I skipped a quarantine tank when I first set up my reef — and I paid for it with a full-blown ich outbreak that took months to clear. It’s a lesson I only needed to learn once. Now a QT is non-negotiable for me before anything new goes into my display tank. The setup doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated, and I’ll show you exactly what I run and why it works.
The saltwater quarantine tank is the single most important thing most reef keepers skip — and the consequences usually show up when it’s too late. After 25 years in the saltwater hobby, I’ve seen this pattern more times than I can count: a new fish gets added directly to a display reef, introduces ich or marine velvet, and within weeks the whole tank is in crisis. Marine parasites are extremely common in the trade — assuming fish from even a reputable store are disease-free is a dangerous assumption. A proper quarantine tank lets you observe fish, treat them if needed, and protect everything you’ve built in your display. This guide covers everything you need to set one up and run it correctly.
Key Takeaways
Fish diseases are worse in saltwater fish with three being potential tank wipers – Marine Velvet, Brook, and Uroema
Probalaytic Quarantine is more common and accepted in marine fish vs freshwater fish
There are multiple methods you and use to quarantine fish – all with pros and cons
Why Do We Quarantine Our Fish?
I’m going to go off the cuff here and say that the primary reason for quarantine is recovery of your fish. Fish that you have picked up to from the local fish store or online have gone through a variety of channels to get to you. It is probably an understatement to say that if the fish has come to you and is wild caught it is within the top 25% of fish in the supply chain that made it out. Many fish die or get sick during capture and transplant.
Quarantining a fish allows the fish to destress and for you to have the fish adjust to your parameters, your food, and provides it a safe space for it to thrive away from more aggressive and established tank mates who can out compete it for food. Putting a fish directly into your display puts the fish in more stress and added stress events leads to our next reason for why we quarantine our fish.
Preventing Saltwater Fish Diseases Through Quarantine
A fish’s immune system should be able to fight off more infections and diseases, however the shock of transportation compromises your fish’s immune system leaving it vulnerable to any disease that gets shipped with it. Some of these diseases when they break out can be so deadly, they can wipe out your tank within days. So what are these deadly diseases? Well, I will tell you right now it’s not ich. Ich is child’s play compared to these three and they are becoming more and more common in the fish supply chain.
Three Deadly Fish Diseases
When you look up diseases, forum posts, or YouTube videos online you will come to MANY articles about ich. Ich this and Ich that. Now Ich is common and can kill your fish, but can be treated and in some cases your fish can simply recover from it. But these three diseases are 100% deadly, will wipe out your tank in days, and there are no known ways to treat these diseases with reef-safe medications (Sorry Kick Ich, Ich Attack, Ich Guard, Paraguard — this ain’t working on them).
Marine Velvet
It’s the most common saltwater fish disease of the Deadly Three. It looks like ich, but it is far more deadly. Sometimes it kills fish before they are even able to display symptoms. Marine Velvet MUST be treated in a quarantine tank/hospital tank and requires your main display to go fishless for 76 days to remove it from the display. It is probably the #2 reason for tank crashes in the hobby with heater failures being #1. The go-to treatments are Copper or Chloroquine Phosphate.
Uroema
The least common of the deadly 3 but considered the worst and hardest to treat. Chromis and Anthias are unfortunately the most prone to this disease, but it can spread to other fish. This particular disease is resistant to Copper and Choloroquine Phosphate, requiring higher than traditional dosages. It can also go into the internals of the fish and damage it further requiring other medication like Metro to add in internal treatment. Uroema is also a free living parasite which means it can exist without fish present in the tank. Once a fish has Uroema one should assume that the disease exists in the system. Talk about scary!
Brooklynella (AKA Clownfish Disease)
Brooklynella is a nasty disease that Clownfish and Anthias are unfortunately prone to. This is how it got it’s infamous nickname of Clownfish Disease. Brooklynella looks similar to velvet, which in my opinion is why it is safe safe to assume that your fish has either or when you observe it. Both Brooklynella and Marine Velvet can be treated with Copper and Chloroquine Phosphate. Further protection with Metro is recommended to protect the internals of the fish as Brooklynella can also go internal as well.
How To Isolate Fish –The Various Methods
So now we have discussed why we quarantine fish, now let’s discuss the types of QT and rate each one.
Deciding Not To Isolate
All the power to you if you want to go this route. The hobbyists most successful with this method have stellar local fish stores (LFS) around them that they have strong relationships. If the store can hold a fish for you for 2-4 weeks, you will have better success. However, finding a local fish store this stellar for most of us is a needle in a haystack. Personally, in my location I have had difficulty finding a good local fish store. Literally every fish I have purchase came with something and QT has saved me tons of headache and thousands of dollars in losses.
Hyposalinity
Hyposalinity has been around for ages in the hobby. It’s a tried and method that requires precision and constant monitoring. The reason why it doesn’t make my list of preferred methods is because it will not treat against the Deadly Three. This disqualifies this method for me.
Tank Transfer Method (TTM)
Tank Transfer Method or TTM is a very popular method among the forums and even by some online store who have suggested it as a reliable method. However, the supply chain has changed since those times. 3 years ago I would say TTM was great, but with the increased commercialization of the hobby I am seeing more and more of the deadly 3 appearing and cannot recommend this method any longer. Tank transfer method will not protect your fish against the deadly three. You can however do a hybrid TTM with medications like Copper and CP, which I will explain in Part 2.
Safety Stop
Now we are getting to methods that protect against the deadly three (Amazon Affiliate links ahead). Safety Stop is first up (Ruby Reef Rally can also be used if you cannot obtain Safety Stop). Safety Stop is a medicated dip of Formalin and Methylene Blue. Formalin is consider one of the hard drugs of the hobby, capable of wiping out various disease such as Marine Velvet, Brook, and Uroema.
Melev’s Reef has documented his process of how he added all his fish to his 400 Gallon tank with no quarantine over a 2 year period. That is proof that this method will work. Safety Stop will not prevent against internal parasite however and if your fish end up with a bacterial infection – there is no way to treat this in a display. This is why I recommend dipping your fish in Safety Stop before they go into Quarantine
Copper – (Using Chelated Copper AKA Copper Power)
Time to get into the good stuff! The next two method are ironclad and will protect against just about any disease in QT. The next two methods also have their uses depending on the fish you needing to QT. Chelated copper is considered more preferable over over type of copper because it is safe and has a higher therapeutic range. You have to maintain your levels throughout the process and I would recommend a precise tester like a Hanna Checker.
People are generally scared of copper due to the fears from Companies selling “Reef Safe” medication and those who want to do natural remedies. I will tell you right now that both Copper and ChloroquinePhosphate are veterinarian choices when it comes to treating external parasites. Would you rather listen to a licensed vet or a Company that wants to make money off you selling subpar medication?
*UPDATE* – We no longer support Copper Safe for Chelated Copper. Copper Power would be the safest and more consistent chelated copper on the market. Use together with a Hanna Checker Copper Tester. Copper Power is very difficult to find at a local fish store. It is best to purchase it off Amazon directly from the manufacturer, Enrich. Copper can also be combined with General Cure instead of Prazipro.
Here’s a video from my friend Aaron who goes over Copper Power treatment. You can use this Copper Power Calculator to determine the dosage you need:
Chloroquine Phosphate + General Cure (The Current Meta In Marine Fish Disease Treatment)
We have come to the pinnacle of Prophylactic treatments available in the hobby. Chloroquine Phosphate plus the combination of API General Cure is provides the simplest nearly full proof method of quarantine. Chloroquine Phosphate (or CP for short) is the preferred medication for Marine Velvet, Brooklynella, and Uroema. It is as close to a wonder drug as you can get currently. It is easy to administrator as long as you have a good digital scale to measure (these are easy obtained for cheap).
The main issue with Chloroquine Phosphate is that is it difficult to obtain outside of a Veterinarian’s prescription. If you are like me, you probably cannot obtain Chloroquine Phosphate from a Vet and have to go of the route of obtaining it from a supplier. Getting it from a supplier can be risky as you may not know the source and the purity of the substance. I obtain aquaculture grade Chloroquine Phosphate so you can always purchase it from me and I have certificate of analysis available so you know the purity and can adjust accordingly. Here is a link to a Chloroquine Phosphate Dosage Calculator.
Instructions for Setup
Setting up a quarantine tank is fairly easy to do, you just want to make sure you have the correct equipment and meds to get started. You will want to start off with a long tank. A 20 gallon or 29 gallon are ideal as you can use this larger quarantine tank to house multiple fish and get your QT done faster. A 10 gallon tank will also suffice, but more suited to 1 fish at a time quarantine. Petco’s dollar per gallon sale is the way to go to get these tanks as they are really cheap if you buy them on sale.
After that, you want a reliable power head for flow – at least 400 gph and some type of filtration. I prefer to use the best power filter, which is an aquaclear power filter as you can use multiple media in the filter and use carbon to remove medication. A sponge filter is also an ideal alternative for a budget conscious build.
A seachem ammonia badge is necessary to monitor your ammonia levels since many low priced test kits will not detect ammonia correctly once you start doing copper or chloroquine phosphate.
A heater (check out our best aquarium heaters post for recommendations) and a cheap thermometer round out the list of electronic equipment.
The last things are shelter and a cover. PVC fittings are ideal because they will not absorb medication and can provide tunnels for your fish. These can be purchased from any hardware store. A cover is an absolute must if you want to provide a fish from jumping. I prefer a glass cover for QT systems since I don’t have to worry about evaporation and can be custom cut in the back to ensure 100% coverage.
Getting a QT tank cycled up can be a tricky endeavor. If you are starting brand new, the best way to quickly cycle the QT tank is to throw in a few of the filter sponges in your dry or live rock tank when you start cycling your main tank. Once that tank cycles, the media in the tank will be full of bacteria and ready to go into your QT. If you started with dry rock, you have the advantage of starting disease free so you can freely throw in the sponges in the QT system to get started.
For live rock starts, if you follow the proper “cooking” method of no lights and a 5-8 week cure, that period of time going fishless should eliminate all harmful pathogens in the water column. Since you are going to use meds in your QT, the risk is pretty minimal so as long as you follow a 5-8 week fishless cure timeframe with liverock you will be ready to go with your QT system. The advantage you have with liverock is that the rock can self-sustain without fish indefinitely so you can take your time QTing. With dry rock, you will need to monitor your phosphates and nitrates to make sure you do not bottom out.
If you already have a tank setup, throw in the filter sponges in your sump for 2-3 weeks to get it full of bacteria. You do run the risk of introducing pathogens if you didn’t QT previously. Another method is to dose the sponges with bacteria-in-a-bottle products like biospiraand carefully monitor your ammonia levels from there.
The video above goes over the parts list and the complete 32-35 day flowchart for quarantine with CP and General Cure. Both the method I use and Aaron’s will work very well so use the method that works for you and with the medications you can obtain.
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📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Saltwater Fish & Reef Guide — your ultimate resource for marine fish, coral care, reef setup, and more.
Dinoflagellates are one of the most dreaded problems in the reef hobby — and I say that as someone who’s battled them firsthand in my 125-gallon reef. What makes dinos so frustrating is that they’re not fully understood and they require a multi-pronged approach to eliminate. I’ve worked through dino outbreaks myself and tested various strategies, and I can tell you the methods that actually move the needle. This guide covers everything from identification to long-term prevention.
Key Takeaways
Dinos are caused by a combination of a lack of biodiversity and lack of nutrients in a saltwater aquarium
Dinoflagellates can light without nutrients and off lighting. Sunlight and lighting will make things worse
There are several ways to get rid of Dinos, but the most tried and true is adding biodiversity and dosing nitrates and phosphates to maintain minimal levels for other algae to grow
What Are Dinoflagellates?
In the Wild
Dinoflagellates are protists, an organism that can function as a plant and an animal at the same time. Some dinoflagellates eat other protozoa; some generate energy through photosynthesis; some can do both. In the wild, there are about 1,700 different kinds of marine dinoflagellates and 200 freshwater kinds. They are important part of the food chain, providing nourishment for other sea creatures. In a natural environment, they’re a crucial member of the ecosystem.
In Your Tank
Unfortunately, dinoflagellates quickly become a nuisance in an aquarium environment.
Dinoflagellates quickly overrun the surface in your aquarium because there is no specific ecosystem for them to survive. Depending on the conditions, dinoflagellates can multiply up to a million cells in one milliliter of water in just a short period of time. The bigger the population, a higher chance that it will make the water toxic and can kill other life form inside your tank. So, it’s important to control dinoflagellate population as early as possible before it occupies every space inside your aquarium.
What Should I Look For?
It’s not like you’re going to go to the store and buy some dinos to dump into your tank; these pests are introduced to your tank accidentally. Your tank can get this from food, corals, rocks, and other aquatic plants. Dinos are very resilient because it can live without eating anything for a long time unlike any other life forms like algae.
Nutrients are present in your tank which gives energy to fishes and plants. Even if your tank lacks nutrients, dinos can still survive. It is possible for your tank to have dinos if the nitrates and phosphates level in your aquarium are close to zero. It is important to regularly check your tank before it becomes too late.
Identifying What Dinoflagellate You’re Dealing With
The best way to approach your dino problem is to first figure out what kind of dino has moved into your aquarium.
The most common dinoflagellate (or “dino” for short) to see in an aquarium is a slimy, stringy brown variety, commonly known as Brown Slime Algae. Most aquarium enthusiasts have dubbed it “the brown menace.” They’re not all brown, though. They also come in white, yellow, and various shades of green.
In more technical terms, there are four main dinoflagellates you’ll see in your aquarium1:
Ostreopsis
Prorocentrum
Amphidinium
Coolia
Some of the things all of these guys have in common is that they:
Are mucous-like (sometimes described as runny boogers)
Produce air bubbles
Trap air bubbles between the slime and the glass of the tank
Spread quickly, covering all surfaces with coral being a particular favorite
Here’s an easy test you can do to determine if you have algae or dinos:
Scoop some sludge and water out of your tank.
Put the sludgy water in a clear container with a lid.
Shake the container to break up all of the floating bits.
Filter the water either through paper towel or a filter sock into a second clear container.
Leave the second container of filtered water in a sunny location.
Monitor the water for changes, namely the reappearance of mucous-like strands.
Eventually, dinoflagellates will regroup after they’ve been filtered. Algae will remain separated. So, if the strands of goo show up, you know you have dinos!
How Do I Get Them Under Control?
Dinos aren’t necessarily a bad thing. When there aren’t too many of them, they’re part of the ecosystem. But if you provide an ultra low nutrient tank with no biodiversity, they’ll make themselves known quickly. The best way to tackle them varies on how bad your case is.
Dinos are a very resilient pest to control in the aquarium. You will never get rid of them completely since they are part of the ecosystem, but you have to control them with a multi-prong approach in order to keep them for showing themselves in your tank.
Manual Removal
The first step is removal. Others might think that they need to remove all the water and change it with a new one, but that is definitely wrong. Along the process of removing dinos, changing the water in your tank will make things worse. Dinos thrive in nutrient straved tanks and cleaning water will eliminate nutrients and allow Dinos to thrive further. It advisable that you remove the dinos manually with the use of filter sock instead of changing water.
You will need a very fine filter sock to do this (Quick Note – this post contains affiliate links. An affiliate link means I may earn advertising or referral fees if you make a purchase through my link). A 10 micron filter sock is fine enough to catch dinos in the water column.
Increasing Nitrates and Phosphates
Another way to get rid of dinos is by increasing the amount of nutrients in your tank. You should increase nitrates and phosphates to observable level. You may consider nitrates with NeoNiitro and NeoPhos from Brightwell Aquatics. Even a freshwater solution like SeaChem Flourish will work as well.
