If you are new to the saltwater aquarium hobby, it can be a bit overwhelming as to what you need in your tank to ensure the happiness and harmony of your ecosystem. But do not worry, we are here to guide you!

Having a saltwater aquarium is such a rewarding hobby. To see your fish, crustaceans, and corals thrive and flourish all because of you provides you with an incredible feeling. But how can we ensure that we have the best saltwater aquarium possible? 

Read on to discover the top five components to build the best saltwater aquarium!

Live Rocks 

Putting live rocks into your saltwater aquarium is one of the best ways to recreate a natural and healthy environment. 

Live rocks aren’t called live because the rocks themselves are alive, rather it refers to the tiny microscopic creatures that exist on them! Live rocks are dead pieces of coral with bacteria, algae, and tiny invertebrates living on them. These all do great things for your aquarium. 

Having these in your tank acts as a natural filter as those that are living on it will convert the nitrate or ammonia that might be in the tank into safe gasses. 

Live rocks don’t just keep the water in your aquarium safe, they also provide a lot of happiness to many species of fish and crustaceans. A lot of marine life depend on live rocks as a source of food, snacking on the living things that exist on the rocks. 

Many fish and crustaceans also love to hide in and amongst rocks. Rocks provide a safe and secure place for your marine life to relax and hide out in. This makes them happy and calm!

Substrate

A good substrate is really important in keeping the inhabitants of your aquarium happy and healthy. It not only makes the aquarium look natural, but does a great deal to help the ecosystem of the tank. 

Like live rocks, substrate filters the water. This is a natural way of keeping the environment fresh, allowing the changes that occur in the wild to happen in your tank. 

A lot of your fish and crustaceans will also rely on the substrate for nutrients and refuge.  Creatures, such as the wonderful nassarius vibex snail, are sand sifters and spent their days sifting through the substrate for debris. This not only gives the snail food, but it keeps the tank clean and aerates the sand. This affects the oxygen levels of your aquarium and creates healthy bacteria. 

Lighting and Heating

When you are wanting to create the perfect saltwater aquarium, never underestimate the importance of lighting and heating! 

In order for your marine life to thrive, you must recreate their natural habitat as best as possible. As a lot of your fish, crustaceans, and coral come from exotic places all around the world, so no matter how cold your own habitat is, you must make sure your creatures are cozy and warm in their aquarium! 

Lighting is a really important aspect of saltwater aquariums, which can sometimes get overlooked. It ensures that your marine life is healthy and following the correct natural cycles. Furthermore, some corals will use photosynthesis to get nutrients, so they need good light to live! 

Make sure you understand every living thing in your aquarium and what lighting and heating they need in order to be healthy.

Live Plants

So, the idea of having live plants as well as live fish and crustaceans and corals might seem a bit overwhelming. Because of this, a lot of hobbyists choose to have artificial plants in their aquariums. 

Artificial plants are good because they are easy to clean, look nice, and most importantly don’t die. But, in not having real plants in your aquarium you are depriving your creatures of an important part of their habitat that they enjoy. 

Real plants give so much to your aquarium. They produce oxygen and get rid of carbon dioxide, and this keeps the ecosystem stable and healthy. They improve the quality of the water and reduce algae. 

Most fish also love to swim in and amongst live plants. Having real plants creates such a great environment for your marine life and ensures your miniature ecosystem is as close to nature as possible! We have a range of live plants available, all great for your aquarium and beautiful!

A Cleanup Crew

Having a cleanup crew for your aquarium is essential. Not only does it mean that you have to do less work, but it also means that your other marine life will flourish. Having a cleanup crew means that your saltwater aquarium has a natural cycle, with bacteria, food, and creatures all working together to create the perfect environment for everyone involved. 

We have an amazing cleanup crew package with a selection of snails, crabs, and miniature crustaceans. This is a great package for beginners as all the marine life included are hardy and easy to take care of. 

Also, the creatures in your clean up crew are all super interesting and look incredible. Clean up crews are a win-win and an essential component for your saltwater aquarium. 

Final Thoughts

If you include these five components in your saltwater aquarium you are ensuring a tank that will thrive. You will create an amazing habitat for marine life, and you will be the envy of many aquarium enthusiasts!