The following section is provided as a quick reference for "new entries" into the hobby of Marine Aquarium keeping. The following suggestions are based on our years of experience in this industry and what we have found to be "best practices" in the hobby.

1. What kind of equipment do I need?

A standard saltwater aquarium should, at least, have the following items:

• Mechanical Filter - to remove total dissolved solid waste in the water.
• Live Rock - carry nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria, and other microorganisms. Which provide biological filtration? These microorganisms become part of the food chain for the system. There should be about pound and a half of live rock per gallon of water in a reef tank.
• Protein Skimmer - to remove protein, dissolved organic and inorganic compounds in water.
• Lighting- needed for coral to photosynthesize.
• UV Sterilizer - to kill harmful bacteria in water and to reduce algae growth.
• Filter Media - to be added to mechanical filter to remove specific chemicals in the water.
• Wave Maker – create mass transfer of gases in the system and prevent dead spots. Also brings food to corals.

2. What are the accepted water quality conditions that I need to maintain / concentrate on?

Salinity
Salinity is measured by the specific gravity. Sea water has a specific gravity of 1.022 to 1.030. In salt water aquariums, we try to maintain the specific gravity in the range of 1.023 to 1.026.
Hydrometer and Refractometer are instruments to measure the salinity.

Alkalinity
High Alkalinity can prevent sudden pH change. Degree of Carbonate Hardness or dKH is used to measure alkalinity. KH should be kept between 8 to 12. Buffers can be used to maintain both KH and pH.

Ammonium and Nitrite
A fully cycled aquarium should have 0 readings for both ammonium and nitrite. To maintain 0 levels in both, dead animals and unconsumed food should be removed from the tank.

Nitrate
It is the end product of nitrification. The process started by the oxidization of ammonia into nitrite, and then into nitrate. High nitrate can cause the formation of nitric acids, which causes the fall of pH in the aquarium.

Phosphate
High phosphate can cause algae bloom, and has an adverse effect on the calcification process of corals and coralline algae. Tap water contains phosphate and we should use reverse osmosis or deionization water to reduce the source of phosphate.

pH
Ideal pH in an aquarium should be in the range of 8.0 to 8.4. pH could be more stable if carbonate hardness is kept high.

3. What is the lighting requirement for keeping a reef tank?
There are several types of lighting available.
For example: T5, T8, VHO, Metal Halide and now LED.

The general light requirement guide is 3 Watts/Gal (Total light output / Total display tank volume). However, the lighting needs can get more specific based on the types of corals you are interested in keeping. For more information, on this feel free to give us a call or drop in so we can discuss your personal requirements.

4. How do I setup my rocks? (Aquascape).
This is something that is totally your preference, but some simple rules to keep in mind are to try and maximize the water flow this will avoid areas with dead spots that lead to collection of waste.