Building A Large Saltwater Aquarium

We can come up with so many good reasons why we would want to own a large saltwater aquarium. Among these reasons would include things like your love for really large fish or for a large collection of little fish in one tank. It might just be that you like the idea of having several aggressive types of fish in one large Aquarium. It could simply be that you would like to multiply the calming effect fish have on people by breeding hundreds of fish in a large aquarium. Whatever the reason might be for desiring to own a large saltwater aquarium, a lot of thought and research should go into making the decision of building a large saltwater aquarium.

In choosing the size of your saltwater aquarium, the basic rule of thumb is “The bigger, the better.” This comes from the fact that a larger tank will be easier to maintain. That might sound strange since a larger tank would usually mean more work. However, the reason is not far fetched; think of it this way, which is harder to pollute, a lake or a pond? A lake is harder to pollute because of its relative size.

When building a large saltwater aquarium, the tank also should be a size that your choice of fish won’t outgrow. Fish would like wider, longer swimming areas mainly because they like to explore and establish territory. Confining them in small spaces will result in stress. A bigger tank will thus be good for their overall well-being. In a larger tank, the greater surface area will result in better gas exchange and this will aid towards making the fish robust and vigorous; high levels of dissolved oxygen in a saltwater aquarium are essential

One of the serious issues to consider when building a large saltwater aquarium is the need to ascertain that the floor in your home will support the weight of a large aquarium. This becomes even more crucial if you live on the upper floor in the building and more so if the building is old. A 200 gallon aquarium filled with water, without anything else like the gravel or other equipment, for instance, weighs about 1,700 pounds. This adds up to well over ton if you add the weight of the gravel, the tank itself and everything else.

You will be able to get a tank size of up to 180 gallons from most pet stores. If you want any thing beyond that, you will most likely have to order one or build one yourself. There are two types of materials to choose from. These are glass or acrylic. I would advice that you go for Acrylic when building a large saltwater aquarium. It is lighter and clearer than glass. It however, scratches easily.

A taller tank is a preferred option. It must however, be twice as long as the depth and height of the tank. The depth and the height could be about equal. A deeper tank with the same water capacity is better than a shallow tank even though the latter offers a better atmosphere. It could become very difficult to clean the tank as a result of having an aquarium that is too deep. This is a problem that is best avoided.

A larger tank presents another challenge – that of keeping the water clean and aerated. The filter is a very important piece of equipment. The filter is what purifies the water in the aquarium and also sustains the life of its inhabitants. In comparisons, invertebrates and marine fish are far more sensitive to the quality of the water than freshwater fish.
A good filter system, properly selected for the purpose, is able to perform three types of filtration. These are 1) Biological, 2) Mechanical and 3) Chemical.

Biological filtration—refers to the action of different forms of bacteria that get rid of the damaging ammonia and subsequent nitrites from the water in the aquarium.
Any decaying animal or plant material is broken down—mineralized, in technical terms—by the action of heterotrophic bacteria (bacteria that feed on organic material) living in the aquarium. In the process, these bacteria throw away ammonia (NH3).

Mechanical filtration—refers to the removal of any suspended debris in the tank water. In other words, it simply means capturing and screening out disintegrated material from the water. The material used is basically a bonded filter pad, wad of floss or micron cartridge that will catch particles of fish and plant waste floating in the water.

Chemical filtration—refers to the use of polymeric absorbents (materials such as activated carbon or resins and hydrated silicates) in removing toxic substances other than ammonia and nitrite from the water.
These absorbents remove certain polluting molecules, such as yellowing compounds, by making those molecules stick to them like glue, thus leaving the water free and clean.

It is highly advisable, if you decide to build a large saltwater aquarium, to order larger aquarium tanks as ‘reef ready’ instead of placing a bunch of outside filters onto the back of the tank, even though this might be an easier option. Ordering a ‘Reef ready’ tank means that the tank comes with several predrilled holes and an overflow box.
Water is pumped into the sump tank where the water is filtered. The clean water is then able to return to the tank on its own. It allows you to be able to place heaters and filters out of sight and out of reach of large fish.

I wish you success as you set about building a large saltwater aquarium.