world's oceans are very large and diverse; it includes a huge number of biotopes, which cannot be replicated in one container. Therefore, you need to be aware that some hydrobionts, even those commercially available, cannot be kept in your specific conditions.
Now we can output fundamental principles when starting a marine aquarium:
- Marine environment.
- Stability of conditions in the future.
- Maintaining water quality.
- Availability of high-quality, correctly selected and configured equipment.
- Correct planting density of aquatic organisms.
- A conscious approach when choosing an aquarium population.
PART 2. Equipment and selection of an aquarium. General information.
Let's start choosing an aquarium and its location.
Both cubic and rectangular glass containers are suitable for a marine aquarium; the shape of the front wall is also not particularly important, since it only affects visualization. The aquarium can be closed/open, branded, or created according to individual parameters.
A marine aquarium can be created in a volume of 20 liters or more. An aquarium up to 60 liters, having a cubic shape, is called a “nano-aquarium”.
Today on the market there are many offers of ready-made aquariums designed specifically for creating the Sea. A new series of marine aquariums of its own design, Ksenia (after the name of the popular sea coral Ksenia Xenia sp.)
It is best to understand from the very beginning what we want to get as a result.
Therefore, let's consider options for typing marine aquariums.
Option 1 - for hydrobionts
- Aquarium with fish and artificial decorations.
- Aquarium with fish and corals.
- Aquarium with fish and soft corals.
- Aquarium with fish and mixed reef (soft and a small amount of hard corals).
- Hard reef (dominated by hard corals, few fish).
- An aquarium with non-photosynthetic corals is corals that do not use light energy for nutrition and require additional feeding.
You can read more about the classification of marine aquariums by hydrobionts in the article “Types of marine aquariums”.
Option 2 - by equipment
- Aquarium with SAMP.
SAMP - transliteration from SUMP - sump, cesspool (American) - is a separate container connected to common system(can perform various functions and have different configurations).- Aquarium with SAMP, flotator, chemical sorbents and other equipment.
- Aquarium with SAMP, complete nitrogen cycle (achieved in various ways). The concept of the nitrogen cycle is discussed below.
- Aquarium without SAMP.
- Aquarium with external filter.
- Aquarium with external filter and flotator, other equipment.
Each of these types of aquariums has its own subtleties in launching, equipment and maintenance. Typification can flow from one type to another.
It is best to start with an aquarium with fish and soft corals. The presence or absence of SAMP is at your discretion.
Aquarium location:
- The aquarium should receive a minimum amount of natural light.
- The room will properly maintain stable average annual temperature(approximately 24-27°C).
- What is undesirable nearby are: loud sounds, sudden and constant changes in lighting (not only do we see fish, but they also see us).
- It is necessary to consider access to water, sewerage and electricity.
- It is necessary to take into account the weight of the entire aquarium structure and the thickness of the ceilings (a container with a volume of more than 100 liters must be placed on a special stand or cabinet that can withstand such weight and strong humidity. For example, the weight of a hundred-liter aquarium is about 20 kg, the weight of the stones will be at least 20 kg, add the mass here water 100 l = 100 kg, inhabitants, other equipment and we get a very impressive amount). Exceptions may be nano-aquariums.
- It is important to understand that the sea is an aggressive environment; sea water corrodes the vast majority of metals over time and is a good conductor of electricity, so there is no need to place the aquarium near wiring nodes, on damp floors or in excessively damp rooms.
To simplify things, let’s consider the launch and selection of equipment with a capacity of 100 liters, both with and without SAMP.
Aquarium equipment
must perform the following functions:
- filtration,
- create water movement,
- illuminate,
- maintain temperature and other parameters (in complex systems),
- water treatment
You will also need equipment to care for the system (scrapers, tweezers, feeding pipettes, etc.)
Filtration
It is entrusted with the function of water purification. Filtration can be mechanical (removal of debris suspended in water), chemical (installation of sorbents that absorb undesirable substances), biological (absorption and use by living organisms, such as bacteria, algae, higher plants, during the life of a number of compounds harmful to aquatic organisms).
The main emphasis in marine aquarium keeping is on biological filtration; the more of it, the better and the more stable the system.
During their life, aquatic organisms excrete excrement, particles of mucus and skin come off from them, shrimp change their shells when molting, and not all the food is eaten. All this enters into the cycle of substances called “ nitrogen cycle». .
Its essence boils down to the fact that metabolites undergo several stages of transformation thanks to special bacteria, and the initial substances are toxic to aquatic organisms even in small doses, and the final ones are almost harmless. It follows from this that the more organic matter in the aquarium, the more necessary bacteria it needs.
The main harborage for beneficial bacteria is living stones(LC), their scrap and special highly porous fillers.
