Live rock has many benefits to a marine fish aquarium while providing a touch of natural beauty. Live rock acts as a natural filtration system and creates an environment for algae, small invertebrates, and natural bacteria, which are all beneficial to the aquarium, to grow. In addition these small inhabitants provide a more natural environment for the fish in the aquarium, contributing to their overall health and well-being.

Live rock is generally coral that has broken off from large pieces of living coral. When placed inside a saltwater aquarium, microscopic bacteria, algae, and tiny bacteria begin to grow. These organisms immediately begin to act as a natural filter in the aquarium, making an artificial filter unnecessary and seemingly intrusive. The organisms, occurring naturally in the rock, help to convert the ammonia in the water into nitrate. Nitrate is far less harmful and in fact contributes to water health and quality and makes the water more suitable for salt water fish. In addition live rock eliminates the common problem of clogging that most artificial filters have. Live rock also does away with the task of cleaning the filter, which is unnecessary as it occurs naturally due to the small organisms the rock fosters. Live rock in this ways acts as a natural filter that is creates an environment that is sound and healthy for the aquarium’s inhabitants.

In addition, live rock provide natural shelter for the creatures in the aquarium. It’s natural holes and niches provide what fish would naturally find in their environment and allows them to participate in activities that are the most basic of fish behaviors. The natural environment created by the live rock also helps to acclimatize new creatures, fish and invertebrates alike, to the aquarium environment causing a reduction in stress for them and the current inhabitants, helping all to enjoy greater health. Also, the small, microorganisms that live rock fosters also lend themselves to the growth of certain larger organisms such as worms, that the fish and other creatures in the aquarium can use as a natural source of food in addition to what they receive.

Live rock provides an all natural filter to a saltwater aquarium that also creates a positive and healthy environment for the inhabitants of the tank while beautifying the aquarium in the process. Live rock fosters small microorganisms that act as filters and balance the chemistry of the water making artificial filters unnecessary and intrusive. In addition live rock eliminates many of the issues that come with artificial filters such as clogging and cleaning. Lastly live rock helps to foster a natural environment for fish to hide, play, and even find natural food sources. Live rock is a positive addition to any saltwater aquarium.

When its time to start buying marine fish you are going to need to find a good aquarium store. You should visit several stores before making a decision on which one you will do your business with. Things you should take into consideration is how educated the staff is. Are they helpful and answer your questions or at least able to give you a idea where you can get the answer? Look the store over for cleanliness, a clean store has a better chance of selling healthy disease free fish than a store that is a mess and smells bad. You want to make sure the store sells everything you need weather its aquarium supplies or fish.  A good marine fish store will have a quarantine tank to keep sick fish away from the others do keep the other fish from being exposed to disease. A store without a quarantine tank could be a indication that they do not have a problem with you buying marine fish that are sick or diseased.

Maintenance is a critical when it comes to your keeping your marine fish alive and healthy. Creating a schedule for daily, weekly, bi-weekly and monthly checks and maintenance will help in making your marine aquarium a success. The type of tank and fish you have will change the schedule in some ways but here is a list of the basics.

Daily Schedule

• You should give your marine fish tank a good look over check the temperature with a aquarium thermometer to make sure its within its parameters.
• Observe the condition and behavior of your marine fish look for signs of disease or stress.
• Make sure the pumps and powerheads are functioning properly.
• Look for leaks.
• Remove any leftover fish food before it starts to decay.
• Check tank level and top off if necessary.

Weekly Schedule

• Scrape any algae that might have build up on the sides of the tank.
• Clean any filters that appear to have a buildup of waste and leftover food.
• Check the water with a aquarium test kit for ph, ammonia, nitrate and nitrite if necessary.

Biweekly Schedule

• Do a 10 percent water change.
• While removing the water vacuum the substrate to remove any waste and leftover food.
• Clean your filter elements with the water you extracted out of the tank.
• Clean any salt buildup from the top of the fish tank and the cover so not to block any light.

Monthly Schedule

• Inspect all electrical connections for any type of corrosion
• Change filters and carbon.
• inspect all plumbing and airstones for leaks and proper operation replace if necessary.

How to do a water change in your Marine Aquarium.

The water in your aquarium should be changed at least every two weeks sometimes sooner which is why testing the water is important. The more fish you have in the fish tank the more waste will be brought into the tank. Check with your local pet store about what needs to be done with water in your area to make it marine fish friendly.When changing the water you will want to disconnect anything electric to you tank as a safety precaution. Remove about 10 percent of the water from your tank. In a bucket or some sort of container add water and the salt mix according to the manufactures instructions. Check the specific gravity of the water with a hydrometer and check the water with a test kit to make sure both the aquarium and the new water are within the same parameters. Once the temperature of both are about the same you can start slowly add the water. You can now turn your electrical components and make sure everything is running smoothly. Remember excellent water condition is crucial to marine fish care.

