Once you have all of your saltwater aquarium items which you need to begin setting up, and you have read up on everything that you need to know about saltwater fish including species, how to take care of them and the cost factors then you are more than ready to begin the process of setting up the aquarium, so read this quick saltwater fish guide for some great advice and tips to get you started on creating your very own saltwater aquarium.

First of all you should decide upon the size of the tank you will be using and the location where you will be keeping it. It is a good idea to know what species of saltwater fish you are planning to keep before purchasing your aquarium because different species vary in size, anything from a mere two inches right up to 18 inches! A 40 gallon tank is the recommended size to begin a saltwater aquarium, however you can begin with a smaller tank but it will hold more challenges and you will need to test the water a lot more often.

Place your aquarium in an area of the house or office where the temperature and light of the tank is not going to be affected by things such as windows and heaters. You also need to place your aquarium on a stand that will take the full weight of the tank.

Once you have found the ideal spot for your aquarium, next you need to think about the filtration you will be using when you set up your aquarium and the type of protein skimmer you will need. Live rock poses as a biological filter so because of this you will only really need a modest filter for chemical and mechanical filtration. Never buy a cheap protein skimmer, look for the best and be prepared to pay out extra. Next you should wash your new tank. Make sure that you only wash it with water because soap can be harmful to your fish. Be sure to smoke test your aquarium and fill it with water to check for any leaks, if it passes then drain the tank.

Next you should add the background making sure to tape across the top of the background so that no salt gets between it and the glass, if you prefer you can also paint the outside of the tank but make sure to let it dry for a day before continuing. Next you should install the heater, hook up the filter and any other equipment you are using, but don’t plug anything in just yet! Add pre mixed saltwater by using a bucket to mix the saltwater, check for chlorine etc and repeat process until the tank is full, then switch on the aquarium and leave it to circulate for a few days.