Setting up and Maintaining a Saltwater Aquarium

Setting Up Aquarium

• Step 1: Prepare the aquarium– Clean tank and all equipment with

sponge; no detergent

• Step 2: Aquascape the Aquarium

Setting Up the Aquarium

• Step 3: Prepare water– Fill bucket, add salt until you have a

salinity of 1.021 – 1.025 (32-38ppt) then pour into tank; repeat until tank is filled

Setting Up the Aquarium

• Step 4: Test the System– Fill filter with water, plug in filter,

plug in thermometer and set (76-82F), and circulation pump

– Balance salinity if needed– Check for leaks

Cycling the Tank and pH

• Step 5: Cycling the Tank– Phase 1: Ammonia (NH3 or NH3

+4)• Ammonia is the first too accumulate in the tank. This

starts the nitrogen cycle• Ammonia comes from decaying organic materials

present on the coral rock substrate.

Cycling the Tank and pH

• Step 5: Cycling the Tank– Phase 2: Nitrite (NO2)• About 10 days into the cycle, nitrifying bacteria convert

ammonia into nitrite.• Nitrites will continue to rise to a high level of about

15ppm, the most critical stage, and should eventually drop to zero.

Cycling the Tank and pH

• Step 5: Cycling the Tank– Phase 3: Nitrate (NO3)

• The ammonia has been converted to nitrite, the nitrite will now be converted to nitrate

• Nitrobacters are bacteria living in the tank which require oxygen and food (ammonia source) to survive. Waste from nitrobacter are in the form of nitrate.

• When nitrate readings begin to increase, nitrobacters are becoming established in your tank. SUCCESS!!! This is what you want!!!

pH of the Aquarium

• pH measures the amount of alkalinity in the water.

• All marine organisms like a pH near 8.2 ranging from 8.0 to 8.4.

• The pH should never drop below 8.0

Perform a Water Change

• Step 6: Perform a Water Change– After ammonia and nitrite levels drop to zero, you

will perform a complete water change. Plan on doing this on Monday, 9/17 or Tuesday, 9/18.

Tidy Things Up

• Step 7: Tidy Things Up– After water change, you will replace mechanical

filtering cartridge and rinse black mesh pads. – Lightly clean the sides of tank.

Aquarium Filtration

• Stage 1: Biological Filter

A good biological filter is one that involves the propagation and retention of billions of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria.

Aquarium Filtration

• Stage 2: Chemical Filter– Removes phosphates, silicates, nitrates and

ammonia through use of chemicals– Activated carbon removes some of these

compounds.– Water changes is commonly used to get rid of

nitrates.

Aquarium Filtration

• Stage 3: Mechanical Filter– Mechanical filter media is usually made from

synthetic fibers of various coarseness to remove debris from water.