by Roger Gordon

Anyone who has had an aquarium knows that algae is unavoidable. It is just one of the things that fish owners, both salt and freshwater, have to deal with on a regular basis.There are four main variety’s of algae; green algae, brown algae, red-brush algae, and blue green algae.

The first thing that needs to be done after the purchase of a new aquarium is to cleanse the tank itself and all of its accessory parts with freshwater, sans soap, and a soft cloth. This will remove any dust and chemicals which it may have accumulated while in the factory and prevent them from harming the fish. Once all of the parts have been cleaned the tank should be set upon a level stand which has been placed an appropriate distance from the wall to enable the electrical cords to reach an outlet plug with a minimal risk of minor amounts of sloshing from the tank causing an electrical fire. A soft cloth should be placed beneath the tank to keep the condensation from the saltwater aquarium from causing damage to the surface of the stand beneath it.

It is common for brown algae to appear when a tank that has just been started. It typically puts in an appearance within the first two weeks. Its appearance in established tanks means that the aquarium owner needs to test the nitrate and phosphate levels of this tank.

Brown algae is unusual because it thrives in aquariums that do not receive a great deal of light. When brown algae appears in the tank the aquarium owner needs to clean the entire tank and increase the lighting. It is not unusual for brown algae to disappear when the tank conditions stabilize.

This is an example of minimizing Mother Nature’s perfect filtration system in order to provide your fish with the perfect habitat. Hopefully you have chosen to artificially stimulate the cycling process so that it is well established prior to inserting your fish. If you have not it is very important that you keep a very close eye on them while the tank is undergoing its cycling process. The spikes in ammonia and nitrite levels can be severely harmful to fish if they are exposed to it for too great a period of time, and they will likely begin to show signs of distress during these periods of the cycling process. If this becomes severe their conditions can be aided by changing a portion of the water in order to dilute the concentration of these products.

Aquariums are beautiful in their own right, particularly ones which are large enough to make the viewer feel as though they have been transported into an underwater wonderland. For many individuals the inside of a clear glass aquarium is as close as they will ever come to the wonders of the world beneath the ocean’s surface, and for that reason an aquarium which is as close to the natural habitat of its inhabitants as possible is a joy unto itself.

Live rocks, rocks which are covered with both micro- and macroorganisms which help to digest the waste produced by the fish, are a vital part of every natural ecosystem. For that reason it makes sense that they would be an important part of an aquarium environment as well. It is not as simple as dropping a rock into an aquarium and allowing all manner of things to grow on it, however. There is a process that must be followed to ensure optimal benefits for both the large aquarium and the live rock.

It is very simple to cure live rock before placing it in the aquarium, but this is an important step that must be taken in order to prevent a build up of ammonia in the tank which could negatively affect the fish. To cure live rock first select a plastic container that is of a suitable size to hold the amount of live rock which you are working with, then fill it with saltwater. Then place a heater and water pump in the "tank" for optimal temperature and circulation. Once the water has reached the desired temperature remove the heater and pump and half of the water content, then preclean the rock in a bucket of saltwater by swishing it around to remove any lose organisms and debris and place it in the prepared water. Then reinstall the heater and pump and allow nature to do its thing!

Ocean water is the natural habitat of all saltwater marine animals and, consequently, the best water source for any saltwater aquarium. If ocean water is not available, however, and the owner of a saltwater aquarium does not wish to purchase a pre-made saltwater solution it is possible to make saltwater. It is important to use a sea salt mixture that is free of impurities rather than table salt when creating saltwater in order to reproduce the natural environment as accurately as possible. These mixes can be purchased from any store that specializes in the sale of tropical fish.

This article was written by Roger Gordon. For more information on aquarium care please visit http://aquariummania.info This and other unique content ‘aquarium care’ articles are available with free reprint rights.

Tags: aquarium maintenance, saltwater fish aquariums, aquarium fish