Most common mistakes made by saltwater aquarium keepers usually look normal to many new aquarium owners but they aren’t a good idea to overlook. Owning a fish tank, especially a saltwater aquaria can be a great idea. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing but fish are unique pets in themselves. So owning them will make you feel regal in so many ways. However, the bigger the fish tank is, the more responsibilities will need to be fulfilled as well. Whether it is your first time owning a fish tank or you have had it for quite a while, the following are the saltwater aquarium mistakes that you might be doing but had no idea about. Continue reading the following for more information.
Being Impatience
Humans are impatience by nature and it is because they expect quick results for just about anything they are doing to their fish tanks saltwater setup. Though it is totally fine to expect quick results, it isn’t a good thing when it comes to aquariums. It is a long-term commitment. Usually, the new salt water aquarium owners have a tendency to look for immediate results by overdosing, cramming, or crowding. Sometimes, in their frustration, they will just give up their hobby. Keep in mind that the quote patience is a virtue applies here. Whether it is your first time with a saltwater fish tank setup or you are an expert, don’t repeat this Saltwater Aquarium Mistake of acting rushed.
Not Doing Any Research
Knowledge is one of the most crucial parts of keeping the fish tank in good condition. This requires some good knowledge and searching regarding how to maintain the saltwater aquarium. If your goal is a good-looking and healthy reef tank for your fish then you should do your homework. This includes asking for advice from senior hobbyists and visiting the aquatic vet for any required information. Visit some local trade shows or frag swaps so have some conversations with the manufacturers about their products. Check books recommended by industry experts. Even if you are maintaining the fish tank for quite some time, you should research before making any major change in the tank or ecosystem of the tank. This is because sometimes these minor changes can cause some serious problems to fish bodies and health.
Making Things Overly Complicated
When this is your first time keeping the salt water aquariums then you will need to keep in mind that your fish tank shouldn’t look like an experiment lab for fish. Don’t add a bunch of components or equipment to the tank at once. Things can go wrong way faster than expected in this way so make sure to don’t experiment with the things that you don’t know about or aren’t recommended.
Overfeeding Invertebrates and Fish
Perhaps one of the most common Saltwater Aquarium Mistakes is overfeeding the fish. Not knowing when and how much food is adequate for the fish is quite a major problem among aquarium salt water tank owners. It isn’t just the food wastage issue but the uneaten food will just lay on the bottom of the tank and will result in nitrates and overfilling the biological filter. If you don’t know about the nutritional requirements of the fish then you aren’t just feeding the fish but throwing your food in your aquarium. If your fish doesn’t need it or not accepting it then many owners of fish tanks saltwater setups will throw more food. They might believe that the fish isnt looking at the food.
Learn about how much food is too much for the fish. How often you should feed them in a day ask what I should feed my fish. In this case, your fish will have enough feeding per day and overall, the saltwater aquaria will seem way better than ever.
Not Having A Proper Filtration and Water Circulation
Whether it is a small saltwater aquarium setup or a grand aquarium of saltwater fish, you will need to understand the importance of an adequate biological filtration system. You can find different types of filtration methods for your aquarium salt water. However, you will need to understand what kind of filtration system is suitable for your fish tank. Not knowing the right type of filtration system for bio-load planned for the tank will result in a wide range of problems in tanks. From biological, mechanical, or chemical, the more filtration systems you have, the better the system in saltwater aquaria would be rather than the little filtration system.
Also, another major saltwater aquarium mistake is not having good water circulation in the water tank. Not having a good water flow in the aquarium salt water can also result in some great problems as well. The most prominent one would be low DO or dissolved oxygen. This is caused by the slime build-up or other types of nuisance algae, which will prevent small animals from receiving food properly and several other problems. So a simple solution would be adding at least one powerhead or a surge device.
Avoiding Regular Maintenance
Just like skipping an oil change routine can cause performance issues in your car, the same happens when you skip maintenance of your reef tank. Perhaps one of the most common saltwater aquarium mistakes will result in tank equipment failure. Also, not measuring the water’s PH level or skipping the water tests will also make your fish suffer. This is crucial to do so because a sudden change may result in trouble in the environment of the fish tank, especially with alkalinity.
Adding Too Many Corals
Saltwater aquarium keepers who place too many corals close to one another will eventually run into issues since corals require space to flourish. When mismatched corals begin to encroach on one another, it can lead to coral conflict. Do your research to be sure that you are selecting corals that get along with other corals! Aquascaping is also a considerable factor. This is why providing more room to the corals so they can extend their wings, it is recommended to introduce corals in lower quantities rather than in huge numbers.
Opting For Animals That They Don’t Know About
It never fails to surprise us how frequently aquarium owners choose new species without having a clue about what they are, any idea about how to care about them, or what you should feed them. To avoid these saltwater aquarium mistakes, do your homework and start learning more about a product before making a purchase. If a vendor cannot provide you with important information on a certain animal, you shouldn’t buy them. Atleast at that exact moment because you might be just enjoying the fish’s catchy colors, their beautiful and adorable looks, or for other cute reasons. This will not end up in a good way.
Misdiagnosing Illnesses
Diagnosing diseases is one of the major problems in the saltwater tank setup. Being confused with White Spot Disease with Oodinium. They look the same but are two different types of saltwater ich. Each requires a certain type of treatment. This is why knowing the exact type of parasites in salt water aquariums along with the diseases is way more important.
Wrong Size Of Tank
This is perhaps the most common type of salt water aquariums mistake that is often unnoticed. Many fish tank owners believe that smaller tank size is so easy to maintain than larger ones. However, the opposite is true. The major problem such as water temperature fluctuation is more common in small tanks than the larger ones. If this is your first time with the salt water aquariums then you shouldn’t overlook the time required for the maintenance of the tank. Also, go for a tank that is still a good size that you can grow.
Bottom Line
Though there are several other types of doll issues that may happen with the fish tanks. However, these are the most common saltwater aquarium mistakes that we believe one should acknowledge. Keep looking for more information regarding any specific kind of mistakes to get a better idea. For any aquarium accessory guide to other pet care tips follow our blog to get the latest updates.
