Buying a Saltwater Aquarium: What You Need to Know

Buying a Marine Tank: Purchase the Biggest Tank You Can Afford to Buy
salt water tank If you’re a beginning aquarium enthusiast, then buying your first marine aquarium is certainly a purchase you can’t take lightly. That’s because the tank you choose will affect your choice of fish as well as their overall care and maintenance. Usually, it’s best to buy the largest sized tank that can either fit into your aquarium space or into your budget. That way, you’ll have more alternatives when it comes to adding fish and including plants, coral and other decorations.

Start with a 40-Gallon Tank if You’re a Beginning Aquarium Enthusiast
fish tank Depending on your budget or available space then, the smallest tank you should consider should be around 40 gallons (150 liters) in size. Don’t make the mistake, like many hobbyists, by picking too small of tank. Choosing a larger tank will prevent you from having to transplant fish, plants, and tank accessories into a bigger aquarium at a later date. In addition, if you fail to buy a roomer marine tank, then you’ll eventually have to buy new lights and filters for the bigger aquarium as well.

Keep the Fish Count Lower to Ensure Survival
tropical fish So, if you’re committed to the hobby of caring and maintaining saltwater fish, tank size is an important consideration. Follow this rule: Each inch of fish should accommodate five gallons of water. Therefore, if your tank is 40 gallons, you shouldn’t buy any more than three to four small fish. Marine fish are sensitive to their environment and don’t like to be crowded into a fish tank. So, keep the count low if you want your fish to survive.

Selecting an Aquarium
When choosing a marine tank too, you’ll want to make sure that it is well-constructed and that it is made of the right material. Before you choose a marine tank then, it will need to meet specific requirements. For example, make sure the aquarium is guaranteed to be leak-proof and non-toxic. The most popular fish tanks used for saltwater aquariums are generally made of glass or acrylic. Click here if you are upgrading from a freshwater aquarium to saltwater.

Glass or Acrylic: Weighing the Pros and Cons
If you choose acrylic over glass, you can keep the temperature of the water more consistent. Therefore, you don’t have to buy larger chillers or heaters as you have to do with glass. Also, acrylic is lighter in weight and less dense than glass. Therefore the material accepts light more readily. Acrylic is also known to be more durable as well. The only drawback of an acrylic tank is the translucency of the tank. Glass tanks have a much more clear view with little or no light distortion compared to the same tank made out of acrylic.

Starphire glass: Taking this a step further you could get a glass tank with starphire glass, these tanks are really clear.

Glass Aquariums Usually Cost Less than Acrylic Tanks
However, even with its many positive characteristics, acrylic does sustain scratch marks easier than glass. As a result, you’ll need to use a special pad when you’re cleaning a marine tank made of the material. In addition, because acrylic marine tanks are more easily scratched, the shipping costs are higher and therefore the price. Because a glass marine tank is denser too, it needs less support than an acrylic tank.

Develop a Plan of Routine Care and Maintenance
Regardless of the tank you finally select though, you’ll find that being an aquarium enthusiast is an avocation you’ll grow to love and enjoy.

cleaning tank