Starting a Saltwater Aquarium
If you are planning on starting a saltwater aquarium then you have a lot to learn!
Saltwater aquariums can be challenging but once you have it up and running, they are a beautiful thing to watch and your visitors will no doubt admire your creation too.
Whilst it is true that saltwater aquariums can be a little more difficult to maintain and set up than a tropical aquarium, without a doubt with the correct knowledge you'll be able to set up an awesome saltwater tank.
There are three types of saltwater tank configurations. These are reef tanks, fish only and fish only with live rock (otherwise known as FOWLR).
Reef tanks focus mostly on invertebrates, corals and anemones. Fish can also be placed in this tank but they generally are not the priority of the aquarist. Coral can be expensive but once you know how to keep it alive, you'll only to outlay money for more coral purchases.
A fish only tank, contrary to popular belief, can actually be the most challenging one to create. This is because you don't have the ecosystem that is created with rocks and corals so therefore you have to attend to the tank more carefully and do more frequent water changes.
A FOWLR tank generally has better aquarium lighting and the addition live rock as well as the fish. These are a good place to start if you are just beginning with saltwater aquariums.
Regardless of which type of tank you choose to build when starting a saltwater aquarium, as long as you do your research and speak to a professional aquarium salesperson, your saltwater aquarium will become a life long hobby.