Setting Up A Small Salt Water Aquarium

A basic plenum may be created by suspending egg crate material or under gravel filter plates above the aquarium bottom, using inert supports such as PVC pipe. If egg crate is used, it is covered with nylon screening over which the deep gravel bed is placed. The actual materials, including what grade of gravel or sand is used, vary depending on what literature you read, but usually coarse live sand, fine coral gravel, or a combination of both are used. One technique is to use 2" of live sand on the bottom,

setting up a small salt water aquarium

Metal Halide

In our opinion, metal halide lighting still represents the ultimate choice for marine reef aquariums, especially for sensitive hard corals. Metal halide bulbs look like incandescent bulbs but differ considerably in operation. Metal halide bulbs employ two tungsten filaments embedded in a quartz inner arc tube, spaced apart so when electricity passes through them, it forms an arc between the two. The electrical discharge excites metallic halogen gases in the arc tube which glow quite brightly.

Metal halide lamps produce an incredible amount of light. So much so, that like the sun, they should never

setting up a small salt water aquarium

The implications for captive saltwater systems and aquarists are clear. "High", stable water quality is requisite in maintaining a healthy marine microcosm. Tied in with these notions is the effect of size; volume is important. Obviously, "the bigger the better" hold

The same holds true with more nitrate. The more you have, the less viable/healthy your aquarium water is.

Take care to not place too much livestock too quickly (variable with type of system, filtration...), nor too much in the long haul, nor over-feed the system... as all can and will cause trouble with overloading your biological filtration (among other things).

Too Late! Ammonia, Nitrite Too HIGH!!!

Should you ever find your system ammonia or nitrite concentrations approaching 1.0 ppm due to overloading, mis-feeding,

There are some amazingly knowledgeable people in the club who are very generous with their experience, their time and their talents. It really is an honor to learn from their wealth of experience in this hobby."

So, yes, given not so common sense, investigation and commitment, you too can have fabulous small reef systems. IMO, more people are likely to have more success starting off with larger systems, but I am very glad to count Tom Walsh as a mini-minireef success story and friend.

DIY Aquarium Cave
This tidbit I recieved in the mail today was too good not to share. Mark Shoemaker and Esther Baum wrote these great 10 step do it yourself instructions for creating an....