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Maintaining a Saltwater Aquarium

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As the number one cause of aquarium fish deaths is the poor water quality, your number one aquarium responsibility is maintaining good water quality. Unfortunately, saltwater aquariums are particularly difficult in this regard because you have several factors to monitor.

Test the water approximately every two weeks (but not immediately after adding water or fish) to check ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, salinity, and pH levels. Some fluctuation is normal, but contact a pet store if you need to adjust chemical levels. To increase the pH level, however, simply add a tablespoon of baking soda, and to increase the salinity, simply add some salt.

You may need to add salt, but it is far more likely that your saltwater will be too salty. As water evaporates, leaving the salt behind, you will need to add dechlorinated water to replace the evaporated water and reduce the tank’s salinity. Fortunately, besides water, you will only need to add iodine and calcium to your tank, and the pet store can give you specific instructions on adding these chemicals.

Once a week, you should replace ten percent of the water in the aquarium, using dechlorinated water, and every few months you should make a large water change of at least twenty-five percent of your water. Keep a saltwater mix on hand so that you can easily move the fish at this time or at a moment’s notice. Whatever water your fish are in should be between seventy-five and eighty degrees, as this is the comfort zone for most saltwater fish.

In addition to watching the water quality of your saltwater aquarium, you should also regularly clean the tank—both for your sake and for the sake of the fish. Scrape algae off the interior cover and walls of the aquarium using an algae scraper, scrubber pad, or razor blade, but don’t use soaps on any interior walls and be especially careful with acrylic aquariums. For the exterior of the aquarium, try an ammonia-free glass cleaner.

Finally, check the aquarium’s filter pads and test its alkalinity on occasion. You should also remove the gravel, shake out any small debris and clean it using gravel cleaner. Each of these actions can be a hassle and you only need to do them on occasion, but your fish will appreciate it if you keep them (the cleaning and the fish) in mind.

Sources:

http://www.ehow.com
http://www.petsmart.com
http://animal-world.com
http://www.petplace.com
http://about.com
http://www.saltwateraquariumguide.com

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