Remove Nutrient Reducing Media
You also need to remove nutrient reducing media like GFO. It is common for many tanks to have dino outbreak because of the presence of GFO. When you get rid of GFO’s, it is easier for you to increase the nutrient level in your tank and maintain it in the long run. Stop doing any type of nutrient decreasing dino. Examples are No-Pox and Vodka dosing.
Protect Your Invertebrates and Fish!
Along the process of dealing with dinos, having carbon present in your tank will help neutralize the toxins they release as they die off. This will protect your livestock.
Adjust pH
Adjust the pH of your tank. A pH of +8.4 is a good level for reef tanks to avoid dino blooms. The pH is something you can play with over time to determine what works best for your tank.
Kill The Lights
Control the lighting in your tank because the most common dinos derive their energy from photosynthesis, so killing the lights will also kill them. You can use a blackout curtain or cardboard with duct tape around the tank and on top of the tank. Blackouts should last at least 72 hours. Blackouts will usually not result in an eradication of dinos, but will qwell them done to the point where you can start utilizing other methods.
Use Hydrogen Peroxide
Add small doses of hydrogen peroxide to your tank. The general rule is 1 ml per 10 gallons of water. Regular 3% hydrogen peroxide is used.
Use A UV Sterilizer
Use a UV Sterilizer. Get a high quality and well sized UV Sterilizer and run it 24-7. The UV sterilizer will be most effective during the blackout period. This method works best when dealing with Ostreopsis. You can use a Jabeo UVas a cheap solution or an Aqua UV for a high-end solution.
Fauna Marin has developed a product called Dino X that is made to eliminate dinoflagellates in a reef tank. It is a very harsh treatment and should only be considered after all these methods are attempted and you increase biodiversity (see below on that). Fauna Marin requests that you not use carbon during the treatment program, which makes this risky to use since dinos will release toxins when they start to die. Remove as much as possible before attempting. Fauna Marin also recommends using a protein skimmer during the treatment option, so those with nano reef tanks or skimmerless setups may not be able to use this product.
Biodiversityis a major reason why new tanks get dinos when they hit low nutrient conditions. A biodiverse tank has multiple organisms that compete with dinos and keep them from thriving. When choosing the type of rock you are going to use, keep biodiversity in mind. You can choose between live rock and complete dry rock or a hybrid, but I would caution against going with a 100% dry rock and dry sand start.
Dry rock is devoid of biodiversity while in a live rock tank you don’t usually see dinos. It is hard for them to multiply because there too many competitors even in a low nutrient environment.
The problem will be the availability of the live rock because it is quite hard to find nowadays and is expensive to boot.
These days – Real Reef Live Rock is the best source for aquacultured live rock that has the right balance of biodiversity while still being free of pests. This is the best option for those who who not use a sand bed and going bare bottom yet want to free of the risk of pests.
You can obtain Live Rock from Florida that is Maricultured. If you are starting up a new tank and can cure, this is an excellent option. It is shipped directly to your door. The base is Oolite Limestone rock that has been left in the ocean for several years undisturbed. The foundation of live rock’s biodiversity is a key factor in preventing dino outbreaks. You will run the risk of a having a pest hitchhiker, but honestly in my experience these pests are less of a pain to deal with then dinos.
For those people who are not able to procure live rock or have a sand bed, the other option would be to introduce microfauna and bacteria through an aquaculture facility like Indo Pacific Sea Farms. They have been around for many years and their live sand activator and wondermud are just the ticket for increasing biodiversity.
Remove Overabundant Food Sources (AKA Your Invertebrates if an outbreak occurs)
Snails encourage dinoflagellates to settle in and make your tank their home. Well, they don’t actually do it when they’re alive: a dead snail is a feast for a population of dinoflagellate. Dinos will wreck havoc on an invert population. Anything that attempts to eat it can be poisoned to death and the toxins they release will kill most inverts including microfauna like pods! Make sure you’re removing any dead snails, fish, and corals from the tank.
Because it’s hard to tell if your snails are alive, the most foolproof way to prevent that is by removing the snails altogether. Once your dino problem is under control, they can be returned to the tank.
Balance Tank Nutrients
A couple of specific nutrient-related things you can monitor and manage in your tank are:
Magnesium: levels should be somewhere in the 1400-1600ppm range
pH levels (as mentioned above)
Bacteria: introducing new bacteria to your tank will deprive dinos of nutrients. Live Rock and Live Sand are your best friends to maintain biodiversity!!!
Nitrates – Work on getting these above 0 and maintaining it. A little bit of nitrates is good for your tank
Phosphates – Don’t let your phosphates hit 0
Don’t Create an Undernourished Environment
A tank that is starved for nutrition can cause a dino population to pop up too. Usually this situation comes about when you make some major change to the landscape or population of your tank, and the food shortage is abrupt. Dinos don’t actually need that much physical food to eat, especially since most are also photosynthetic. So, if other bacteria or phytoplankton in your tank die out from lack of nutrients, it removes the dinoflagellate’s primary competition and gives them room to thrive.
Wrapping Up
Quality equipment planning and setup is important for the overall health of your tank, whether it’s a 10 gallon aquarium or a 100-gallon aquarium. While there are several factors that help dinoflagellates take over, a poor setup and controlling parameters tops the list.
When dying, dinoflagellates release toxins into your water. So, it’s essential to purify the water consistently, both during and after your dinoflagellate infestation.
Here Is a Wrap Up To Close Down This Post:
Biodiversity Is Your Friend!
Don’t be scared to get live rock or add live sand activators in your tank
Having Nitrates and Phosphates Is Good!
Having Nitrates and Phosphates is good – our hobby has spent years demonizing this. This has lead to tank setups way overbuilt from the start and completely sterile start systems. This extreme approach has lead to more and more dino cases over time!
Dinos Require a Multi-Prong Approach
Dinos are tough to deal with. Use the recommended techniques mentioned in this post to fight them off and understand this is a intense battle.
Test Your Water Parameters!
Regularly test your water’s nutrients – nitrates & phosphate and understand the nutrient consumption on your tank. Modern reefs these days can strip nutrients completely clean and may require dosing of nitrates and phosphates to stay at a healthy level. Knowing your consumption puts you in control of your reef tank! Use a reliable quality test kit to monitor your levels and get in the habit of testing regulary.
However you choose to combat your dinoflagellates, know you’re not alone. Just about every modern aquarium enthusiast has done battle with the brown menace. There is hope: you just need to be consistent and patient in your approach killing them off.
📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Saltwater Fish & Reef Guide — your ultimate resource for marine fish, coral care, reef setup, and more.
The royal gramma is one of the best reef fish for beginners in my opinion — stunning coloration, relatively peaceful, and hardy enough to forgive minor husbandry mistakes. I’ve kept one in my 125-gallon reef and it’s consistently one of the fish guests comment on first. Here’s what you need to know before adding one.
Are you planning on adding a Royal Gramma Basslet to your reef tank? This fish is striking with its purple and yellow body, but it’s important to learn how to take care of them before adding one to your tank. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the requirements for keeping a Royal Gramma healthy and happy in your saltwater aquarium.
About the Royal Gramma
The Royal Gramma has been a mainstay in many reef tanks for many years. Its scientific name is Grammaloreto. It is also known as the Fairy Basslet. It hails from the Caribbean. This fish really packs it all. They work in most saltwater aquariums due to their compact size, they are very hardy, and generally very peaceful.
Species Overview
Below are the main stats and facts for the Royal Gramma fish:
Scientific Name
Gramma Loreto
Common Name (Species)
Royal Gramma
Family
Grammatidae
Origin
Florida, South America, West Atlantic Ocean
Diet
Carnivore
Care Level
Easy
Activity
Active
Lifespan
At least 5 years
Temperment
Semi-aggressive
Tank Level
All Areas
Size
3 inches
Minimum Tank Size
30 Gallons
Temperature Range
73 – 81 Degrees F
pH Range
8.1 – 8.4
Filtration/Flow Rate
All
Water Type
Saltwater
Breeding
Egg-layers, Difficult to breed
Compatibility
Semi-Aggressive tanks
Ok, For Reef Tanks?
Yes
Ok, For Inverts?
Mostly Yes
What Does This Fish Look Like?
The main attraction with the Royal Gramma Basslet are their colors. There really are few fish that really have this assortment of vibrant colors at this size. The front half of its body is purple with black strips across the eyes and the back half is yellow. They are usually a lone species in a saltwater aquarium because they are known to be aggressive to any fish that looks similar to it and males Royal Gramma will fight among themselves. If there is a lone male in the tank, it is possible for the group to form a harem, but it is difficult to sex them. Due to their size and temperament, they make good candidates for nano reef tanks.
If you are looking at trying to have a pair or harem, the best way to attempt this would be to buy 2 immature royal grammas ensuring that one is slightly bigger then the other. What hopefully will happen is the larger fish will become the male. This has also been attempted with a group of immature grammas where the top two in the pecking order are kept and paired up. The remaining Royal Grammas are then returned to the fish store or traded to other hobbyists.
Tank Requirements
Royal gramma are very versatile fish. They can be small in both small tanks and large tanks. Ideally, you want them in no small then a 30 gallon saltwater aquarium. This gives them enough room to feel comfortable and will not make them hyper aggressive – a common issue with any territorial fish when placed in an aquarium that is too small.
One of the more amusing characteristics of this species is its propensity to orient itself with its belly toward any nearby hard surface, whether it happens to be the floor, wall, or ceiling of its cave. So, it’s not unusual—or any cause for alarm—to see a royal gramma specimen positioned completely upside down or on its side within its rocky refuge. While it looks odd, it’s just your gramma being a gramma.
Grammas are known jumpers. Jumping is usually caused by stress and Royal Grammas generally are really good about handling stress. They are not as risky as say a firefish, but it would not hurt to have a cover on your tank for preventative measures. Many reef tanks owners like to use a mesh cover instead of a hard glass lid to have the benefit of gas exchange.
These fish do well with lots of hiding places. You will want a setup with lots of rocks and caves. They tend to jump in and out of caves. They will not be out of the open as much as say clownfish. They are very hardy fish. They may hide when first introduced and some are just skittish in nature. The more hiding places you have for them the better. They do best in fish only with live rock or reef tank environments.
Temperament
Royal gramma’s temperament can either be described as reclusive or bold depending on the personality of the fish. Usually in an aquarium, you will see them darting from cave to cave. They will stick to the rocks and will not be seen in the open unless they are feeding (video source).
They tend to be territorial fish and will try to chase away any fish that tries to come into their caves, but generally most fish will have a more aggressive temperature. They will not try to pick a fight with another fish (unless it looks like them). Usually their aggression is to just to defend their territory, but they will yield to a more aggressive fish. Fish like Angelfish and Clownfish will pick them a little, but the conflict will resolve itself once the more dominant fish asserts its position in the tank.
They will generally get along with virtually all fish in a reef tank. Your main concern with Royal Grammas is a fish might be too aggressive or try to eat it given its small size. You will also want to avoid any fish that looks like it – like fire fish.
Diet
They will eat nearly any type of food offered to them and do not get large with the max size usually being around 3″. They are considered an aggressive eater often dashing in and out to grab food. You don’t need to worry about it getting enough food in the tank as they compete for food well. They prefer meaty foods. With most saltwater fish, frozen food is going to be the best choice for diet. Frozen food is unfortunately hard to find online due to shipping costs. I would recommend you shop at your specialty fish store to get frozen food for your Royal Gramma fish.
The best frozen food for this fairy basslet are going to be LRS Food’s Reef Frenzy nano. You will only be able to pick this up at specialty fish stores. The next choice would be common frozen food you can find at a general pet store. Mysis shrimp would be the best choice for a staple. You can use Selcon to add vitamins to your frozen mysis shrimp to add more nutritional value to your Royal Gramma’s diet.
Gramma loreto is more bark than bite in the aquarium. They will try to assert themselves, but will often times be settled down by more aggressive tankmates like clownfish, angelfish, and tangs. Given that a Royal Gramma is on the lower end of the semi-aggressive scale, they are best near the beginning of your livestock additions since they will not harass most saltwater fish to death.
They are incompatible with other similar looking fish like firefish. Any large predatory fish that can fit them in their mouths like lionfish are completely off limits.
Are They Reef Safe?
I am different from other bloggers and live fish sellers in that I separate what is “reef safe” into two categories. Reef safe for corals and reef safe for inverts. This allows you to make an informed decision of what you would like in your saltwater reef tank.
A Royal Gramma Basslet in your reef tank will be a model citizen. They are just about as reef safe as you can get. They are both reef safe for corals and for inverts. I have personally never heard of them ever bothering corals or nipping at them. They do not dig or disturb rock work or substrates.
Regarding inverts, the Royal Gramma is very well behaved. They get along with nearly any type of invertebrate in the aquarium. Gramma loreto is a perfect fish for any reef aquarium.
Are They Available As Tank Bred?
Unfortunately, it is difficult to find a Royal Gramma that is tank bred. This is primarily due to the availability of wild Grammas near the United States and being relatively cheap to import. Grammas are abundant and cheap to purchase at any online or local fish store. Successfully breeding Royal Grammas is also difficult. While they are easy to get to spawn, it is difficult to rear and grow out the larvae and juveniles.
Outside of the US, there are efforts to tank breed them. One such location is Australia. In Australia, it is not uncommon for a Royal Gramma fish to cost as much as $120 compared to usually less than $20 in the US. Reef Keepers reported that successful breeding programs are underway with captive Grammas likely to be available this year. As Royal Gramma care for fry improve, I would expect us to see tank breed fish come into the supply chain at some point in the future.
FAQs
Is This Fish Reef Safe?
Yes – a Royal Gramma is one of the most reef safe fish you put in your aquarium. They will not eat corals and generally will leave more inverts like shrimp and crabs alone. They will adapt to virtually any community reef tank.
How Long Does it Live?
Generally, you can expect your Royal Gramma to live over 5 years. There have been reports with other advanced reefers who have kept Royal Grammas for over 10 years! The better the environment and diet for your fish, the longer it will potentially live. This is very much true in saltwater fish as many have lived well beyond their expected life cycles in captive environments such as public aquariums.
Are They Jumpers?
Yes, Royal Grammas are at risk for jumping out of a tank. The best way to prevent them from jumping is to cover your aquarium either with a lid or a mesh net. The mesh is preferable as it will still allow for gas exchange and will not harm your fish as much as a glass lid in the event of an attempted jump.
Are They Hardy?
Yes, a Royal Gramma is one of the most hardy saltwater fish you can purchase in the hobby. While they are not available as tank bred at the moment, they are far more hardier than many wild caught counterparts in the hobby. Their small size also make them ideal for beginners.
Are They Peaceful?
The Royal Gramma, like more saltwater fish are semi-aggressive and territorial. They will defend their territory and try to attack fish who look like them. That being said, they are one of the least aggressive semi-aggressive fish you can purchase. Most fish like Clownfish, Tangs, and Angelfish will beat them out on aggression. Grammas will mellow out in the presence of these fish. You can say their bark is bigger than their bite!
Do You Have Experience With These Fish?
Let us know your experience with the Royal Gramma Basslet in the comments below. We love hearing everyone’s personal experience and tank stories.
Jaguar cichlids are one of the most impressive large cichlids in the freshwater hobby — but they demand respect. I’ve kept large aggressive cichlids for years and the pattern is always the same: beginners underestimate tank size requirements and tankmate compatibility, and end up with a specimen that rules the tank alone. If you go in with realistic expectations and the right setup, a jaguar cichlid is an extraordinary fish to keep.
Having a pet is one of the best things, especially if that pet is a fish. A Jaguar Cichlid is a silent, beautiful fish, and some of them are great for pest control. Although it might seem like fish are easy to care for, there are a lot of species which require a lot of attention as well as special food or tanks.
