Start a Saltwater Reef Tank

A saltwater reef tank can be a gorgeous addition to your home. Many people enjoy watching the slow movement and bright colors of corals and saltwater fish, such as royal gamma and blue green chromis. Starting a saltwater reef tank is labor intensive and involves a lot of careful consideration with regards to habitat, filtration, water movement, and temperature. If you are getting more ambitious in your aquarium hobby, it could be the next step for you.

Steps

Setting Up the Tank

1. Pick the correct tank size for your fish and background. You should determine the correct size tank by considering your level of experience, as well as the fish you want to keep. Research the tank size requirements for the specific fish and corals you want to keep. Consider your level of experience with the hobby. Pick a tank size that you are comfortable maintaining and that is large enough for the organisms you want to keep.
   • Tanks range in size from nano (20 gallons) to large (300 gallons).
   • If you are a beginner, consider getting a 120 gallon tank.
   • Different kinds of fish require different size tanks, so you should inquire into the correct size tank for the type of fish you want to keep.
   • If you only have space for a tank of four feet or less, you should consider getting fish that can live in smaller tanks, like clownfish, banggai cardinal fish, orchid dottyback, royal gamma or blue green chromis.
2. Pick a tank with as much depth as height. When shopping for a fish tank, try to pick one that has as much depth as it does height. Consider the challenge of cleaning the fish tank when decide on a particular shape. The shape of the tank should also be considered in relation to the style and decoration of the tank, as well as the location of the tank in your home.
   • Avoid tall, narrow tanks. The ratio of surface area to volume can lead to challenges with both cleaning and decorating the tank.
   • A good shape to start with is 48’’ by 18’’ by 18’’ (65 gallons).
3. Find a place for your saltwater reef tank. You should take the size, shape and weight of the tank into consideration. Check to make sure the floor will be able to hold the weight of the tank. Make sure there are electrical outlets in close proximity to the tank. A spot close to a sink is also a good idea.
   • You may need to contact a professional to determine whether your floor can handle the weight of a reef tank.
   • Saltwater reef tanks weigh approximately eight to twelve pounds per gallon.
4. Test for leaks. Put the tank on the tank stand. Fill the tank with water. Look for leaks in the tank. If there are leaks, it is easier to return the tank before you put all of the rocks, corals and fish in it.
   • Once you have tested for leaks, you can empty the tank.
5. Level the tank. Place a level on the top of the tank. Look at the bubble vial on the level. If the bubble is not centered in the vial, you could use some foam shims underneath the tank to get it level.
6. Purchase a synthetic sea salt mix. Unless you live in a coastal area and have access to clean salt water, you will need to make your own. For this purpose, you will need a synthetic sea salt mix. You can purchase synthetic sea salt mix from an aquarium or pet store. Ask the retailer how much sea salt mix you will need for your tank.
7. Fill the tank with clean water and salt mix. You should pour dechlorinated tap water or reverse osmosis water into the tank. Then, put the salt mix into the tank. Stir the salt into the water. Finally, fill the tank all the way to the top with water.
   • If you are not sure how to mix in the salt, check on the back of the package for the directions.
8. Check the specific gravity of the tank. Use your hydrometer to check the specific gravity of the tank. The specific gravity is the weight per unit of liquid compared to water. If you are using a standard hydrometer, place the hydrometer in the water. Read the number on the instrument to determine the specific gravity. A good range for specific gravity is between 1.021 and 1.026.
   • If the gravity is too high, remove some of the tank water and put in some fresh water.
   • If the gravity is too low, add some more salt mix.
9. Keep your tank between 72 and 78 Fahrenheit (22-25 Celsius). Keep your tank below 80 Fahrenheit (26 Celsius). You can use an aquarium heater that allows you to adjust the temperature. In very hot weather, you can cool the water and increase oxygen in the tank by increasing the water movement.
10. Use powerheads to stir the water. Use powerheads and water returns to get water moving in the tank. It is best if the water movement is complex, as opposed to unidirectional. The corals in your tank will depend on the movement of water to breathe and eat, since they are unable to move.
11. Prioritize the blue spectrum when lighting your tank. Purchase and set up the lighting for your fish tank. When choosing lighting, you want to choose lights that have enough blue spectrum light and not too much red or yellow. You also want to make sure the lighting does not overheat your aquarium. It should be strong enough to reach the organisms at the bottom of the tank.
    • You can place the tank somewhere with a few hours of natural light as long as it isn’t so much light that the tank experiences overheating. If the tank goes above the normal temperature range for the species in the tank, you will know it is overheating. A good normal range is 76 to 80 Fahrenheit (25-27 Celsius).
12. Set up the filtration system. Start by installing an overflow, which will continuously remove the top surface of water from the tank. Then, consider biological filtration through the use of a trickle filter and/or live rock.