LCDs are placed in the aquarium itself and also perform a relief-forming function. They can also be placed in SAMP. Sometimes liquid crystals are used as a filler for backpack or external filters, and ceramics are also placed there.
Biological filtration also includes algae. An algae is a container connected to a general system in which special algae (usually caulerpa or chaetomorpha) are grown.
Algae absorb metabolic products from the water that remain after treatment with bacteria and completely remove them from the system. Special algae can be placed in SAMP. If you only use an external filter, this type of biological filtration is not suitable.
Role mechanical filtration usually perform a variety of sponges and washcloths.
Chemical filtration is situational and is not always used. This includes various fillers that help remove harmful substances from water.
In a marine aquarium important factor is flotation, it refers more to physical filtration, but can also be classified as mechanical. Equipment for flotation is the so-called skimming columns - flotators or skimmers. The operation of such a device is based on the air cleaning process. In this case, proteins and other high-molecular contaminants are captured by air bubbles and transferred to the upper part of the device, where they accumulate in the form of foam in a removable bowl.
It is best to use models designed for twice the volume of your aquarium, this can save the system in emergency situations.
For cooling, fans or coolers and refrigeration units are used.
Water treatment
To create sea water, sea salt and osmotic water are used. Osmotic water is obtained by distilling ordinary tap water through a reverse osmosis unit. Sea salt differs in composition depending on the manufacturer and the filling of the aquarium. For example, you can use sea salt from the Israeli manufacturer RedSea. In this case, it is sea salt for reef aquariums:
You can buy osmotic and ready-made sea water in a specialized store (for example, in the Aqua Logo supermarket) or prepare it yourself. Consult a specialist and study the manufacturer's instructions.
In Aqua Logo supermarkets you can purchase a marine aquarium - a ready-made solution. Such an aquarium can be bought and started at home in one day, the kit includes all the necessary equipment and live population.
(c) Maria Kutorga
edited by Alexandra Privezentseva
(c) Aqua Logo
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 fascinating to watch. However, behind all this beauty there is a considerable expenditure of effort, time and money.
It is believed that such aquariums are difficult for beginners and are best created by experienced breeders. Moreover, the difficulty is not so much in maintenance as in the correct launch of this system. In any case, you need to take this matter responsibly and seriously.
In general terms, this is an artificial reservoir that imitates a piece of the sea with its inhabitants. It has big differences from its freshwater counterpart. This is a complex system that requires serious equipment to maintain certain water qualities, create a current and other conditions to support the life of the inhabitants.
How is it different from freshwater?
Marine aquariums are very sensitive to any changes in the environment. 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 reservoir will require powerful equipment, special devices and expensive and complex consumables that are not needed for freshwater.
In addition, freshwater aquarium maintenance techniques 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 ability to grow your own corals;
- does not require as frequent maintenance as in the case of freshwater.
Disadvantages of a saltwater aquarium:
- difficult to provide optimal environment, control over the chemical composition of water is constantly required, powerful filtration and aeration are needed, only a certain type of soil is suitable;
- It is not easy to renew the water (draining and refilling some of it is not suitable), special devices are needed for regeneration and purification;
- it takes a lot technical devices for services that cannot be placed in the aquarium, you will 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:
- Only for . The cheapest and easiest to maintain compared to others. The emphasis is on fish, so there is little decoration. Most often, predators (lionfish, moray eels, triggerfish), corals (angel, butterfly) and small schooling ones, like clowns, are placed in it.
- Mixed, in which fish coexist with invertebrates (starfish, sea anemone, shrimp), soft corals, some coelenterates and living stones. Such reservoirs are more interesting, but they have their drawbacks: it is problematic to combine fish and invertebrates, they require brighter and longer lighting, which contributes to the rapid formation of plaque, it is difficult to treat fish due to the toxicity of drugs for invertebrates, etc.
- Corals, in which these polyps are adjacent to a few fish.
- Reef ones, which imitate the landscape, lighting and population of a coral reef. This is the most expensive and most difficult to maintain aquarium. Only specialists in marine aquariums will be able to do it.
- Shark rooms, in which (as the name suggests) sharks live.
What will be required for the arrangement?
Not every fish lover will decide to create a marine aquarium. The main reason is that many simply do not know how to organize it correctly and what to pay attention to special attention. So what you need to buy:
- Aquarium. The best option- This is a rectangular container with a capacity of 200-250 liters. It will be easier to place stones correctly, maintain balance and ensure quality lighting. The stand under it must be strong. Indoor location - not in direct sun.
- Next, you should think about and draw up a list of inhabitants, taking into account their number, compatibility and needs.
- Select equipment. The main condition is that it must be resistant to salt water.