In this article, we are going to talk about an interesting fish species: the jaguar cichlid. Here you can find out everything you need to know about these species including its compatibility with other fish. It’s good to know that jaguar cichlids can’t be put in a tank with Tetra or Angel Fish. They are large and aggressive fish. They are known as “tank busters” among predator enthusiasts as they can crack smaller tanks with their aggressive antics.
The Jaguar Cichlid, scientifically known as parachromis managuesis (and also known as the Managuense cichlid), is a large species of Cichlid. They are originally from Central America and can be found from Costa Rica to Honduras. Unlike most fish tropical fish, this species is bigger, and it can grow to up to 24 inches! These are highly predatory fish, and this is why it can be difficult to find the right tank mate. The jaguar cichlid is very valuable for it’s looks. It is one of the more beautiful, larger, and aggressive Cichlids from Central America that you can purchase.
Size and Looks
The Managuense jaguar cichlid is a big, elongated freshwater fish. It’s flat from sides and it has an oval body. Its appearance shows that it’s a raptorial feeder which has adapted to aggressive assaults. These fish have different sizes when they live in captivity. For instance, a wild jaguar cichlid can reach 60 cm and it can weigh about 7 kg. Here is a video by Mrlilchilly1 showing a full grown Jaguar Cichlid in action.
Unlike the ones living in the wild, jaguar cichlids that lives in captivity grow to about 35 cm in length. The Parachromis managuensis females can only reach 30 cm and they weigh about 3 kg. These are some of the biggest fish which can be put in a tank and kept as a pet.
The color of the Jaguar Cichlid is silvery with spots of brown and black. Its color pattern resembles the one of a jaguar, as its name states. An interesting fact about their color pattern is that it’s almost impossible to find two jaguar cichlids with the same body spots. This species also presents a big head with a large mouth and big lips. They have pharyngeal teeth which help them hunt.
Male vs. Female Differences
A male Jaguar Cichlid is larger and will have more vertical broken bars when young. These bars will disappear once the male reaches maturity. A female Parachromis managuesis on the other hand, will have thinner vertical bars and will have a more pronounced dark bars and have more reddish coloration on their gill covers. Juvenile fish are readily available at fish stores and online. These Cichlids get more expensive and harder to find the larger they are.
Having Them in a tank
There are some important things to keep in mind when you want to purchase a jaguar cichlid as a pet. For instance, these fish can’t share a tank with a lot of species. In order to accommodate the cichlid and the other tankmates, you need to have a tank with aggressive fish. Also, you need to have large fish so that they won’t get hurt or eaten by the jaguar cichlid.
It’s best to pair the jaguar cichlid with other cichlids like the Red Devil, Texas, or the Midas cichlid. These species are territorial to aggressive which means they are able to hold their own. Aggressiveness is best handled by additional tank space. Keeping your aggressive fish full will also curb aggressive. Hungry and cramped fish will get aggressive with their tank mates fighting for valuable territory. These large predatory fish mentioned will also enjoy the same foods. You will not have to worry about feeding them separately. Be sure to spread out food among each fish’s establish territory to avoid bricking and to ensure everyone gets fed.
Another important thing to consider before purchasing Parachromis managuensis is the tank. In this case, you will need an aquarium tank with a capacity of at least 100 gallons of water. The decorations of the tank should be big and bulky like rocks. Don’t put plants in their tank because this Cichlid will destroy them in no time. A good starter tank for a fish this size is a 125 gallon tank. This is a 6 foot long tank with enough width and depth to support a Cichlid of this size and still have room for other inhabitants.
You will need to put a substrate for the bottom of the tank that is made of large grained gravel and add some middle-sized grains. Maintain the water in the tank at a temperature of 24-25 C. Also, the pH of the water should be around 7 for optimal results.
Breeding
The jaguar cichlids have been bred in tanks for a long time. However, there are a few rules to follow when it comes to this species. The best way to help them breed is to make sure that you put 2 or 3 pairs of jaguar cichlids together in a tank when they are juvenile. If you try to put a new female or a new male when you have adult fish. You will risk losing these additions due to the jaguar cichlid’s territorial nature. This is a bigger risk if you your fish is actively breeding.
If you have an actively breeding couple, consider moving them to a different tank so that the breeding process goes smoothly. This tank should have at least 50 gallons (or 200 liters of water). Cichlids in general are great parents and are a joy to watch their fry raising process. It can be a real threat to share this experience with your family.
Feeding
As we mentioned earlier, this freshwater fish is a carnivore and a raptorial which means they enjoy various types of live fish. They can also eat cut up fish or crayfish and dry foods. The jaguar cichlid prefers food like earthworms, crickets and tadpoles. Remember to feed them only once a day because they tend to eat too much. Frozen food is also a good food staple to provide, through can get expensive given how much these fish need to eat at their adult size. Also, experts recommend a fasting the jaguar cichlid once a week.
These fish can also eat small reptiles, larva, or goldfish. However, it’s strictly prohibited to give these species warm-blooded meat like beef, pork or poultry. This type of meat has a lot of fat and it can affect the health of your cichlid.
Care
While it is a bit hard to find the right tankmates for this big and aggressive fish, it’s quite easy to care for them. These are hardy fish that will tolerate a variety of conditions.
Saying that however, one of the most important things is to keep the tank water clean. Large tanks are necessary for these big species. Apart from the large tank you will need to have canister filter or a sump filter to help you clean the water.
Remember to change about 30% of the water in the tank once or twice a week. Due to the fact that the aquariums are closed systems the phosphates and nitrates tend to build up in time. This makes the water hardness increase. Despite the fact that this species is aggressive, they are very sensitive to pH instability. If you oversize your filtration you may be able to get away with less water changes, but also monitor your nutrient levels with proper aquarium test kits.
It’s also recommended to use external tank equipment that can clean the water. Because of their large size and aggressive style, the jaguar cichlid can damage any internal filter or heater. Titanium heaters are recommended when you house fish as large and aggressive as these. Titanium heaters can take a beating and not crack or break. You should also avoid any decorations that can easily be moved or tossed around. Apart from these minor problems, jaguar cichlids are easy to care for.
Diseases that AffectThem
Unfortunately, fish are prone to infections and disease, especially predatory fish like the cichlid. Infections are common with predatory fish due to fighting as wounded can get infect. For parasites, one of the most common diseases is Ich. This can be treated by simply raising the temperature to 86 degrees Fahrenheit for about 3 days. In case this doesn’t work, you will need to treat the pet with copper. Remember to be careful when you add a new decoration or a new fish to the tank because it could be infected with disease. Stress from aggression can also bring about disease if the fish is carrying the disease. Stress will compromises a fish’s immune system, which will lead to an outbreak.
FAQs
How Aggressive are they?
Jaguar cichlids are very aggressive fish. They are territorial and will attempt to eat any fish they can fit in their mouths. Because of their territorial nature, they will attempt to fight any fish that comes near their territory. Due to their size and most aquariums sizes, this will mean they will fight any fish you place in your tank.
How Big Do They Get?
Jaguar cichlids can get up to 24 inches in length, but most will end up around 16-18 inches. Males will typically be larger than the females and they will get more aggressive as they get older and more established in a tank.
What Fish Can Go With A This Type of Fish?
The best tank mate for a Jaguar cichlid is another Jaguar cichlid — as a breeding pair. Note that a bonded pair will be very aggressive, especially once they start breeding. Other species you can consider if you have the space would be large cichlids like Red Devils, Green Terrors, and Oscars. You can also consider large catfish.
Can They Live With an Oscar?
Yes, they can be compatible if you have the space for them to work out their territory issues. It is best to attempt this pairing when you have more experience. If you are attempting to house them together, consider a single Jaguar with an Oscar. Preferably, try a female Jaguar over a male when pairing.
Conclusion
These are some of the most important things you should know about this amazing freshwater species. If you want to purchase a jaguar cichlid as a pet you need to be careful with the tank capacity and the pH of the water. Apart from that just feed them once a day with worms or dry food and they will be fine. Also, don’t put them in tanks with smaller fish because the jaguar can kill or eat them.
Got any additional questions about the Jaguar cichlid? If so, leave a comment below and let’s start a conversation!. Let us know what aggressive fish you have been able to pair with this monster fish!
📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Freshwater Fish Guide — your ultimate resource for freshwater species, care tips, tank setup, and more.
Nutrient export is one of the most debated topics in reef keeping, and I’ve experimented with most of the major methods in my 125-gallon over the years — GFO reactors, biopellets, refugiums with chaeto, and algae scrubbers. Each has a real place depending on your system’s bioload and your maintenance preferences. This breakdown is based on what I’ve actually run, not just theory.
Algae scrubbers are finally starting to pick up mainstream acceptance in the Reefkeeping community! As someone who has advocated Algae Turf Scrubbers, for many years it great to see them more widely accepted. There is still a lot of skepticism in the industry though and many store still push other products and solution. I created this article below so you can see the differences between an Algae Scrubber (AKA Algae Turf Scrubber) and other solutions like there. There will be affiliate links in this article as a quick disclosure where I may make a commission should you make a purchase from the link at no charge to you. Let’s get started.
Algae Scrubber vs. Algae Blocker
Ah the Algae blocker. This is a very common solution you will hear about at your Local Fish Store (LFS) when a customer comes in with an algae problem. I think of these as the diet pill solution to nuisance algae in the industry.
What is a blocker?
An algae blocker is a chemical product that will work to remove nuisance algae in the aquarium. The most well known algae blocker is Boyd Enterprises Chem Clean who sells a Cyano blocker. The industry has gotten really good over the years and have created reef safe solutions that will remove algae, but will not harm inverts and corals.
Why is this better than the Blockers?
An algae blocker’s purpose is to quickly remove algae, but it is not an end all solution. They really are meant to wipe out nuisance algae after the long-term problem is treated – usually a poor water source or bad aquarium housekeeping. They become expensive to use long-term.
An Algae Scrubber on the other hand, is a natural solution to nuisance algae. The algae you grow in the scrubber sucks up the nutrients that feed other forms of algae, and the algae is keep in one spot where you can remove it. Scrubbers are always a long-term investment in the aquarium as they do not need ongoing filters or replacement parts.
Is The Reactor Different?
Algae reactors have been commercialized recently with the raise of Algae Scrubbers.
What is a reactor?
An algae reactor is a self container container that grows macro algae like cheato. They are pretty complex units, with a reactor chamber, pump, and lighting all functioning in the unit.
The biggest advantage to an algae reactor is ease of use and simplicity. While an Algae Reactor has a comprehensive unit, an algae scrubber has simple individual parts. This means that if one part breaks, it is easier to fix vs having to buy another unit.
Biopellets
Biopellets have been a solution for denitrification for years
What is a Biopellet Reactor?
Biopellets themselves are a polymer that is made up of bacteria. They are meant to be a supplement to the beneficial bacteria in your aquarium. The main draw is these biopellets will remove nitrates. They require a reactor so you can efficiently work the materiel and cultivate the bacteria.
What is better than Biopellets?
Biopellets can be tricky to dial in and can actually strip too many nutrients in your tank. Stability of the operation is there biggest issue. You also still need to address phosphates requiring another equipment solution. An algae scrubber handles both nitrates and phosphates and are easier to operate once they are broken in.
Cheato
Cheato was the first acceptance of using algae to control nutrients in an aquarium
What is Cheato?
Cheato is single celled macro algae that is simple to grow and easy to place in a sump. It is one of the easiest and simpliest ways to control nutrients in a tank
Which is better than Cheato?
The main advantage you will get from a scrubber is surface area growth. Scrubbers have the ability to grow more nutrient absorbing algae in a concentrated space then cheato. You need a lot of cheato to control nutrients and you need the space in your sump to do it. The major downfall is the risk of pests and disease from Cheato. Yes, that is correct Cheato can bring over a number of pests and diseases. Unless you Quarantine your Cheato (very few people do this) or you get your Cheato from a source that guarantees clean Cheato (like Algaebarn), it is always a risk. With an Algae Turf scrubber, you are growing your own algae from your own tank. You are in full control of what comes in and out through your introduction procedures with your fish, inverts, and corals.
But other than that cheato is and will always be a cheap and go solution for nutrient control. It is algae after all and a natural way of removing nutrients in the aquarium.
Denitrator
Denitrators were a solution to aquariums for many years until other products like Zeovit and Biopellets came about.
What is a Denitrator?
A denitrator is a piece of equipment that has been used in wastewater treatment plants and public aquariums for years. Denitrators are the solution to using a traditional media bag in the sump which is harder to manage optimally. A denitrator pieces the media in a chamber where the water can properly react to it resulting in consumption of nitrates.
Which is better than a Denitrator?
A denitrator system and a built algae scrubber equipment wise are around the same price. The main advantage you will get with an algae scrubber is you will not need to replace your media and the parts are easier to replace. The other advantage that an algae scrubber will have is that it will remove phosphates while the denitrator will only remove nitrates. You will need to invest in other equipment to control phosphates.
GFO (AKA Phosban)
GFO is a common media used in saltwater aquariums. Phosban is the big name brand that sells GFO.
What is GFO?
Granular Ferric Oxide or GFO is media that is used in an aquarium to remove phosphates. It is also used to remove heavy metals and other toxins in the aquarium. Generally, GFO is placed in a reactor for optimal use.
Which is better than GFO?
Investing in a GFO system will incurring recurring costs as the media will need to be replaced every 1-2 months. GFO also does not remove nitrates, meaning you will need another piece of equipment or solution to remove nitrates from your aquarium. An algae scrubber will remove both phosphates and nitrates and will not incur recurring costs.
Refugium
For reefers who have a sump, it is very common for them to have a flex space that is used to create a Refugium.
What is a Refugium?
A refugium is usually a section in a sump that is reserved to in order to provide a place for certain organisms to survive. In general, these would be organisms like copepods, macroalgae, and certain inverts.
Why is this better than a Refugium?
A refugium is also usually used to grow macroalgae for nutrient control and be a place to grow copepods. An Algae Scrubber is actually great at both. It grows algae like crazy and copepods thrive inside the mesh of the scrubber. It is very common when you clean an algae scrubber that you can remove hundreds of amphipod and copepods from the scrubber. No other piece of equipment does a better job at growing them. This allows you to do more in the flex space of your sump.
Zeovit
Zeovit is a nutrient free solution that is touted in the reef aquarium industry.
What is a Zeovit System?
Zeovit is a system that produces an ultra low nurtrient system. It utilizes bacteria to eliminate nutrients at the initial source – Ammonia.
Why is an this better than a Zeovit system?
Zeovit systems are pretty complicated to setup and expensive. It is not a cookie cutter system and every system is different. Dosage and product needed for your system will differ. An algae scrubber on the other hand, is all about simplicity. It is easy to setup, easy to clean, and easy to get results.
Zeovit is really a product of the saltwater aquarium industry, which loves to market the latest and and greatest high-tech toys and solutions to hobbyists. It is a great product, as long as you can dial it in, but overly complex.
Natural and Simple
An algae scrubber is natural and simple and nature is not a solution that is going to be outdated or obsolete. Always do your research regardless of what you end up purchasing. Let us know your experience with equipment or any questions in the comments.
🔧 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Aquarium Equipment & Gear Guide — your ultimate resource for filters, heaters, lights, pumps, tanks, and more.
Twenty-five years in the saltwater hobby has given me a long list of things I wish someone had told me earlier. I’ve made expensive mistakes, watched beautiful tanks crash, and learned from both my own experiences and from the thousands of people I’ve interacted with through this site and our YouTube channel. When I put this list together, I wasn’t going for generic advice you’ll find anywhere online. These are the specific insights that actually changed how I approach reef keeping — things that would have saved me real money, real frustration, and a lot of lost livestock if I’d known them at the start.