Adding the Live Rock and Sand

1. Obtain live rock. Live rock helps with the filtration and quality of the water in your aquarium. It consists of all kinds of beneficial bacteria and algae, which will help to filter the water in your aquarium. Live rock is obtained from rubble zones just outside of coral reefs. You can purchase it from aquarium retailers.
   • Avoid purchasing live rock that has live organisms such as sea fans, which indicates that the rock has been plundered from a coral reef illegally.
   • When you purchase live rock, you should find out how it was transported. The better retailers will ship the live rock submerged in water.
2. Seed the live rock. First, remove all of the sponges and algae from the outside of the live rock. Then, place the live rock in an unlit, filtered tank for one month. By seeding the rock in this manner, you can get rid of fouling organisms and encourage the growth of good algae and bacteria. At the end of the month, the live rock will be ready to put in your reef tank.
3. Decorate the aquarium with live rock. Place the live rock directly on the bottom of the tank, rather than ontop of the sand. Arrange the live rock into the patterns and shapes that you desire. Be careful not to put the live rock too close to the walls of the tank, since it will make the tank a lot harder to clean.
   • When arranging the live rock, you should consider water circulation between the rocks. It is best to make loose arrangements with lots of space between the rocks.
   • It is easier to arrange long, flat shaped live rock, which can be easily stacked.
   • The live rock should take up approximately one third of the space in your aquarium.
4. Choose a grain size of between one and two millimeters. If you choose smaller grain sizes, the sand may trap gas. If you choose larger sizes, it can trap detritus.
5. Clean the sand in a five-gallon bucket. Fill a five gallon bucket half way up with sand. Then pour tap water into the bucket. Swirl the bucket around. Pour out the dirty water.
6. Add sand to the tank. Choose either a shallow or a deep bed of sand. A shallow bed is two inches or under, whereas a deep bed is over four inches. Some people prefer the look of a shallow sand bed, but it is up to you.
   • You should avoid a bed that is between two and four inches, since this can lead to algae blooms.
   • You can also mix in some “live” sand, which has beneficial bacteria.

Adding Corals and Fish

1. Focus on a biotope or area of reef. Before deciding which corals and fish to keep, you should consider the home or “biotope.” When you make a saltwater reef tank, you are basically reproducing a particular biotope, such as a tropical or Atlantic biotope. Once you know the biotope you are recreating in your tank, you can choose the fish and corals that occupy this type of biotope.
   • A biotope is a region that is relatively consistent in environmental conditions and home for particular plants and animals.
   • For instance, you could focus on the tropical western Atlantic reef habitat. This reef habitat can be found in the natural environment, from Northern Brazil all the way up to the Florida Keys.
2. Decide which corals you want to keep. If you are new to saltwater reef tanks, it is best to stick to one type of coral. The type of coral you choose will determine the lighting you need for your tank.
   • You will need to research the particular types of coral you purchase, so that you get the correct lighting set up for that type of coral.
   • For instance, you should choose Power Compact lights for soft corals in a 24-inch deep tank.
   • If you choose large polyp stony corals, you may want to choose HO or VHO fluorescent lights.
3. Avoid putting soft and hard corals in the same tank. Although it is possible to mix soft and hard corals, it is very difficult to accomplish with much success. If you are a beginner or simply want to avoid the risk, it is best to avoid mixing hard and soft corals.
4. Purchase “reef safe” fish and invertebrates. You want to purchase fish that will not harm your coral or, in other words, are “reef safe.” If you go to a fish store, they should have these fish labeled “reef safe.” It is also a good idea to ask friends and hobbyists for advice on a appropriate varieties.
   • If you purchase tangs, you will need a big, long tank.
5. Choose well-behaved, hardy fish for a regular tank. There are plenty of exotic fish available for saltwater reef tanks, but many exotic fish require large tanks and specialized diets. For a regular sized tank (10-55 gallons) and less intensive feeding requirements, choose a hardy, well-behaved, reef safe fish:
   • Banggai cardinalfish
   • Orchid dottyback
   • Royal gamma
   • Blue green chromis
   • Firefish
   • Six line wrasse
   • Clownfish raised in a tank
   • Watchman goby
   • Midas blenny
   • Carpenter’s wrasse

Things You’ll Need

• Aquarium
• Live rock
• Sand
• Lights
• Light timer
• Salt mix
• Protein skimmer
• Macro algae
• Fish
• Corals
• Invertebrates
• Two five gallon buckets
• Hydrometer
• Reverse osmosis filter
• Test kits
• Heater
• Thermometer
• Food
• Power heads
• Quarantine tank
• Refugium
• Algae scraper
• Power filter
• Refractometer
• Reactors

Sources and Citations

See also

• Cycle a Saltwater Tank
• Start a Saltwater Aquarium
• Mix Saltwater for an Aquarium