| What Equipment is Needed ?Now that we are
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| | filtration to keep the system thriving. A
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| comfortable with the basic factors of a
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| | good size tank is around 55 gallons. As a
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| saltwater aquarium, let's look into what
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| | note, scrutinize hoods carefully. Many of
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| is needed to run a successful tank. The
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| | them are designed for 48" tanks, but
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| components needed to run a successful
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| | require two 24" lamps rather than one 48"
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| saltwater tank depends a lot on who you
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| | lamp. (24" lamps are usually more
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| talk to. You should never operate solely
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| | expensive than 48" lamps.)Avoid Direct
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| under the advice of one person. For
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| | Exposure to SunlightOnce you have decided
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| example, many people advocate using under
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| | on a tank, make sure you have a place to
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| gravel filters for biological filtration.
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| | put it. The tank should not be in direct
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| This however, must be tempered with
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| | sunlight or in an area which is very
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| wisdom. A saltwater tank running an under
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| | drafty. Also, make very certain the stand
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| gravel filter (UGF) with minimal
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| | will be capable of holding the weight of
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| circulation will be much more work than a
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| | the tank, plus substrate, plus rocks,
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| than a system running a wet/dry filter
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| | plus water. In total, a 55 gallon tank
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| and a couple of power heads. Wet/Dry
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| | will probably weigh over 800
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| filters tend to require less maintenance,
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| | pounds.Selecting the SubstrateAfter
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| as UGF's tend to become clogged over
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| | selecting the tank, consideration must be
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| time.
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| | given to the substrate. It is best to use
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| Not to get too buried in details, the
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| | a calcareous substrate such as crushed
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| basic components of a saltwater tank
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| | coral or dolomite. These substrates will,
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| are:TankDecorationsfiltration (including
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| | at least initially, help buffer the water
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| protein skimming)lightingwatertest kits
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| | by adding ions to the buffering system.
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| Size of Tank
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| | Generally the substrate should not be so
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| One of the most important decisions in
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| | tiny as to get sucked into the filter or
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| starting a saltwater aquarium will be the
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| | pumps, and not so large as to make the
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| size of the tank. The basic rule of thumb
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| | tank unsightly. Also, some fish (e.g.,
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| is the bigger the better. A larger tank
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| | Gobies) like smaller grades of substrate
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| will be easier to control and gives a bit
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| | over larger ones. Something in the 2-5mm
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| more leeway for mistakes (which are
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| | department seems average. Live sand is
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| inevitable). The smallest tank for
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| | one substrate which has recently gained a
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| beginners should be no less than 20
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| | fair amount of publicity. This technology
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| gallons, with 55 gallons being even
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| | is really in its infancy and is not
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| better. For someone versed in fish
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| | recommended for beginners. You can find
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| keeping (i.e., converting from fresh to
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| | more information in the
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| saltwater), a 10 or 15 gallon tank will
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| | ARCHIVE.Filtration SystemAfter you select
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| work, but is not suggested. In general,
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| | a substrate, consider the filtration
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| fish like long, wide tanks. The more
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| | system you plan to use. Your choice in
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| surface area a tank has, the better the
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| | filtration may impact the amount to
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| gas exchange will be and the happier the
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| | substrate you need. A UGF or RUGF filter
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| fish will be.Fish DensitiesBefore
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| | should have about 2-3" (5cm) of medium
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| finalizing on a tank size, remember that
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| | grade (2-3mm) substrate covering the
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| fish densities are much lower for
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| | filter plate. You do not need substrate
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| saltwater than freshwater. That is, you
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| | when you use non-UGF filters (e.g.,
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| can not put as many fish in a saltwater
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| | hang-on-the-back power filters), but,
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| tank as you can in a freshwater tank.
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| | most people use between a 1/2" to 1" for
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| Putting more than 2 saltwater fish in 10
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| | such tanks. It's interesting to note that
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| gallon tank is asking for trouble. A
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| | too much substrate in a non-UGF system
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| general rule of thumb is 4" (10cm) of
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| | might lead to dead spots, which can kill
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| small-to-medium fish per 10 gallons, or
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| | your inhabitants (a plug for
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| 2" (5cm) of larger/fast growing fish per
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| | regular gravel cleaning).Decorations
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| 10 gallons. This is just a rough estimate
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| | Next, consider the decorations, of which
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| of the number of fish. There is no exact
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| | there are a cornucopia of choices. Dead
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| number since finding the stocking density
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| | coral, lava rock, tufa rock, live rock,
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| has to take into account the filtration,
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| | and many more. Coral pieces are the most
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| maintenance, feeding schedule, etc..
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| | popular, but are also some of the most
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| Beyond the number of fish you wish to
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| | expensive. Lava and tufa rock are
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| keep, the tank's size will also affect
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| | inexpensive and may also be stacked to
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| your filtration and lighting choices,
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| | make interesting reef looking tanks. Live
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| both in cost and design. Tanks which are
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| | rock is one of those buzz words that
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| 48 inches (122cm) long are usually
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| | people like to throw around and one which
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| cheaper to light because the lamps are
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| | gets a lot of hype. Live rock is simply
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| more readily available. However, the
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| | rock taken from a reef system which has
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| larger the tank, the more light you will
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| | been populated by many different
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| need to provide your inhabitants.
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| | organisms.
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| Moreover, a larger tank needs efficient
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