First, I would like to say thank you for reading this post. This is going to be a long point about the 55 words of wisdom I wish I knew before I started a saltwater reef tank. This is a list I have been thinking about for some time. Each one of these things can be a post on its own but I feel placing these all on a single post is a great reference to anyone starting out the hobby or wants reminders on general advice on reefing.
So without further ado here is the list on a nice infographic:
Saltwater Reef Tank – 55 Words of Wisdom I Wish I Knew Before I Started
So now that you have seen the list, here is the detailed breakdown of every word of wisdom below:
#1 Knowledge Is Power
Knowledge plays a huge role in this hobby. What you know will dictate how you will grow your tank and how you grow in the hobby. Taking the time to read books, visit blogs like this one, and getting to know other hobbyists empowers you as a consumer and aquarium owner. If there is anything you takeaway from this blog entry, it is that knowledge is king in this hobby. It will save you time, headache, money, and increase your passion.
#2 Be Patient
This is a very hard lesson to learn even for advanced hobbyist. For a new aquarium keeper, it is very easy to get excited about building your saltwater reef tank and make changes very quickly. As an advanced hobbyist, sometimes we are attracted to deals we see locally or on-line. Other times we try to push the limits of tried and true knowledge.
At the end of the day we need to keep in mind that we are maintaining a delicate ecosystem in our aquariums. Every time we add something or make changes the system needs time to adjust. This is another lesson that sometimes we as hobbyists learn the hard way.
#3 A Family That Reefs Together Stays Together
If you have a family or a significant other, I highly encourage you to get them involved in your saltwater reef tank. Our hobby tends to be a very isolated one where one person does everything and your significant other is wondering why you are spending so much time on your tank, not talking and spending time with them, and why everything is so expensive.
Get them involved! Teach them everything you know and explain the inner workings of the aquarium and habitat. In the end, you will have a significant other that at a minimum will understand how to care for your tank or at least tolerates your passion. You may get lucky and convert your spouse to a full-fledged reef fanatic.
If you have children, this is a wonderful opportunity to teach your children all sorts of great life skills – trade skills from DIY projects, chemistry and biology lessons, responsibility, and discipline. Working with children when it comes to aquariums is a big passion of mine. I actually wrote up an article on FamilyShare.com detailing out various activities you can participate with a child.
#4 The Bigger the Better
Bigger is better in this hobby. A bigger tank = more volume and more stability. A bigger sump = more flexible space, more volume, and more stability. A bigger protein skimmer = more bio-load capacity (up to a point of course). A bigger RODI unit with more gallons per day means you can get fresh water faster. The list goes on and on. Get the biggest tank and highest rated equipment you can afford or fit in your space. If you can’t afford it yet, wait (See words of wisdom #2 – Be Patient).
Larger tanks with bigger equipment are easier to have success with. Don’t start off with a nano or pico reef tank. These tanks are best for experienced hobbyist. Learn more about sumps by looking at our best aquarium sumps and refugiums post.
#5 It is Going to be Expensive!
A saltwater reef tank, even a nano tank can easily cost over $1000 to setup. You can cut some costs down by purchasing a cheap used tank or getting frags from friends, but the simple fact is that saltwater tanks are expensive. On average, you will spend at least 3 times more than a freshwater aquarium. It will go up even more if you shoot for a mixed reef, SPS heavy tank, or want a Rimless Aquarium. Along with setup costs there will maintenance cost.
Electricity, dosing, salt, and food will all need to be accounted for. At the end of the day, keeping a reef tank is expensive so if you are not willing to spend the amount of money to have a successful one, it is probably a better idea to try a less expensive option like a freshwater community tank or an African Cichlid tankwith less expensive equipment like power filters or canisters filters. See our post to see what the best power filters and best canister filters are.
#6 You Are Going to Get Addicted
Any successful reef keeper has a high chance of getting addicted to this hobby. You become a successful reef keeper and have a great tank. Then you think about upgrading your tank so you move on to a larger one. Then you wonder what to do with the old tank so you decide to keep it and create different type of tank with it. Or you get into corals then move onto fragging them. Then you turn that old tank into a frag tank. Then your clownfish start spawning and you want to raise the fry so you create a fry tank.
Successful reefkeeping requires passion. Passion can turn into addiction. #eatsleepreef is one of the largest reefkeeping hashtags on Instagram for a reason :).
#7 Start Slow
Start slow and do not rush (remember #2 Be Patient). Nothing good in your saltwater reef tank happens overnight. In contrast, mostly bad things in your aquarium will happen quickly and overnight. Behind every tank of the month and showcase display tank there is a whole lot of work, research, time, and care put into it.
#8 Always Have RODI Water Ready
RODI systems have a gallon per day rating. If you have a low gallon per day output on your RODI system, you may be waiting for hours if you need the water in an emergency. You never know when you will need to do an emergency water change or you forgot to fill up your auto-top off container, etc. Have some RODI water ready. You can also use distilled water as a substitute in a pinch.
The great thing about distilled water is that you can purchase it at grocery stores, which tend to be open late on nights and weekends. There are a number of cheaper RODI units available these days that work for reef tanks including those made by LiqaGen:
Keep up with your water changes and maintain all your equipment. Clean out your skimmer, change out your GFOand carbon, keep your water topped off, clean your glass, clean your pumps, have dosing supplies and salt handy so you do not forget. It is really easy to fall behind on maintenance once you stop building your reef up and your tank hits stability. Do not fall into lazy reefers syndrome.
If worse comes to worse – considering hiring a professional to maintain your tank. It’s not worth it getting lazy and losing everything you worked so hard for.
#10 Refugiums Matter
In general, the first chamber of a sump is for a high quality protein skimmer and the third chamber is for the return pump. This leaves the middle chamber. The refugium chamber of a sump is the most important part of your sump. It can not only be a refugium, which you can use macro algae like cheato to suck up nutrients, but it is also the flex space in your sump. Some hobbyists today use the refugium space to house an algae turf scrubber. The bigger it is the better.
#11 When in Doubt – Don’t Do It!
This hobby is all about knowledge and research. If you are about to purchase something whether it is equipment or livestock and you have doubts, do not buy it. So many unnecessary livestock losses and money wasted on unneeded products can be prevented by using this rule.
#12 Don’t Spread Yourself Too Thin With Too Many Aquariums
Recall #6 when I said you will get addicted. This is where things can go wrong. In our circle, we call this multiple tank syndrome. You purchase multiple tanks and try to run them all at the same time. Don’t spread yourself too thin. The more tanks you have the less time you have to maintain each one. It’s better to focus on only one tank and if you get the itch to start up another tank, consider upgrading your current tank to a larger one instead.
This hobby is very addicting, but do not try to make it take over your entire life. I know for some of you reading this – it is probably too late :).
#13 Moving an Aquarium Sucks!
Take your time and be set on your decision of your tank location. I cover what to look for when determining your tank location in an another blog post. Having to move a tank after you made your location decision can be fairly painful, but it is nowhere as painful if you are actually needing to move to a new apartment or home. There are so many steps and factors to consider when you are moving your tank. It describes it in detail could create a blog post as large as this article. It is a complex task and many things need to be setup ahead of time as the clock starts ticking once you pull your inhabitants out of the tank and into storage containers.
If you are moving locally, take your time and research this carefully and have as much prepped beforehand. If you are moving out of state, consider selling your livestock or getting a professional to help and make sure you have references.
#14 Aquarium Clubs Are Here to Help
There are a group of people who cheer for your success in this hobby every day. They are the aquarium clubs and societies located throughout the country. With frequent local meetups, frag swaps, sponsored events, and tank showcases it is the place to go to really build relationships with other hobbyists who share your passion. It is also a great place to be mentored and even a better place to find a reliable tank sitter or someone who can help you drill a tank.
Forums are a great place to build up your knowledge, but it is also a great place for bad information. Some forums users will answer a question on a forum trying to be helpful, but they may not know the answer and may just throw one out to be helpful. In the end, the bad advice may hurt the hobbyist listening to it.
So how do you differentiate between the good and bad advice on the forum? There are few things to look for: time on the forum, past posts, do they have pictures of their own tank on the forum, etc. Look at the forum member’s profile and check out their pictures. Most established forums tend to call out bad information. My biggest concern these days are with Facebook groups. I have personally noticed these groups tend to give out more faulty info then forums.
#16 Going Without Plan to a Local Fish Store (LFS) is Deadly
Walking into a local fish store without a plan could be the deadliest thing you can do to your tank. Local fish stores promote sales all the time and it is very tempting to overstretch yourself and buy too many fish and corals at once because they have a great deal going on. Walking in without a plan invites impulse buying and as we learned in tips #1 and #2 knowledge and patience is critical for success. Plan first then go to the store and stick to your plan!
#17 Always Research Yourself Before Accepting What the LFS Says
Not all local fish stores are created equal. While there are a lot less of them these days because of online stores like us, there are still a number of bad ones out there. They can give you some pretty bad advice. I’ve seen it all over the years from suggesting Chalice Corals are great for nano tanks, that a panther grouper will be just fine in a 40-gallon breeder, to not pricing corals then inflating the piece on an unsuspecting customer.
Until you find a local fish store that you trust – always maintain your skepticism and research yourself before accepting what they tell you.
#18 Never EVER Compromise on Quality
There is an old saying in the saltwater reef tank hobby. “Buy cheap – buy twice or three times, buy expensive – buy once.” This rule applies to practically any type of equipment you purchase. Buy cheap pumps, they break and you have to replace them with better ones.
Buy a cheap heater, they could explode and you have to replace everything. Buy a cheap protein skimmer barely enough to support your tank, and you’ll like need to upgrade to an oversized high quality more expensive one. Buy a cheap lighting fixture without PAR figures or Spectrum stated, end up buying a high quality light to replace it.
I’ve learned this lesson the hard way when I was young. If you are thinking about going cheaper, consider being patient and saving up (see words of wisdom #2 – Be Patient). I have compiled a load of aquarium equipment reviews on this site for you to look at that does a lot of the homework of research for you.
#19 Get a Drilled Aquarium or Drill It Yourself
Getting a drilled tank and learning about plumbing can be really intimidating for a newcomer. You might consider going sump less or with a hang-on back overflow. While you can certainly have a successful tank without a sump, you sacrifice a lot of flexibility and storage by skipping out on one. Hang-on back overflows are considered by many hobbyists unreliable do to them siphoning water out in the event of failure. Learn more about the best overflow boxes readily available to purchase.
There are three ways to approach the drill tank issue. You can either purchase a reef ready tank and have the hole pre-made for you. You can drill yourself, which is actually not as hard as you think (and a hobbyist friend may likely do it for you if you ask). Or you can go with an all-in-one aquarium and just have the sump built into the aquarium. Either way, my personal thought is you miss out on too many benefits without drilling a tank and not having a sump.
#20 Aquarium Stand Height Matters
Most aquarium stands that you can purchase from a local chain store at are going to be less than 30 inches in height. They are designed so you can watch your aquarium while sitting. If you are a taller person or looking into a more shallow aquarium (24 inches and below), it is a good idea to consider a taller stand. There is a reason why manufacturers who make custom and premium brand aquarium stands start with stand heights at 36 inches and above.
Aquariums are a conversion place and usually enjoyed standing up.
#21 Sump Size is a Big Deal
Going with the concept of bigger is better – bigger is better, especially down below in the sump. Not having a big enough sump causes two problems. The first is that it limits the equipment space available for you to add-on. Second, an undersized sump would not hold enough volume to prevent an overflow in the event of a power outage or pump failure. Overlooking sump size can literally cost you hundreds in home repairs. See our Best Aquarium Sump review post for our expert picks.
#22 Only Use RODI Water
If you want to have a successful reef tank, you need to have a source of high quality water. You will want water that have 0 total dissolved solids (TDS). This prevents any excessive nutrients and toxic chemicals from entering your tank. This is the healthiest water for your fish and prevents nuisance algae growth. The best way to get this water is to invest in an RODI system. Some stores will sell just an RO unit, but only a RODI unit have the stages to produce 0 TDS water.
You can purchase RODI water from your local fish or use distilled water in the short term, but long term – a quality RODI unit is an investment that will stay with you throughout your saltwater reef tank hobby journey.
#23 Have Backup Equipment
While I encourage everyone to purchase high-quality equipment, the fact is that our equipment will eventually break down. Equipment could break down overnight or during the weekend when the local fish is closed or before you can get it delivered from an online store. A tank can crash quickly if a critical piece of equipment fails and you cannot replace it fast enough. There are three pieces of equipment you will always want to have a backup for:
It is an understatement to say that bad thing can happen quickly during a power outage. It is one of the top three reasons for a tank wipe out and many of us including myself have been a victim of a tank wipe out because of a power outage. It is a helpless feeling to see your tank and inhabitants degrade quickly and die off – it is one of the worst feelings in the hobby.
Literally, in hours a reef tank can go down quickly especially if the temperature is hot outside. There are two investments you want to make for a power outage – short term and long term.
Short term would be a battery backup that you can purchase at an office supply store. Get the biggest one you are comfortable spending for. It needs to be powerful enough to power your heater, a pump, and a fan. These short term battery backups will last you a few hours. You want to aim for at last 1-3 hours of backup time.
A long term power outage is handled by a gas generator. A decent generator like a Champion Generator will cost you about $250 — this is a sound investment if you have a sizable amount invested in your tank. Many of us who have established 4 foot long tanks easily will have over $2000 invested in the tank.
#25 LEDs Are Extremely Intense
LEDs have made great strides in the industry and saved reefers a lot of money in electrical cost. However, the top quality LED reef lights are extremely intense. Under full power, they can easily cook corals and raise the temperature of smaller tanks. Sure, it is cool to tell your reefing friends that you have the latest and greatest Radions, but know what you are getting yourself into before you decide to purchase these powerful lights.
Know what your corals require and prepare to lower their intensity. You can check out my earlier blog post about the Best Reef LEDs for more info.
#26 Stop LED Spectrum Confusion!
LEDs offer a ton of customization to determine what spectrum you want to set for your tank. Unfortunately, the vast amount of customization can also be a downfall for those new to the hobby. Either go with lights like Kessil who have done the spectrum work for you or start out with tried and true spectrum outputs from manufacturers like ATI. You can more about spectrum in my earlier blog post regarding Reef LED Spectrum.
#27 Aquarium Controllers Rock!
Many hobbyists will tell you that an aquarium controller is the best investment they have ever made. Reefing is not the same after you setup a controller. It has checks to make sure your tank is operating correctly, automates a bunch of tasks for you, and is a way to monitor your aquarium when you are outside of the home. Not only that, but a controller is scale-able to any aquarium. Once you have one, you can keep it with you if you upgrade and the resell value of well-known controllers like Neptune hold up very well.
#28 The Fishless Cycle – Shrimp Method
Back in the old days, there were two known ways of cycling a tank. Either you would purchase a few very hardy fish like Damels or you would purchase live rock and cycle your tank during the curing process. The first method was very cruel and the remaining Damels would be hostile to any new additions. The second method was messy, smelly, and could lead to various reef tank pests that you would have to deal with.
These days, there is fishless cycling. Usually, this is done by putting food in the tank and adding bacteria supplements. The best method in my mind is Melevsreef’s shrimp method. The shrimp method involves purchasing a jumbo headless shrimp from a grocery store, placing it in the aquarium for 3 days, and removing it. The decaying matter from the shrimp will start your cycle and you just measure levels until you have no ammonia and nitrites. It is a the simplest, cheapest, and sure fire way of cycling a tank.
#29 Your Tank Cycles Every Time You Add Livestock
Your Saltwater Reef Tank is a delicate ecosystem with a bacteria population that can support its current inhabitants. Every time you add additional bioload to the tank the bacteria in your system needs time to establish the population needed to support them. These means that your tank goes through another cycle. While not as long as your original, this concept is a must to understand and one of the main reasons things can go downhill quickly if you add too much livestock at once.
