Reef Aquarium Supplies

If you have been captivated by television nature shows that touted the beauty under our oceans, you may find yourself looking for reef aquarium supplies to set up a salt water aquarium with your own natural, live rocks and fish. These are some of the things you’ll need to start. As always, a good reference book is a great help, and knowledgeable staff at a supply store, or other hobbyists, are even better!

Aquarium - Start “small”, which for a saltwater aquarium, would be a 55-gallon tank. Any type of tank will do, as the contents have no effect on the structure or material. Some people like plexiglass tanks for the clarity they get as opposed to glass. However, because you will get algae to some extent, you may find it hard to clean without marking the plexiglass, even with the specially made scrub pads. Like any freshwater aquarium, you’ll also need a canopy. Keep your heating and filtration system in mind, and the type of lighting you are going to need.

Filter - Many saltwater enthusiasts prefer the canister type filter. Because the canister will sit on the floor behind the tank, water from the tank is fed into it by gravity, filtered through two or three chambers which hold sponges and bio-media to filter out particles and balance the eco-system in your tank. A pump at the top of the canister, feeds the water back into the tank.

Substrate - The most natural substrate for a reef aquarium, would be crushed coral. But you can use a combination of sand/coral, or gravel/coral to start.

Heater - In general, 5 watts per gallon is the recommended formula for calculating what size heater you need. While the 55-gallon would require a 250w heater by this method, some people have found that a 100w heater was adequate with the addition of lighting.

Protein Skimmer - A protein skimmer removes organic pollutants before they break down and lower the water quality of your tank. They also save you needless water changes, but keeping the environment cleaner. Because there is such a wide range of models, which employ different methods of air intake and filtering, you should check with an established hobbyist or a saltwater supplier, to asses which type is best for your tank

Lighting - Keep in mind, the 3w per gallon formula. That means a 55-gallon aquarium needs around 165w of lighting. Depending on the type of canopy you have bought (tube or bulbs), there are special lights available to promote the growth of coral.

Salt Water - Synthetic salt water sea mix can be bought commercially. They are designed to mimic the composition of natural seawater, but need to be checked for the components/elements that you would find in the sea. When you pick up your mix, also get test kits for measuring salinity, and ammonia/nitrite levels.

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