Before you go out and buy anything you should do is some research to determine what equipment will be right for your marine aquarium. You need to get the appropriate aquarium equipment for your particular tank. Here is a basic list of some of the things you will need to research and purchase.

• Aquarium, the bigger the better at buy at least a 55 gallon fish tank. You have a choice between glass and acrylic. Glass aquariums are very hard to scratch but are very heavy and can shatter . Acrylic tanks are easily scratched but are resistant to shattering and have less distortion than glass.
• Live rock if you choose to use biological filtration.
• Heater make sure it is powerful enough for your tank
• Aquarium stand there are may types of stands out there to choose from make sure you buy one strong enough to hold your tank.
• Hydrometer to test the waters specific gravity
• Saltwater test kit for to test the water parameters such as ph, nitrates and ammonia.
• Thermometer to monitor the aquarium temperature
• Protein skimmer to remove organic waste from the water
• Filter (optional when using live rock)
• Filter media (if needed)
• Powerheads to keep a constant constant movement of the saltwater.
• Saltwater mix
• Substrate either live sand or crushed coral.
• Reverse osmosis filter (optional but highly reccomended
• Scrubbers and scrapers to clean the aquarium glass
• Some kind of background for the tank
• Aquarium lighting nothing special is required for fish only tanks but special lighting is needed for tanks with reefs and live rock.
• Fish food
• Aquarium vacuum

This is just a basic list to get you thinking about what you will need to get started with your marine fish tank. Like any project is is sure to grow depending on the size of the tank and the marine fish you plan to keep.

Taking on the hobby of marine fish can be the most frustrating yet most rewarding you can have. Something to keep in mind though, aquarium maintenance never stops you can’t take week off and get back to it later. Marine fish have no tolerance to dirty water so high quality water must be kept at all times. Location of the marine aquarium is also an important part of the success of the tank. Your aquarium tank should not be in a high traffic area where people are constantly scaring the fish. They also should not be near a window where sunlight can throw off the balance of the tank. Drafty rooms can make it hard to control the temperature of the water. Most important you want your marine fish tank in a place where you can easily enjoy it. When choosing a tank the bigger the better. The bigger the tank the easier it is to keep the water stable your marine fish do not like changes in water conditions. Try to get a least a 55 gallon fish tank or bigger if you can. After you decide on the size of the tank you must choose your aquarium equipment. Make sure what you buy is appropriate for the size of the tank you will be using and what you plan on having in the aquarium. After the tank is set up plan on about 3 to 6 weeks for the water finish its cycling process. Patients is a virtue not letting the water finish its cycling is setting yourself up for disappointment. Before you head to the pet store to get every fish that looks pretty do your homework. Marine fish require more room than typical freshwater fish you have to find out how many fish you can have in the tank. You will also need to know if the  fish you plan on buying will get along with each other many fish are territorial. Too many fish can also lead to more waste than your aquarium filtration system can handle. So are you still ready to take on the hobby of a marine aquarium? I can’t emphasize enough you need to do your research, you have to plan on a regular maintenance schedule even if it means hanging a calender on the wall, and most of all patients. If you can get a grip on all that then you may be on the road to a successful marine aquarium.

Marine aquarium location may not seem like something you have to put much thought into but there are quite a few things to look at. The last thing you want to do is have to move it after everything is set up or even worse loose your fish. Find a location in the house  where you will have plenty of room to work on the fish tank and do maintenance but most importantly where you are going to enjoy it . There is no point in having a aquarium full of beautiful marine fish or a reef aquarium in a room where nobody is going to see it. You are going to need access to electricity so choosing a location with a wall plug is a must. My old roommate had a aquarium that was hooked to a extension cord. They never determined exactly what happened but it ignited and the only reason the house is still standing was because the heat broke the aquarium and extinguished it . If the location that you want the tank does not have a outlet I would recommend having a licensed electrician hook one up for you. The room the tank is kept in should not be drafty (marine fish don’t like cold water conditions), avoid it being near a outside door or window that would cause a fluctuation in temperature. Depending on the size of the fish tank you need to determine if the floor is strong enough to hold it. You might need to  consult with a contracter to determine this. Depending upon where you live you might have to get some kind of flood coverage in the event water leaks from your aquarium to the apartment below you. Carpet should also be avoided changing water  is sure to lead to a little spill here and there that can not easily wiped up. Marine fish can be very nervous so having them in a high traffic area is not recommended. The aquarium should not be near windows or in direct sunlight especially if live rock is being used. Special aquarium lighting should be used to control the growth of the living organisms in the live rock. One last thing you need to look at is how you are going to drain and refill the marine fish tank with water. Having to run a hose through your house every time you do a water change could become cumbersome after a while. Having a water supply and a drainage point nearby should be something else to consider.