#30 Rinse Don’t Wash Before Putting Your Hands in Your Aquarium
You are going to put your hands in the tank, you may think about washing your hands before doing so. Don’t do it. Conventional soaps contain antibacterial chemicals that can harm your tank. Instead, just rinse your hands and arms up to the length you feel that will be touched by your aquarium water. Just rinse them with fresh water and paper towel dry them. Aqua gloves work great as well.
#31 Don’t Chase Aquarium Parameters
We see the list from forums and online sites listing ideal parameters. Yes, you should try to maintain your parameters, but do not obsess over it. Let your tank fall into its groove. Dose the proper amount to get within range, not exact. Inspect your tank to see if everything is healthy and keep up with your maintenance. Everyone’s tank is different – just stay in range and don’t obsess.
#32 Aquarium Test Kits are Not Created Equally
Recall word of wisdom #18 about never compromising on quality. Test Kits are not created equally. Those cheap test kits from Petco are not going to do the job for a saltwater reef tank. Look for high grade saltwater test kits like Salifert, Red Sea, and Hanna.
#33 Supplement, Wait, Then Adjust
When you are initially getting started on a dosing schedule, start slow. It is better to supplement less then more or the recommended amount to start. Work your way up slowly and wait a week before making any adjustments to the schedule. Also, if you do not test for the supplement you are dosing – do not dose it.
#34 Don’t Worry About Trying to Grow Coralline Algae
This is common for newcomers to the hobby. You will get all amped up about growing that purple algae and buy stuff like purple up. Coralline algae is actually quite easy to grow once your tank stabilizes. All it needs is consistent calcium and alkalinity levels – which can be done by consistent water changes. Don’t buy that purple up, just get a good rock from a trusted reef keeper that you know, keep up with your maintenance, and let nature takes its course. After a few months, you’ll be wishing it wouldn’t grow on your aquarium glass.
#35 Dry Rock Rules!
Aquarium Dry Rock Rules! There are so many advantages to using dry rock instead of live rock. You can cut it and shape the rock, you can aquascape it freely, it has zero pests, it saves the wild reef, and it is cheaper. Get a piece of coralline encrusted rock from a friend when you are ready to introduced coralline or purchase a colored dry rock like Caribsea Reef Rock.
Do be careful about starting too sterile as this can result in dinoflagellates. You might want to consider getting some donation live rock from your aquarium club or a friend when you first cycle your tank.
#36 People With Awesome Looking Aquarium Scenes
It is not as simple as getting a bunch of rock and putting it into the tank to create a great looking scape. Several featured tank of the months on forums you see are masterfully aquascaped through a lot of planning. Rockwork is drilled, cut, epoxied, and chiseled. It is usually done with aquarium dry rock and the rockwork is laid out on card board to visualize the aquascape. It is an artwork in itself.
#37 Epoxying Rocks is a Dirty Secret for Bare Bottom Aquarium
You have likely seen several incredible looking bare bottom tanks or even tanks with floating rocks. How do they do it? Well, they epoxy their rocks down during the aquascaping process. The biggest risk in a bare bottom tank is the lack of cushion and rocks can damage the glass if it takes a hard enough tumble. With sand beds we have a little cushion and some reef hobbyists will use eggcrate for an additional safeguard.
With a barebottom tank there is no cushion so the best safeguard is to epoxy down the rocks to ensure they do not slide, slip, or fall.
#38 Beware Buying Livestock Secondhand!
You likely have seen it on craigslist. A killer deal on a fully setup saltwater reef tank with fish and coral included. Buyer beware! First off, moving a fully stock tanked is a ton of work as explained in words of wisdom #13. Second, if you purchase the rock every mistake that previous owner make is going to be inherited with your purchase. Third, you have no idea of the condition of the fish. Yes, they could look healthy but just like at the local fish store you never know.
All these fish should be quarantined before placing in a display tank. All this work and caution alone just makes me avoid them. Have the local fish store take their stuff or have a quarantine tank ready.
#39 Know How to Select a Fish
Knowing how to select a fish goes hand in hand with the next point below. Is thefish compatible with what you already have? How big will it get? Is it reef safe? What does it eat? Once you have that down it’s time to look for physical signs. Is the fish swimming well, does it have puffy lips, any white spots, are the fins intact, does it have any cuts, is the fish’s thick instead of thin.
The last thing to look for does it eat. Never buy a fish from a fish store unless you see it eat at the store. If it is not eating, you are going to have a hard time during the quarantine process keeping them healthy. Online stores can be difficult to purchase from because you never see the fish. You will want to research the store’s reputation from reviews and forums about the quality of the shipped livestock to get the best idea.
#40 Quarantine Your Fish
Not quarantining your fish is asking for trouble. It’s like playing Russian roulette. Anyone who has been in this hobby long enough and has not quarantined fish has likely losses lots of money from preventable diseases that could have been avoided from quarantining.
All it takes is one fish that you add in your tank with ich or marine velvet to infect your entire tank. After the tank has been wiped out, you then you have to wait several weeks for the disease to pass (or worse with marine velvet – several months). There are four tried and methods for quarantining fish that I have detailed out in my How To Quarantine Fish Series:
Hypersaliny Method
Copper Method
Chloroquine Phosphate Method
The Tank Transfer Method
Save yourself the future pain of loss and invest in a quarantine tank. You can prepare for one now if you have a tank already by placing a sponge in your sump.
#41 Don’t Buy a Fish Your System Cannot Handle
If you have a nano tank, do not go buying a Unicorn Tang. Yes, you may think to yourself now I will just get a bigger tank when they get larger, but the reality is things may change in your life in the next year or so where you may no longer be in the market for that upgrade. If you have a small tank, purchase fish that stay small.
If you have a reef tank, do not purchase butterfly fish. If you have small fish, do not buy a grouper or a lion fish. Do the research for the sake of your fish, wallet, and sanity. Sticking to what you know will work with what you have right now is what you need to be aiming.
#42 Don’t Buy a Saltwater Fish Because It Looks Cool
As a novice, we were all guilty at this at some point. Every now and then the local fish store will stock a rare fish or an exotic fish like a Moorish Idol. It’s hard to resist the urge, but don’t do it. Always research first and make sure you know what the fish needs. Also, don’t buy a fish because you see it as a character in a movie (I’m taking to you Finding Nemo and Finding Dory fans). Know what you are getting into.
#43 Damsels Suck and So Do Large Clownfish
Some of you may have gone to a local fish store already and heard from the rep that damsels are good starter fish because they are hardy. My advice – don’t do it. Most damsels suck. They are highly aggressive and will harass future inhabitants you want to introduce later on. They are also a huge pain to get out of the aquarium once they become problematic.
The same goes with large clownfish like Maroon Clownfish. Maroon clowns not only get large, but they are just as aggressive as damsels. Clownfish are part of the damsel family after all.
If you are thinking about adding a damsel, place check out my blog post about less aggressive damsels and how to add them properly.
#44 Respect the Tang Police
The Tang Police has a polarizing reputation in the saltwater aquarium community. For those of you who do not know, a Tang is one of the larger fish you can add to your aquarium. Most the most part, Tangs are the fish that catch many hobbyist eyes. They are active, herbivores, and wonderful fish to have. Given their size, they really should only be placed in tanks at minimum 4 feet in length for smaller tangs — and 6 feet for many others.
Some hobbyist think the tang police are overreaching, judgmental, and ruthless. Others think they are protecting the well being of these beautiful fish and protecting you from serious mistakes. My take is both sides have a point.
Part of being a successful reef aquarist is having patience and restraint, knowing the limits of your aquarium system and making the best decisions for your long-term success and the well-being of your animals. Make your own decision where you stand, but respect the tang police.
#45 Your Fish Don’t Need That Much Food
Fish are greedy – that’s a simple fact. They will greet every time and give you this sad little look begging you to feed them. Growing up as a kid with a reef tank, this was a daily struggle with my father who couldn’t help himself and feed the fish every time they gave him the little puppy dog eyes.
The fact of the matter is that fish do not need much food. You could only feed what your fish can consume quickly and completely. no extra food should be left at the bottom of the tank. Often for nutrient dense foods like pellets, a pinch is all that is needed. Reef tanks will also produce copepods, amphipods, and algae that many fish will eat. There is plenty of food to go around and overfeeding will just lead to excessive nutrients for algae growth that you do not want.
#46 Don’t Add Fish Too Fast
Recall point #2 about being patient. You can do a ton of damage to your tank by adding fish too fast. Adding too fast will throw off the balance in your bacteria cycle, overload your bioload, cause all sorts of algae blooms from the spike in nutrients, introduce disease due to the added stress, and worse cause a tank crash. Just remember – be patient and go slowly. Do not end up like this lady below:
#47 Don’t Hand Feed Your Fish
If you have fish like a trigger or an eel, just play it safe and don’t hand feed them. As cool as it is to have them eat out of your hand, it’s a very painful lesson when they bite your fingers. Eels have very poor slight and your finger can be mistaken for food. The most aggressive triggers like Clown Triggers should not be trusted for hand feedings. All full grown Clown Trigger jaw’s are powerful enough to bite off your finger. Be smart and use a feeding stick.
#48 Take Extreme Measures When a Fish Gets Sick
I have seen it happen way too many times. A fish gets sick and the aquarium owner tries to treat the display tank or they get one of those new age medications that is invert safe or they buy garlic or a cleaner wrasse. I say no to all of that. If a fish gets sick – EVERYTHING gets pulled out of the tank. Fish all go into quarantine and inverts are pulled into their own tank. All I leave in the tank are the rocks and the coral. I do not mess around with medications – I go straight with what works.
Copper or Chloroquine Phosphate for Ich and Marine Velvet. Treat the fish for at least six weeks. If a fish gets sick again, the clock resets. The time is needed to give the display tank time for the infection to starve itself out and time to remove the sickness from your fish. Any sickness a fish gets is potentially deadly to them. Therefore quick and decisive action is a must!
#49 You Don’t Need as Big as a Clean-up Crew That Stores Claim You Need
Your clean-up crew needs change as your tank gets mature and stocked. Clean up crew sellers will often sell you a full package of cleaners for your tank containing various snails, hermits, etc. My advice to you is do not purchase these packages. You actually do not need as much as they sell. In fact, most of these packages are large because there is a high likelihood that you will lose several of your members.
Most of the time, your tank is not ready for the amount of inverts these packages have and your crew will slowly starve itself out. Instead, just purchase 1 emerald crab and get a few reliable Trochus snails to start out and slowly increase from there. You can learn more about great clean up crew members in my previous post. You can also reduce the need for clean up members by using algae in your sump or a algae turf scrubber.
#50 Dip Your Corals
If you want to prevent coral pests from entering your tank from your coral purchases dipping your corals is a must. There are two ways to dip. You can purchase a specialized dip like Coral RX Coral Dip Pro or you can dip with Bayer Advanced Insect Killer. The Coral RX method is pretty well known and the Bayer method is more advanced.
Either one works great – just make sure you dip. If anything falls out of your corals consider quarantining or returning it. It is even better if you quarantine your corals regardless, but not everyone is willing to do this. You will regret not if you end up with an annoying pest like Asterina Starfish.
#51 Frags Rule!
If you want variety, cheaper corals, and want to experience your reef growing over time, then frags are the way to go. Frags are readily available either through a local store or club frag swaps. It is such a great way to start out and grow in the hobby. You can also make your own Frag Tank and sell or trade corals with others! They are also much easier to handle and place where you want in your aquascaping because of their size. Just remember to leave enough space for everyone to grow.
#52 Don’t Buy a Coral Because It Looks Cool
This is so tempting to do when you are at a local fish store looking at the newest additions or seeing a rare coral in the WYSIWYG section online store. Research first, know what parameters it needs, the lighting, the flow needed, how aggressive it is etc. Also, buy corals in baby steps. If you are not growing basic corals, do not buy the advanced ones. If you only have soft corals don’t go jumping into Acropora SPS corals until you have more experience.
#53 Some Corals Grow Like Weeds and are Invasive
This is a tough lesson some of us have learned when we purchased bullet proof corals. Corals like green star polyps, pulsing xenias, and mushrooms are known for their high reproduction rates. When they are happy, they have the ability to spread like crazy in your tank and can easily take over the entire tank like this picture above of these pulsing Xenias. If you are thinking about getting these types of corals, make sure you know what you are getting yourself into.
#54 Carpet Anemones Suck
Don’t get me wrong carpet anemones are pretty cool and look great in a tank, but they are known for being poor shippers. The ones that do survive shipping can turn out to be deadly additions to your tank. They get very large and have voracious appetites. Many hobbyists who have tried to keep them quickly find out their anemone is a death trap for fish and inverts.
Large fish are not even safe. Once an carpet anemone stings its victim, the tissue damage caused by the sting leaves virtually no chance for the victim to survive. The sting is extremely potent. Check out this video of a carpet anemone eating a blue powder tang as an example:
Carpet Anemones should only be attempted by an advanced aquarist if not just left in the wild.
I know many coral fragging tutorial videos do not show safety equipment, but keep in mind that many of these recordings are done by experts or people who have been cutting frags for a long time.The most common hazard is getting coral juices and chucks in your eyes, but a word of caution of you are fragging zoanthids. Zoanthids contain a toxic called palytoxin, which is considered to be one of the most toxic non-protein substances known.
Play it safe and wear razor proof nitrile gloves, eye protection, and a breathing mask. You can call me overly cautious if you like – but I believe in safety first.
Final Thoughts
Wow that was a long post wasn’t it :). Well, I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post and took away some words of wisdom. As always, please share and subscribe to our newsletter to gave more great articles like this and specials from our store. If you have any tips you would like to share, please leave us a comment below. Thanks for reading and see you next time!
📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Saltwater Fish & Reef Guide — your ultimate resource for marine fish, coral care, reef setup, and more.
I’ve been keeping saltwater fish for over 25 years, and one of the things that never gets old is the sheer beauty of reef fish. When I set up my 125-gallon reef, choosing fish that were both compatible and visually stunning was a real process — you want fish that pop against corals and make the tank come alive. After keeping and observing hundreds of species over the years, these are my picks for the most beautiful saltwater fish you can actually keep in a home aquarium.
The 10 Most Beautiful Saltwater Fish
10. Volitan Lionfish
Stats:
Minimum Tank Size – 120 Gallons
Max Size – 15″
Reef Safe: With Caution
Temperament – Semi-Aggressive
Price – Around $40
One of my personal favorites. The lionfish is generally known to the public due to news of their invasiveness, but in the aquarium hobby they make a great display fish. They are pretty friendly and very hardy in the aquarium – often to the point of getting bullied by some more active fish like triggers and large angelfish. They will eat just about any fish it can fit in its mouth so they are best with larger fish. They can be kept in reef tanks as they will not harm corals, but may eat inverts. For those with smaller tanks, you can look at dwarf zebra lionfish which only grows to about 6″ and requires a 50 gallon tank.
9. Marine Betta
Stats:
Minimum Tank Size – 55 Gallons
Max Size – 8″
Reef Safe: Yes
Temperament – Peaceful
Price – Around $80
The marine betta is a very unique and peaceful fish. They are known for being extremely hardy with stories of them surviving tank wipe outs caused by parasitic infections and recovering from wounds without getting bacterial infections. The key with the marine betta is acclimation. They are very shy when introduced and often will do poorly with very active tank mates. They are also quite large, so they need to be placed with larger tank mates or kept well fed to prevent them from eating smaller fish.
They are known for being reef safe and will not bother inverts as long as they are fed well. They are a nocturnal fish but will adjust to the home and be quite showy to their owner once established.