Lighting. Most often, the home sea is equipped with LED lamps of 150-500 W. They provide light that reaches the bottom almost without scattering. Some of them have a night light function. You can also use T5 fluorescent lamps or metal halide lamps. The latter must be treated with caution, as they often explode when exposed to water. In addition, they lack the blue spectrum necessary for sea anemone growth.
Water filtration and regeneration. The cyclical nature of these processes is ensured by a sump - a plexiglass box with compartments in which various equipment is located (flotator, refugium, return pump, auto-fill and additional compartments). It is located in the cabinet. Has a connection with the aquarium. Can be purchased ready-made or assembled yourself.
Marine aquarium equipment and its functions:
- Skimmer, skimmer or skimmer– an important element in arranging a marine aquarium. As you know, life in an aquarium is accompanied by organic waste, which subsequently 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 aquarium inhabitants. IN freshwater aquarium at an average pH value of 6.5-7.5, not much ammonia is released, so you can rely on biological treatment using nitrifying bacteria. In a marine aquarium, things are a little different. The pH value in it is higher, reaching 8.2-8.3, so it produces much more ammonia. For this reason, it is much more effective to remove organic waste even before they fall apart and join the chain. This is where the skimmer comes to the rescue.
This device is a cylindrical container filled with water. A lot of ozonated air bubbles pass through it using a sprayer, carrying with them various organic suspensions, which are subsequently removed from the aquarium in the form of foam into a special foam collector. Clean water flows into the additional filtration system or back into the aquarium. - Filter may be internal or external. In a marine aquarium, it practically does not perform biological filtration; algae and bacteria found in the soil and decorations cope with this role. You can fill the filter with coal, antiphos or synthetic polystyrene. 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.
- Refugeum 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 that absorb nitrates, carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. It is usually installed after the flotator to ensure better water purification. The refugium is populated useful species algae, mainly caulerpa or chaetamorph.
- Auto top-up. It is no secret that the water from the aquarium constantly evaporates, and its salinity increases. This can be avoided by automatic top-up, which adds osmium-treated water to the aquarium.
Flow. Usually two pumps are used. Each of them must pump an average of 50 volumes per hour. The water flow is directed onto the stones.
Aquarium refrigerator. It is needed to prevent water from overheating in hot weather.
How to prepare water and start an aquarium?
Ordinary water is not suitable for the home sea. You need a special one, prepared using sea salt, which, in turn, can be bought in specialized pet stores.
First steps to prepare sea water:
- Fill 75% of the aquarium with tap water.
- Turn on all equipment except the skimmer and UV sterilizer.
- Let the aquarium sit for a week.
- Turn off the filter and add sea salt to the aquarium at the rate of 37 g/l.
- Turn on the pump and heater, wait until the salt is completely dissolved in the water
- 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.
- Measure the salinity level using a refractometer. Normally, the device should show 33-35 ppm.
- Measure the water temperature. It should be 25 degrees Celsius.
- Cover the bottom with fine coral chips or sand in a layer of no more than 2 cm. It must first be washed and boiled. Install decorations (if planned). They should also be pre-treated.
- 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 startup period, processes such as darkening of sand or greening of glass may occur. This is normal and should go away by the end of the week. After this, the aquarium is ready to receive its first inhabitants.
As for future water changes, the first is done no earlier than after 3 weeks, and subsequent weekly changes of 15 percent of the liquid.
Live rocks are an essential decorative element for a marine aquarium. They contain microorganisms, plankton, algae and even some primitive inhabitants, which are mandatory attributes of a marine biotope. They make it easier to start an aquarium, improve the health and life expectancy of animals, and for some species of invertebrates and fish they are completely necessary.
They are mined at coral reefs and transported to the place of sale in a wet state. Since the reefs are now endangered, producing countries are imposing greater restrictions on the extraction of material. For this reason, finding live stones for sale is becoming more and more difficult every year, and their prices are rising.
Live rocks must be selected with special care, they must have a large number of protrusions and porosity formed by the skeleton of dead corals. They should not contain a large amount of dead organic matter. It is also necessary to examine the item for the presence of unwanted inhabitants, such as carnivorous crabs, mantis crabs, polychaete worms, planaria, aiptasia, filamentous and blue-green algae.
Check-in
To reduce the level of stress and anxiety, it is better to transplant purchased animals into a prepared marine aquarium in the dark. The first inhabitants should be unpretentious. First you can introduce mollusks and arthropods, then after a week fish (not aggressive or territorial). Corals are planted last, no earlier than 2 weeks later.
During the settlement process, constant monitoring of water quality is necessary. There is no need to rush to accommodate everyone. When the last fish are added to the aquarium, and the concentration of ammonium and nitrites is stably below 0.1 mg/l, the start-up period is considered to be successfully completed. But the final biological balance will be established only after 3-5 months.
Despite the fact that a marine aquarium is a costly project and requires a lot of effort to start, 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, 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: