What type of system?
The system can be fish only or reef. This decision affects other later decisions. Most will opt for a reef.

Sump or no sump?
A sump is a small aquarium that is attached to the main one. It supplies extra water capacity to the system, and allows heaters, sand beds and protein skimmers to be kept away from the display aquarium. The sump can be beside or underneath the display aquarium. A sump on any type system is highly recommended. (If a sump is to be used, the main aquarium will need to be drilled to allow plumbing to take water from the aquarium to the sump. It is then pumped back again.) Note: if a DSB (deep sand bed) or plenum (a raised DSB) is to be employed, the sand bed area should be at least 2/3rds of the base area of the main aquarium. The sand bed should be at least 4? deep. Consider the cost for the fine sand for the DSB. A DSB in the sump is highly recommended. Leave enough room for a partitioned area for the seawater return pump.

Lighting?
Is the system to be fish only or a reef? If fish only, then two marine fluorescents are sufficient. If reef then:

Hard corals.
Best lighting is halide, supplemented by actinic fluorescent tubes. T5 fluorescent tubes can be used (marine white and actinic equally mixed) but they do not penetrate the seawater as deeply.

Soft corals.
It is sufficient to use T5 fluorescent lighting (actinic and white mixed). Halide lighting can be used, however, and will not be detrimental (ensure corals exposed are light demanding varieties).

Net seawater capacity of aquarium and sump (if used)? This is easily calculated once the aquarium size and sump have been decided. This gallonage will be excessive as, when rocks and sand are added, it will decrease. Therefore, reduce the amount by 10) unwanted contaminants. Therefore the seawater mix is at its best from the start. It is highly recommended that R/O water is always used, including the first fill of the aquarium. R/O units come in different gallons per day outputs. Remember that usually the aquarium is filled completely only once. The normal routine water change amount is 10 of the day. Heaters/coolers will not be on all the time, but it is difficult to determine a guideline percentage.)

OK. The list is there and it indicates the guideline aquarium equipment cost and electrical running cost of the system. These will not be completely accurate but near enough to either dissuade the desire to have an aquarium or to go ahead. There are other costs, of course. For example, no account has been taken of the fish and/or corals that are to inhabit the aquarium. Then additional equipment, often considered later, might be obtained, such as a calcium reactor, a de-nitrator, or a canister filter etc. Maybe coarse coral sand up to 1? deep, will be used as a decoration in the display aquarium.

Nevertheless, the scaffold will have achieved its purpose, which is to generally guide the new aquarist down a path that cuts its way through what can be a confusing beginning.
This article was composed by a father and son team with 35 years experience of aquarium keeping.
Visit www.saltwater-marine-aquarium.com if you are interested in learning more about the saltwater aquarium hobby.

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