8. Harlequin Tusk
Stats:
Minimum Tank Size – 125 Gallons
Max Size – 10″
Reef Safe: With Caution
Temperament – Semi-Aggressive
Price – Usually over $90
This looker hails from the Indian Ocean and Australia. They are a great addition to a fish only with live rock setup as they will get also with many other active fish like tangs, triggers, and angelfish. They will not harm corals, but it has been known to eat snails, shrimp, and crabs. The Australian varieties tend to be more colorful and more expensive then the Indian Ocean tusks.
7. Emperor Angelfish
Stats:
Minimum Tank Size – 220 Gallons
Max Size – 15″
Reef Safe: With Caution
Temperament – Semi-Aggressive
Price – Around $80 for juvenile and over $150 for adults
The emperor angelfish is a very bold and large angelfish. It has striking colors with a signature blue-black mask that covers its eyes. They are an excellent addition to a fish only with live rock aquarium and have also been reported to be safe in SPS dominated tanks. It is a large fish with a lot of personality, often becoming the dominant fish in the tank. If you want to know more about angelfish compatibility with reef tanks, you can refer to this reef safe angel fish sheet published by Reef Central users.
6. Flame Angelfish
Stats:
Minimum Tank Size – 70 Gallons
Max Size – 4″
Reef Safe: with caution
Temperament – Semi-Aggressive
Price – around $50
Usually when one wants to add an angelfish, this is usually the fish that comes to mind. The flame angelfish is a flashy addition to any tank. In reef tanks, they will usually end up being the most aggressive fish and should be added last. They are also reef safe with caution as some of them will nip at soft and stony corals. Keeping them well fed is the best way to prevent this. They will usually nip at polyps and zoas first. They are great additions to fish only and fish only with live rock (FOWLR) setups.
5. Lyretail Anthias
Stats:
Minimum Tank Size – 125 Gallons
Max Size – 5″
Reef Safe: Yes
Temperament – Semi-Aggressive
Price – Around $30…more for males
The Lyretail Anthias is flashy looking and a social butterfly in a community tank. Males look like the picture above while females are orange in color. They do best in groups with one male to multiple females. They are known to change sexes if a male is lacking, with the most dominant female turning to a male. They are great fish for a reef tank.
4. Lineatus Fairy Wrasse
Stats:
Minimum Tank Size – 90 Gallons
Max Size – 5″
Reef Safe: Yes
Temperament – Peaceful
Price – Over $200
The lineatus fairy wrasse is a very peaceful and active fish that is usually not seen in aquariums. Often considered the most beautiful fish among wrasses, this fish is typically in high demand and seen under what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG) sections of online vendors or special ordered through local fish stores. They are great additions for either reef or fish only tanks.
3. Sargassum Triggerfish
Stats:
Minimum Tank Size – 125 Gallons
Max Size – 10″
Reef Safe: With Caution
Temperament – Semi-Aggressive
Price – About $150
The sargassum triggerfish is known as the most reef safe triggerfish that you can add to your aquarium. Triggerfish in general are a blast to have in an aquarium because they have great personalities and the sargassum triggerfish does not disappoint. They will swim laps around your tank all day and it will vocalize using a grunting sound. The sargassum triggerfish will become a conversation piece in the home.
2. Red Sea Purple Tang
Stats:
Minimum Tank Size – 125 Gallons
Max Size – 10″
Reef Safe: Yes
Temperament – Semi-Aggressive
Price – Around $200
One of the most prized tangs in the aquarium due to its coloration. It is a rewarding tang to have and becomes hardy once established. They are aggressive towards other zebrasoma tangs and generally one of the more aggressive tangs available. They are very active in the tank gazing all day and swimming at all levels of the tank. They are a must have for anyone with a large reef tank.
1. Designer Clownfish
Stats:
Minimum Tank Size – 20 Gallons
Max Size – 3″ to 6″ depending on species
Reef Safe: Yes
Temperament – Semi-Aggressive with Maroon varieties being most aggressive
Price – Varies some go for over $200
Designer clownfish are fish that are specially raised through selective breeding to produce unique looking strip and fin pattern combinations. If you are looking for a unique looking clownfish, you will definitely find one if you look at designer clownfish. Their prices can get pretty high, especially for newer varieties.
Not everyone is a fan of designer clownfish. Natural clownfish available in the industry are beautiful in their own right and would also make it at the top of this list due to their looks, ease of care, compact size, and temperament. You can’t miss with either type in an aquarium. They are one of the best reef safe fish to own.
Miss Any of Your Favorite Fish? Let Us Known In the Comments Below!
What are some of your favorite fish? Let us known in the comments below. Thanks for reading.
📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Saltwater Fish & Reef Guide — your ultimate resource for marine fish, coral care, reef setup, and more.
I started in this hobby on a tight budget, and I still remember hunting Craigslist and local fish store sales for deals on tanks. Getting a good price on a fish tank is absolutely possible — I’ve helped friends score quality setups for a fraction of retail — but you need to know what to look for and what red flags to avoid. These five tips are exactly what I’d tell anyone walking into the used tank market today.
Fish tanks are expensive. It can be very discouraging for a newcomer wants to get involved in something like a saltwater tank and then finds out how expensive the hobby is to get started. Is there such thing as cheap fish tanks? There definitely is if you know where to look and are patient to wait for good deal. Today’s post breaks down 5 tips to get you the best deal on cheap fish tanks.
How To Get The Cheap Fish Tanks (And 5 Tips)
1. The dollar per gallon sales
A few times every year, the chain pet stores, namely Petco, have a dollar per gallon sale. These dollar per gallon sales have tanks from 10, 20, 29, 40, and 55 gallon tanks all selling for $1 per gallon. You might actually get lucky in your area and have 75 gallon tanks available for $1 per gallon. These tanks are made by Aqueon, which is a quality aquarium manufacturer that has been around for years. You need to be aware of when these stores have their sales, but luckily there is one site that publishes the dates of these sales.
While you will get the tank itself for cheap, you may still be spending quite a lot of money on suitable equipment. For those looking for a cheap fish tank that has most or all of your equipment need. There is a better option.
2. Buy Used
Buying used is the best way to acquire cheap fish tanks. There are three sources I’m going to list here and explain why they are great way to get a tank
Craigslist can be a cheap fish tank goldmine. You will want to search for “fish”, “aquarium”, and “tank” and then look at all the recent listings. Craigslist is a real-time classified so check often. With Craigslist, the larger the tank, the better the deal as many of these people selling are looking to off load their aquarium as soon as possible. Here are a few examples of craiglist listings that I found looking around:
180 gallon 6 foot long aquarium complete reef setup with lacquer stand and canopy – $750
120 gallon 6 foot long reef ready aquarium with canopy and stand – $450
46 gallon bowfront tank with canopy and stand – $99
Aquarium clubs are another great resource. The advantage with aquarium clubs is that you will usually get a high quality setup that is complete and well taken care of. You would need to check on the forums of these clubs to see if there are any tanks anyone is selling. You can check out our list of aquarium clubs to see a list of clubs in the US that are close to you.
Friends and family are potentially an avenue to get a free tank. A lot of the time these aquariums are sitting in an attic in a garage. Friends and family are usually happy to have you take their tanks. This was actually how I started out in the hobby many years ago from a 65 gallon aquarium that was sitting in an uncle’s garage unused. Nothing beats a free fish tank. You never know what is out there unless you ask around.
3. Know What Questions to Ask and What to Look Out For
Buying a used fish tank requires a some due diligence on your part to ensure you purchase a good tank. Here are a few questions to ask and what to inspect.
Questions to ask:
Ask for dimensions and references dimensions with this calculator – It is common for Craigslist posters to post the incorrect tank volume
Ask what the aquarium was used for and what it housed – do not purchase a tank used to house rodents or reptiles as these tanks may not be watertight or have damage to their seals
Has the tank been drilled – watch for glass patches if they have been covered up
Ask for a leak test – if the seller balks consider walking from the deal as most sellers should not mind this request
Where has the tank been stored? Tanks stored in a hot garage or outside are red flags as the heat can affect the silicone and cause leaks down the road.
What to inspect:
What does the glass look like? Is it scratched, cloudy? How bad is the damage?
Check for cracks – obvious cracks are easy to see but check for hairline cracks as well. These can go unnoticed and can hold water, but spell long-term disaster
If glass, check the silicone seals – look for beads that are solid and pliable
If drilled, inspect the drill sites for cracks
Bring a flashlight with you – this will allow you to inspect cracks and scratches more easily
Look at the stand for signs of warping, cracks, or mold damage. Scratches or peeled finish is fine as you can refinish the tank.
For acrylic tanks, inspect the bracing and for visible signs of bowing.
4. Don’t Purchase the Livestock
Often times you will see a listing where the seller is trying to sell a complete setup with fish, coral/plants, live rock, etc included. I would advise against purchasing the livestock unless you are experienced with handling an aquarium move. Moving an aquarium, especially a large aquarium is one of the most stressful activities you can undertake in the hobby. If the seller has a rare fish or coral that you want, consider purchasing it separately and quarantining it until your tank is established. I would not factor in the price of livestock on a listing. Try to negotiate with the seller to purchase only the equipment.
Often times, the seller can give the livestock to a local fish store or advanced hobbyist who has the means to handle the move. If you chose to purchase livestock, the safest livestock to purchase would be live rock (Amazon Affiliate links ahead). Live rock can be stored in a black stock tank with cheap power heads and an aquarium heater(food grade buckets work for smaller live rock purchases). Corals can be safe to purchase as well, but given the availability of frags these days, I would recommend just getting frags from a local reefer when your tank is ready.
When purchasing live rock. The best way to move it in a display tank is to “cook” the live rock. Melev’s Reef has a great video explaining the process. The reason why we want to do this is to reset the live rock. This prevents all the pests that and the nuisance algae from entering your display tank. This also effectively quarantines the live rock from parasites if you cook it long enough (6-8 weeks while switching out containers every transfer like in the video).
5. Prices Are Negotiable
Prices for listing are often not firm – especially on craigslist. If you find a listing that is new and listed under the title of a moving sale or “must sell quickly” jump on it right away. The newer the listing, the better the chance you will have at negotiating a better price. Many of people who list on Craigslist just want to get the aquarium out of their hands as soon as possible versus getting the best price for it.
Even if they have a price listed, ask the seller what they would take for it to get it off their hands that day. You would be surprised how often you will get a lower number than what it is originally listed for. The worst thing that can happen is they say no and you just wait another week for a good listing to pop up. People exit the hobby all the time and good deals are literally a dime a dozen especially if you live in a big city.
Negotiating off an aquarium club listing is harder to do because often times the seller is willing to wait it out or knows the value of the equipment they are selling. For these listings, it may be better to consider purchasing separate components of the setup as these sellers are more open to doing this. This is a really great way on getting quality equipment. The best equipment to buy used would be:
If you purchased a used tank setup, it will likely not be cleaned and you will need to get it ready to be used. The best cleaners to use on an aquarium and equipment would be distilled white vinegar that you can pick up cheap at a store like Target.This should be able to get most of the equipment looking like new after an overnight bath in the solution. It should be able to handle most used aquariums. I’m going to suggest some products below. Please note, affiliate links will be included for which I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you should you make a purchase)
For aquarium stands, it’s going to be depend on the condition of the stand. If it is in good condition, a simpler cleaner like Feed N Wax should make it looks like new again.For stands that are not in good shape, you may want to consider refinishing the cabinet with an oil based primer and paint. We recommended Kilz Oil-Based Primers and Java Gel Stain for refinishing projects. You can seal stain with Spar Urethane.
Choosing New – Cheap Aquarium Packages
While searching for a used tank can save you money, sometimes buying new makes more sense. Below are two examples for freshwater appropriate starter kits that are smaller and will get you started on your way.
Tetra 20 Gallon Aquarium Kit – Starter kit for the freshwater beginner
Tetra glass tanks are made in the USA and this 20 gallon starter kitcomes with several things to get you started. It has an LED hood, a UL rated heater, and Tetra Whisper filter, one boxwood plant mat, and four artificial plants to get you started. The 20 gallon tank has good dimensions being 24″ in length and 16″ in height and should serve a good beginner freshwater tank. The nice addition is Tetra’s aquarium app, which provides guidance, recommendations, and reminders to help you succeed! While the whisper filter isn’t the best powerfilter out there, it is a reasonable filter for a beginner and can be upgraded later.
Aqueon’s 20 gallon kit has a higher end power filter with Aqueon’s Quietflow 10, but it is a little undersized for the package. The heater is a plug and play preset heater configured to 78 degrees. You get to choose your plants and rocks with this kit as it does not come with either.
Easy to Find if You Are Patient – Tell Us Your Story
Tell us your story below in the comments about how you purchased a cheap fish tank. We also know that not all listings will include the equipment you want or need so after you purchase a used tank you can come check out our aquarium supplies for new equipment from top-quality brands. Let us know your thoughts and stories in the comment below.
If you want ideas of what tank you can build, check this out too. You can also check out our video above from our YouTube Channel. If you enjoy it, please be sure to subscribe! See you next time :).
After 25 years in this hobby, I still get excited by freshwater species that most people overlook. The assumption that you need a saltwater tank for exotic fish is flat-out wrong — some of the most unusual, beautiful animals I’ve kept have been freshwater. These are the ten I’d recommend to anyone ready to go beyond the basics.
Most people assume you need a saltwater tank to keep truly exotic fish — I’d push back on that hard. In 25+ years I’ve come across freshwater species that stop people cold when they see them for the first time. The issue is that many of these fish are genuinely challenging: some are hyper-aggressive, some need massive tanks, and a few are outright scary to feed. That’s part of what makes them interesting. Here are my top 10 picks that I’ve either kept personally or studied closely enough to give you real guidance on.
10 Most Exotic Freshwater Fish
1. Wolf Cichlid
Stats:
Minimum Tank Size – 75 gallons
Max Size – Around 28 inches
Temperament – VERY Aggressive
Lifespan – 30 years
Price – $20
A relatively plain-looking fish as an adult so you may be wondering why this Cichlid makes our most exotic freshwater fish list. Well, it’s because this fish is hyper-aggressive. It is easily the most aggressive cichlid you can buy and arguably the most aggressive freshwater fish commonly available.
They are a total handful, they are usually best kept alone in a tank as they will harass any other fish in the aquarium and they are scary to feed. Just look at this video by Mbuna Marcus of his Wolf Cichlid. Several times in this video his Wolf Cichlid went right for his fingers while eating and splashes water over his floors! These fish do not mess around!
9. Vampire Tetra
Stats:
Minimum Tank Size – 75 gallons
Max Size – Around 12 inches
Temperament – Aggressive
Lifespan – 2 years in captivity
Price – $75+
This is one crazy-looking exotic freshwater fish. They have giant front teeth which are where the name vampire comes from. They are very aggressive fish that require expert-level maintenance. Most of these fish usually will not live very long in captivity, unfortunately. They usually only eat live fish and will rarely accept frozen foods. They are best suited for a species-only aquarium with most aquarists who keep them only having a single fish in the tank.
8. Red Texas Cichlid
Stats:
Minimum Tank Size – 75 gallons
Max Size – Around 12 inches
Temperament – Aggressive
Lifespan – Around 5-10 years
Price – Usually around $150-200 at 6 inches
This hybrid cichlid was created by breeding a Texas Cichlid and a Flowerhorn Cichlid. They are difficult to find and usually available seasonally from breeders. They command a high price tag since they are hard to find.
7. African Cichlids
Stats:
Minimum Tank Size – 40 gallons
Max Size – Up to 24 inches though usually 6-7 inches
Temperament – Semi-Aggressive to Aggressive
Lifespan – Around 5-10 years
Most Expensive – Showcase African Varieties usually $120+
There are so many African cichlid types we could list here. Since many of them are often confused as saltwater fish by many people who see them for the first time, I felt that it was best to include most of the African lake cichlids in one group. There are some Africans that you can get for cheap like assorted Mbunas from a local fish store. However, there are specific varieties of Africans that can command prices over $100. If you are interested in learning more about African Cichlid tanks and care, please be sure to check our earlier blog post.
6. Flowerhorn Cichlid
Stats:
Minimum Tank Size – 70 gallons
Max Size – 15 inches
Temperament – Aggressive
Lifespan – Around 7 years
Most Expensive – Breeder Showcase Varieties $500+
A very beautiful exotic freshwater fish that originates from Malaysia. In Asia, they are considered a bringer of good luck. Flowerhorn Cichlids come in a variety of colors including reds, blues, pinks, yellows, and oranges. They are an aggressive Cichlid species and prefer large tanks all to themselves.
5. Pleco
Stats:
Minimum Tank Size – 70 gallons
Max Size – 18 inches
Temperament – Peaceful
Lifespan – Around 20 years
Most Expensive – L250 Pleco $10,000+
While most hobbyists will think a Pleco is a common freshwater fish, they really are a unique exotic freshwater fish. Many varieties like Snowball, Zebra, Golden Nugget and Royal Plecos are examples on how exotic-looking Plecos can be. There are common plecos which can get fairly large typically around 12-18 inches in length and there are smaller varieties like Bristle Nose Plecos which are suitable for smaller aquariums.
The most expensive Pleco to date was the L250 Pleco sold back in 2004 for over $10,000 in Japan; however, most Plecos do not sell anywhere near that. There are several types of Plecos that will sell for over $100 though.
4. Discus
Stats:
Minimum Tank Size – 75 gallons
Max Size – 8 – 10 inches
Temperament – Peaceful
Lifespan – Around 10 years
Most Expensive – Mated Pair Discus $1,000+
When one thinks of exotic freshwater fish, this is usually the fish most people think of. They can be expensive, have a variety of colors, are very delicate, and require excellent water parameters. Discus belong to the Cichlid genus and originate from South America. They are very social with members of their own species. They will also breed in the aquarium, which has created an industry of cichlid breeders where some top strains will sell for several hundred to thousands of dollars.
They are considered very challenging where they even intimate advanced aquarium keepers! If you are considering Discus and are new to keeping them, starting with an easier to keep discus breeder varieties like Stendker Discus or purchasing only domestically breed discuss will increase your chances to succeed.
3. Freshwater Stingrays
Stats:
Minimum Tank Size – 180 gallons
Max Size – Up to 3 feet
Temperament – Semi-Aggressive
Lifespan – Around 10 years
Most Expensive – Polka Dot Stingray $100,000
When most of us think about stingrays, we think about the saltwater variety. There are freshwater varieties that originate from the Amazon. Beautiful, bold, and unique looking they are difficult to resist if you have a big enough aquarium. This exotic fresh fish is also venomous. While there are no known cases of a freshwater stingray causing a human fatality, they have been cases where the sting has caused numbness at the wound site several years later!
The rarest stingrays also command high price tags. One such stingray at the Taiwan Expo featured a Polka Dot Stingray with an asking price of $100,000!
2. Arowana
Stats:
Minimum Tank Size – 125 gallons
Max Size – 3 Feet
Temperament – Aggressive
Lifespan – Up to 50 years
Most Expensive – Platinum Arowana $300,000
An extremely popular freshwater fish due to its prehistoric cosmetic appearance, the Arowana is well known exotic freshwater fish. They are known for jumping as high as 6 feet in the air for prey in the wild and have been known to jump out of aquariums. They get very large and are usually housed in an aquarium at least 125 gallons or larger. A common Arowana can be purchased for around $50 to a few hundred dollars.
However, certain Arowanas can fetch extreme price tags. Prized Arowana like the Platinum Arowana can sell for over $300,000!. These Arowanas are considered so valuable that they have microchips implanted into them before they reach sexual maturity to help identify and authenticate it.
1. Japanese Koi
Stats:
Minimum Tank Size – 1000 gallons
Max Size – 3 Feet
Temperament – Peaceful
Lifespan – Around to 30 years
Most Expensive – Golden Carp $2,000,000+
In Japanese culture, the Koi fish is celebrated as a noble creature. It is said that Japanese Koi are able to climb large waterfalls bravely, which symbolizes that incredible achievement is possible with hard work. It is also said in Koi lore that if a Koi fish is caught, it will lie on the cutting board awaiting its death without fear, similar to the Samurai warriors. There are also legends stating that if a Koi climbed the waterfall on the Yellow River, it would be transformed to a Koi Dragon.
With such great history, lore, long life spans, and respect for these fish, there is no question for this fish to be #1 on our most exotic freshwater fish list. In fact, the most expensive koi on the list demands a staggering price tag of over $2,000,000! You can see the prized fish in the video below:
What Has Been Your Experience With These Exotic Freshwater Fish?
Have you kept any of these fish on this list? If so, share your experiences in the comments below. We would love you hear about your experiences.
I’ve had aquariums at home my entire adult life — and I genuinely believe keeping fish has made me calmer, more patient, and more observant. That’s not just anecdote. There’s real research backing up what hobbyists have known for decades: there are measurable mental and physical health benefits to keeping a home aquarium. After 25+ years in this hobby, here are the five benefits I’ve seen hold up consistently, both in the science and in my own experience.
Thinking of keeping a fish tank at home? Not only is a home aquarium enjoyable, entertaining and a good hobby for any family member, it is also a proven benefit to your health. In a time where stress is at an all time high with pandemics, high work stress, and increased anxiety an aquarium can really help alleviate stress.
And that’s not just me being bias about my 25 years in the hobby. My statements are backed up by various medical studies made over the years. It’s not secret that keeping a pet is great for your health, and aquarium fish are no exception. Let’s good though the various benefits in this post.
An overview on the hobby
According to a study made by the 2021 American Pet Products Association (APPA), fish are the third most popular pet behind dogs and cats and ahead from birds
Pet
Number (in Millions)
Dog
69.0
Cat
45.3
Freshwater Fish
11.8
Bird
9.9
Small Animal
6.2
Reptile
5.7
Horse
3.5
Saltwater Fish
2.9
Source: American Pet Products Association’s 2021-2022 National Pet Owners Survey1
Freshwater and saltwater fish are separated into two separate categories on this survey. Adding them both up, that is nearly 15 million aquarium owners in the US!
The Top 5 Health Benefits of Home Aquariums
1. Reduced levels of stress
Do you have a stressful life, high blood pressure, insomnia? Studies have shown that aquarium may provide significant health benefits to you. Studies go back as far as the 80’s have shown that gazing at aquarium fish reduces stress and subsequently lowers blood pressure. It’s no wonder why it is a common site to see aquariums in doctors and dentist lobbies – they have known about the stress reliving benefits for years!
The recent study by the University of Exeter Medical School showed that exposure to natural environments and highly managed settings can have calming and stress relieving effects.
Furthermore, the study found that there was an increased stress relieving and calming effect on fish, in particular tropical and marine fish. There was a strong correlation between more biodiversity (fish and aquatic plants/corals) and reduced levels of stress and blood pressure.
Reduced stress and blood pressure are great benefits, but it goes much further than that. According to the Women’s Heart Foundation, a number of aliments have been associated with with high stress levels in daily life including heart attacks, sleep disorders, and some ulcers.
2. Improvements in Sleep Quality
According to a survey conducted by the American Pet Products Associate, 66 percent of stated that their aquarium help relieve them of stress. Lower blood pressure and lower stress contributes to better sleep. After all, there is a sleep condition linked to high blood pressure and stress called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OCA).
We see even greater evidence in the hobby itself. I know of two such examples. The first is Travis from Fish of Hex. He was an ex-vet serving in the US Army who got deployed to Afghanistan from 2007-2008. He was diagnosed with PTSD after returning home and has stated on his about us page that keeping reef tanks has helped him cope ever since. He is so passionate about this, he created a Reef Tank for Veterans program where he builds reef tanks for sufferers of PTSD.
3. Lowered blood pressure and heart rate
Research has shown that keeping an aquarium can help lower blood pressure and heart rates. A study found that the presence of an aquarium reduced blood pressure and increased relaxation among patients of specialized dementia units.2
4. Decreased pain and anxiety
Ever wonder why so many dental offices have aquariums? It’s because the dentist know there are studies that show that dental patients viewing the aquariums in the waiting room experience less anxiety and need less pain medication3.
In the linked study, the key factor was the living fish. Something about viewing fish swimming in an aquarium calms are minds down. It’s no wonder we see them everywhere at Dental offices.
5. Calming effect for children and Alzheimer’s patients
Another study made by Purdue University found that display tanks of brightly colored fish may curtail disruptive behaviors and improve the eating habits of those with Alzheimer’s disease. The study also revealed that the fish tanks stimulated cognitive thoughts in Alzheimer’s patients.
Costs Of An Aquarium
One of the biggest fears for beginners is the cost of keeping an aquarium. This fear comes from advanced hobbyists like reef tank owners or people who have made many mistakes in the past from their fish-keeping journey. Aquariums are not that expensive, especially if you go with a freshwater aquarium.
Let’s compare the cost of keeping a fish to the two most popular pets in the US – cats and dogs. If we go to the ASPCA website, there is an article about annual costs for dogs and cats. According to their post, the annual cost of a dog is $1,391 while a cat is $1,149. Your initial one-time costs are $1,030 for dogs, and $455 for cats. This is before looking at grooming for a dog and dental for both pets. We total out to over $3,000 for the first year of ownership for a dog. See the summarized table below:
In the chart above, I’m comparing the cost of keeping a Dog or Cat vs. a 5-gallon freshwater fish tank. Here we can see that keeping a small freshwater fish tank can be nearly 10 times less than the cost of a Dog. Why did I pick a 5-gallon fish tank? Because in the freshwater hobby, the perfect fish for a 5-gallon fish tank is a betta fish. Betta fish are great individual pets, are highly rewarding, and you can bond with them as they are a single fish versus a community of fish.
This setup listed is on the higher end, using a premium Fluval Spec V and accounting for a quality diet and a fancier Betta Type variety.
Why Keep An Aquarium At Home?
Now that we know the health benefits and the cost, let’s go into further detail why purchasing a fish tank and keeping is a good idea. Sure the health benefits are great, but what about the other reasons? They are a pet after all that requires responsibility. Let’s see what else they have to offer.
Peace and Quiet
One of the biggest downsides to keeping a dog that I have personally experienced is the noise factor. Some dogs can be loud with barking or particularly needy at times. Fish tanks can be noisy as well if you invest in cheap equipment.
With the moderation of better filtration systems like canister filters, all-in-one fish tanks, and high-quality power filters an aquarium can be virtually silent.
Education Opportunities for Kids
it’s quite common in schools to have science projects involving aquatic animals. This is because a child can learn a lot about ecosystems, the nitrogen cycle, and identifying and treating aliments. It also can unfortunately a way to introduce kids to the concept of death.
Perhaps I’m sounding morbid here, but I did remember the first time my youngest son Rhys had to see a yellow tang I quarantined that ended up passed away due to marine velvet. I did the right thing quarantining the fish since that disease didn’t go into my display tank. Still, I had to explain to my son what death was.
Fish die in our hobby. Some fish live shorter lives than other pets and they can die for various reasons. The fact that I had to explain this to a pet first instead of a family member I felt was really helping in him understanding how the cycle of life worked.
Small Footprint
While it is true that aquariums can get very large and showy from shows like Tanked, we also know that smaller aquariums can fit on a desktop or countertop. With homes getting smaller from increased cost of living, it’s nice to have a pet option that doesn’t require a large backyard, a litter box, or a large bird cage.
Most aquariums that people purchase in this hobby are going to be 2 feet in length or shorter. It’s when you jump into 3 foot + fish tanks where space can be an issue in the home. Stick to smaller fish tanks and you won’t have a space issue.
Low Maintenance
Dogs require a lot of attention. Larger breeds require to be walked several miles a day. Cat need a little box cleaned, which can get unslightly if not regularly kept up.
I actually see a lot of similarities with cats and fish as both in general will be okay with an autonomous existence. The main difference is fish are in their own little world. They will be happy to see you feed them and are perfectly happy if you leave them alone. Many advanced hobbyist who perform aquascaping look at aquariums like living works of art.
The maintenance of a simple setup is low with a smaller tank and sticking to freshwater systems. Water changes are fairly painless and cleaning the tank is less work than cleaning a little box.
The Community
The aquarium hobby is a huge community. There are regular tradeshows like Aquashella that celebrate the diversity of the hobby and local fish clubs are great for getting mentored and getting pro tips on advanced topics like fish breeding.
Clubs are a great place to find friends and connect with other aquarium keepers. You can take the hobby further and enter competitions or learn to make money in the hobby by selling plants, baby fish, or even corals. The opportunities are endless in this hobby!
Aesthetics
If you are going for a large aquarium or more premium setup, the aesthetics of an aquarium have big benefits in a house. Large well designed home aquarium setups are centerpieces in rooms. Rimless aquariums really show well in homes. They can become a focal point, even a point of envy by some of your quests. Both the outside and inside of the aquarium can be show stoppers. Even the equipment is starting to look fancy!
I’ve seen happy owners show off their aquariums to guest. They pop up their cabinet and show off their decked out sumps with an IPad display. It’s pretty crazy how some of the tools of our trade resemble tech toys now and as our hobby advances in technology we will see more smart tools being integrated in our aquariums.
FAQs
Do fish like being in tanks?
In general, yes. In the freshwater side of the hobby, fish living in aquariums oftentimes live longer and healthier lives than their wild counterparts. Fish do not have the mental capacity like birds or dogs to like or dislike their situation, however, they will get stressed out of they are uncomfortable. If the fish are kept with a responsible owner, they have the potential to live long and healthy lives!
Why is it good to have fish as a pet?
Fish can be great to have as pets. Not only are they long-term cheaper than owning a cat and a dog, but they have also been proven in studies to reduce stress, improve sleep quality, lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety, improve focus, and have a calming effect.
Is it good to have an aquarium in the house?
It is a good idea to have an aquarium in the house. Studies from the University of Exeter Medical school showed that there was stress relief and a calming effect with keeping fish.
Is it okay to have an aquarium in your bedroom?
Yes, it is okay to have a fish tank in your bedroom. However, there are a few things to note. Having an aquarium will increase the humidity. There is also a noise factor if you have equipment that is loud. For bedroom or study areas, using higher-end equipment like canister filters will keep noise levels down.
Closing Thoughts
If you are looking for a stress management activity, you might consider maintaining a home aquarium or an aquarium in your workplace. Many people maintain a home aquarium as a stress management hobby. Check out our blog about setting up a saltwater tank or check out our store and shop around for aquarium supplies and equipment.
Choosing your first saltwater tank is a decision I see beginners rush through — and it sets up problems that are hard to undo. I’ve set up tanks ranging from a small 30-gallon FOWLR to my current 125-gallon SPS reef, and each taught me something about what really matters at the selection stage. Get this right and everything downstream gets easier. Here are the five questions I always walk first-timers through.
Picking the right saltwater tank is a decision most beginners don’t give enough thought — and it shapes every purchase that follows. After 25 years in this hobby, the best advice I can give before you buy anything is simple: slow down and plan. The tank itself is just the start of a series of decisions about equipment, livestock, maintenance, and budget. In this guide I walk through 5 key steps I’d take before selecting any saltwater aquarium — working through these upfront prevents a lot of expensive course corrections later.
Step 1 – Budget
I’m not going to sugar coat it. A fish tank in general is expensive and a saltwater tank is even more expensive. If you put me on the spot without any research whatsoever and ask me “how much a saltwater tank setup will cost” my answer is “At least $1,000.” Keep in mind, however, that a lot of the costs will be upfront investments in the tank, equipment, rock, stand, substrates, etc. You can certainty spend less on a smaller setup and can cut cut with DIY work or used equipment, but I am going to assume that you are not a big DIYer. Over time, as you get more advanced in this hobby, it is natural to begin DIY solutions, but beginners should generally stay away from DIY. Set your budget and continue your research from there.
Step 2 – Determine How Big of a Tank You Can Keep/Afford
After you determined your budget, it’s time to determine how big of a tank you can keep. Tanks come in a variety of size, but there are four rules to keep in mind that will help with your selection:
The more gallons, the more stability – bigger is better
The longer the tank, the more room for fish to swim
The wider the tank, the easier to aquascape
The taller the tank, the harder for maintenance
With these rules explained, tanks are usually divided by lengths. The key lengths are 2, 3, 4, and 6 feet. Most tank manufacturers do not produce 5 foot length tanks and if you find one, you may have a hard time getting a stand. I recommend 3, 4, or 6 foot length tanks. 3 feet I feel is the best length for those on a budget or a beginner. 4 feet allows for a complete mixed reef setup and most lighting systems are designed for 4 foot aquariums. 6 feet in length is when you get to the territory of being able to house larger fish like tangs.
Tank height is another consideration. When you go over two feet in height, you will have additional room for fish to swim up and down instead of just side to side, but you will sacrifice ease of maintenance. Saltwater tanks more than 2 feet in height will be out of reach for most hobbyist’s hands so you will have trouble cleaning algae.
Step 3 – Where to Put your Tank
Your aquarium is going to be a sizable investment and will easily become the showcase and talk of your home. When friends and family visit your home, everyone is going to want to see your tank. Because of this, you really want your aquarium in a place where you can enjoy it on a daily basis. That being said, there are a few rules to follow when it comes to placement:
Keep your tank out of direct sunlight – this will lead to spikes in temperature and algae outbreaks
Think of the first floor of your home or basement before upstairs – any tank over 40 gallons in size is going to weigh a sizable amount. Tank water is about 8 pounds per gallon and then you will have sand and rock as part of the mix. If your tank will be directly placed on a floor that is part of the foundation, there are virtually no concerns with placement.
Place your tank near an outlet – or get one installed by an electrician. Your tank is going to be using power to run and so the closer the better. Make sure it is on its own circuit if you plan on having a tank more than 40 gallons as a fully setup aquarium will draw a lot of power.
Do not place your tank directly below a vent – heating and A/C vents can drastically change the temperature of your aquarium. Having a stable water temperature is critical to a healthy aquarium. Placing your tank away from a vent will prevent this issue.
If you are dead set on having an aquarium upstairs – hire a structural contractor to get advice if you are going to place a 40+ gallon tank upstairs. Better safe than sorry. A couple hundred dollars could be worth tens and thousands of dollars of prevented repairs.
Level the area – if your placement is a slightly off-level, get some shims to adjust. If the location is way off level – consider another spot
Flooring is another consideration to keep in mind. The most ideal floor for a tank would be directly on a foundation or on top of tile. Carpet can be risky because water spills will eventually build mold in the padding. Laminate can also be hit or miss, with only the higher quality laminates been ideal and sealing being key. Hardwood floors are not ideal because the saltwater from your tank can eventually wrap the hardwood. You can seal your hardwood, but it is at your risk. If you have a spill, you will need to clean it up right away. Having a wet/dry vacuum can be a lifesaver for such times.
Step 4 – Standard, All in One, Reef Ready, or Custom Tank
In the industry there are four types of tanks you find available for purchase:
Standard Aquariums – Usually found at general pet stores
Reef Ready Aquariums – Pre-drilled and ready for a sump
All-In-One Aquariums – Pre-designed for ease of use
Custom Built Aquariums – Very expensive, but showcase quality
Standard aquariums are mass produced aquariums made with glass. They are of good quality and will come with black trim and rims to provide structural support. The vast majority of these tanks will have tempered glass on the bottom of the tank, which will limit your drilling of tank if you chose to do so to the back of the aquarium. Many hobbyists will purchase these tanks and customize them by drilling them and even painting the back of the tank. Standard aquariums are the best choice for a budget conscious build.
Reef Ready Aquariums are aquariums that are pre-drilled and will come with an overflow system. An overflow system is designed to skim the water surface of your aquarium to pull dissolved organics and waste out of your tank. These tanks are designed to work with a sump setup. A reef ready aquarium is the best choice for flexibility and long-term investment. They provide the best starting point for a hobbyist looking to build a complete system. The main advantage from a reef ready system over a drilled standard tank is that the reef ready tanks are drilled at the bottom. This allows you to setup a very clean and seamless look in the back of the tank without pipes sticking out. Many of the new reef ready tanks coming out these days are coming equipped with innovative overflow systems as well. If you want to start out on the best foot possible, a reef ready tank is the way to go.
All-In-One Aquariums are a recent development in the industry. They are tanks complete with overflows and even sumps to provide either a fully integrated system or as close to a plug and play solution as possible. Some All-In-One will have a Sump in the back of the tank, which will eliminate plumbing that would be required in a sump setup. All-In-One Aquariums can be more expensive then a fully setup Reef Ready Aquarium and can have limitations over a customized setup. One of the biggest limitations is the equipment you can place in it. For example, sometimes the protein skimmer chamber may be very small so you will be limited on the type of skimmer you can place or the sump that comes with the all-in-one may not have room for a refugium. If you are looking for ease of use and seamless look (as many of these tanks have wonderful aesthetics), an All-In-One Aquarium would be the choice for you.
Jimmy Butler’s Custom Boom Box Aquarium as seen on “Tanked”
Custom Built Aquariums are the most expensive setups. You can obtain an extremely unique and world class look. Custom tank makers are usually found locally as custom aquarium makers are very seasoned hobbyists or companies that create custom aquariums. If you want the “Tanked” look, a custom built aquarium is where to look to.
Step 5 – Glass vs. Acrylic
Glass vs. acrylic is a common debate when it comes to tank selection. Below is a table to show the strengths and weaknesses of glass and acrylic:
Characteristic
Glass
Acrylic
Weight
Glass is usually about 4 times heavier than acrylic and up to 10 times heavier on larger aquariums
Lightweight and easier to move
Breaking and Cracking
With a strong enough force – Glass will crack and leak
Very impact resistant
Support
Glass can support itself over distances so they can be placed in stands with an open top with little to no risk
Needs support throughout the length of the tank. Stands are limited due to this.
Clarity
The thicker the glass, the more noticeable the distortion. Distortion can be mitigated in thicker glass by the use of low-iron glass.
No distortion in clarity – superior to glass even against low-iron glass.
Scratching
Very difficult to scratch. You can even clean algae with a razor blade and be fine with glass
Prone to scratching. Fish with strong jaws can directly scratch acrylic and you can even scratch the outside accidentally with jewelry. The outside scratches, however, can be repaired with a repair kit.
Cost
Generally cheaper and mass-produced
Generally more expensive due to shipping
Overall, I would recommend going with a glass aquarium as the pros outweigh the cons. You might want to consider acrylic or even plywood though if you are considering a tank over 500 gallons due to the weight and clarity issues of glass.
Closing Remarks
I hope this guide was very useful to you. Here at AquariumStoreDepot, we like to pass down knowledge to our customers. A well informed customer is a successful hobbyist and will enjoy this hobby for years to come. We would be happy to guide you on your journey to saltwater reefing!
📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Saltwater Fish & Reef Guide — your ultimate resource for marine fish, coral care, reef setup, and more.
An aquarium stand is one of those purchases people treat as an afterthought — and I’ve seen that mistake end badly. A 125-gallon tank full of water weighs over 1,400 pounds, and a stand that isn’t rated for that load or isn’t level is a disaster waiting to happen. I’ve bought and assembled stands for multiple setups over the years and know exactly what to check before committing. Here are the five things I always verify first.
An aquarium stand is one of the most important pieces of equipment you’ll buy — and one of the most overlooked. I learned this the hard way: a stand that can’t handle the weight or isn’t perfectly level will cause serious problems, and at 125 gallons (over 1,200 lbs fully loaded) the stakes are very real. Whether you’re buying a stand for a 20 gallon community tank or a large saltwater system, there are five things I always check before recommending any stand, and this guide walks through all of them.
#1 Know the Type of Aquarium Stand
Before I can get into more detail about aquarium stands, we need to address the various types of aquarium stands you will come across. When shopping for an aquarium stand, there is a high amount of variety in quality. When it comes to a saltwater aquarium and larger freshwater aquariums, the importance of quality needs to be taken into account. and when it comes to the needs of a saltwater aquarium. The importance of quality needs to be taken into account. We are going to break down stands into four types:
Standard Aquarium Stands – AKA big store stands
Brand Name Stands
Custom Built Stands
DIY Stand
A standard aquarium stand is ones you will commonly find in a general pet store or online like the All Glass Pine Stands. They are typically made of particle board and MDF. Many of these stands are made as cheap as possible. While they can work in a freshwater setup or no sump setups, they will not suit the needs of a saltwater tank or larger freshwater aquarium in the long run. The reason why is because if a sump is installed the stand, the high humidity produced inside the tank from the sump can cause wrapping from the inside of the stand. Furthermore, spills inside of the stand from maintenance can also cause problems. Once the warping occurs, the damage cannot be reversed and can compromise the structure of the stand. It is for these reasons, that I do not recommend a standard aquarium stand from general pet stores for a saltwater or larger freshwater setup. There is simply too much investment made into your tank setup for it to be ruined by going cheap on a stand.
A brand name stand is furniture made by high-end manufacturers who specialize in making stands for hobbyist. The best example of these stands would be the stands that you find in all-in-one aquariums and rimless aquariumkits. These stands are very well designed with a wood or metal frame (typically aluminum or stainless steel). If they are wood, they will usually be designed with plywood instead of MDF. They will often have features that suit the hobby (Storage shelves, cable ports, etc). A common brand at fish stores are R&J Enterprises cabinets, which are a step up from the chain store cabinets. These stands are great choices for anyone getting into the hobby.
A stand is typically built by custom aquarium manufacturers or Brand name specializing in high-end builds. They are typically made to order and are the most expensive types of aquarium stand. They can be made of wood or metal. They will typically be designed with customized cabinet doors and shelves to suit the requirements of the aquarium. They are of superior quality, but suited for a high-end budget.
Custom Fish Stands are Usually Built for Maximum Utility
#2 Know the Materials
There are several types of materials for a stand that you should be familiar with when looking at either purchasing or building your own:
MDF/Particle Board
Plywood
Metal
MDF or particle board is the cheapest type of wood used for stand manufacturing. It is commonly used with store chain brand stands or stands that are imported. They usually do not hold up in a saltwater aquarium because of the high humidity from your sump or wrapping over time. MDF would only be okay to use if you are either hiring a carpenter to build your stand or you are familiar with woodworking and know how to paint and seal it.
Plywood is the standard when it comes to quality aquarium stand building. It is typically used in higher-end branded stands and is the go-to material if you are considering a DIY stand. Plywood is a very strong building material and less susceptible to water damage than MDF. Plywood is also the material used to build higher-end kitchen cabinets due to its durability. It is stainable and several veneers are available for you to produce a custom look. They can be painted or sealed and the quality of the material will stand the test of time.
A metal stand is typically used for larger aquariums. They have great structural support and a mix of metal and wood can be used to build a custom stand. Because of the greater structural strength, a metal stand will be more open which will increase your access to your sump and back-end electronics stored in your stand. Metal frames are usually made with stainless steel or aluminum. Aluminum is particularly popular outside of the US, but is gaining traction in the US as they are lightweight. A stand built from T-Slot Aluminum Framing Systems is particularly useful for those attempting a custom build for a large aquarium – though can be very expensive.
Metal Stands are Typically Used for Large Custom Aquariums
#3 Know about Openings and Stand Heights of your Tank
In general, a stand will be open at the top. While this will work well for glass aquariums, you will need to support the entire bottom of the tank if it is made of acrylic. For rimless aquariums, it is recommended that you purchase a self-leveling mat. This is because, in a rimless aquarium, the wood can cause pressure points in the glass. Many manufacturers will sell the support needed for an acrylic and rimless tank. It is helpful to have an opening at the top if you are going to place a sizable sump as sometimes when the sump is placed in the stand, it will be impossible to move out of the aquarium stand once your tank is installed. Another consideration when purchasing or making a stand is the amount of room available for equipment underneath the aquarium. Large door openings and plentiful space help in hiding the amount of equipment associated with reef aquariums. If you plan on keeping a sump under your aquarium, you will need to consider having enough room to hold all your equipment and sump while still having room to maintain it. One of the main disadvantages of many standard aquarium stands is that they have a brace in the middle of the stand that will get in the way of maintenance. Many high-end and DIY aquarium stand configurations do not have this brace.
The height of the stand will also impact your viewing enjoyment. Ask yourself if you are going to be spending most of your viewing time standing or sitting. A standard sized aquarium stand is built for viewing while sitting down and will usually be shorter than 30 inches. Many of the all-in-one aquariums and higher end aquarium stands these days will have taller stands – usually 30 to 36 inches. Most DIYers will also build a stand to 36 inches in height.
#4 Consider a DIY for Maximum Utility
Making a stand versus purchasing one is a serious consideration for experienced reefers or those with carpentry skills. Purchasing a stand is typically going to be more expensive, but you will not have to worry about constructing the stand yourself and if you are following this guide it is very likely you will end up purchasing a high-quality stand that will last throughout your aquarium journey.
For those of you considering a DIY aquarium stand, most of the DIY stands are constructed out of wood. Below is a picture frame and guide from the reefcentral forums by member RocketEngineer. This is a 21 piece design that has been used by many reefers who have ventured into DIY stands. This is a simple yet solid design that can be created with the use of common tools and common wood sizes and should work for most standard size aquariums:
The basic principle of the design is two box frames connected by four legs. The legs are made of several pieces of 2X4’s to assist in construction and seething the stand in plywood for strength and cosmetics. The bottom frame transmits the load of the tank into the floor. Covering the sides of the stand with plywood will help to stiffen the stand against twisting and shifting. Doors could then be mounted to the legs as desired. The design can also be modified to include flooring at the bottom of the tank.
If you want more of a step by guide to building a custom stand, you can check out GARF’s stand calculator. This calculator is a great tool as all you do is enter in your desired dimensions and the calculator will product a cut list, tools needed, and assembly instructions.
When painting your stand, considering sealing the inside of your stand with a Spar or Marine Varnish. An oil based primer is ideal.
#5 Canopy or No Canopy
With the advent of rimless aquariums and ceiling and tank mounted lighting systems, the canopy is starting to become less common these days. It’s really up to you regarding the look of your aquarium. Not purchasing a canopy can save you some money, but there are still a number of hobbyists who still use them. If you are concerned about fish jumping out of your tank with a topless system, you can opt for mesh screening to prevent jumping.
Top-Less Setups are More Common Now with Rimless Aquariums
Closing Comments
I hope this guide provides you with a lot of insights on what to look for when it comes to selecting a quality aquarium stand. A stand in a key part of your aquarium and needs to stand the test of time. Please share and thank you for reading.
🔧 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Aquarium Equipment & Gear Guide — your ultimate resource for filters, heaters, lights, pumps, tanks, and more.
Metal Stands are Typically Used for Large Custom Aquariums
The basic principle of the design is two box frames connected by four legs. The legs are made of several pieces of 2X4’s to assist in construction and seething the stand in plywood for strength and cosmetics. The bottom frame transmits the load of the tank into the floor. Covering the sides of the stand with plywood will help to stiffen the stand against twisting and shifting. Doors could then be mounted to the legs as desired. The design can also be modified to include flooring at the bottom of the tank.
Top-Less Setups are More Common Now with Rimless Aquariums