Choice Between Red Sea Aquariums & Customized Reef Tanks

Guide to custom-built coral aquariums

For those planning to get themselves a saltwater aquarium, they have a few difficult choices to make. Not only do they need to decide the size of the tank, the fish type, and the equipment for it, they also need to figure out whether they’d like to opt for ready made aquariums like red sea aquarium or wish to get it built from scratch.

Types of saltwater aquariums

There are mainly three types of saltwater aquariums – fish only, fish only with live rock, a.k.a. FOWLR, and reef tanks. These are largely distinguished on the basis of their inhabitants, types of rocks, and the overall basic setup. And as you may have guessed already, the maintenance requirements for each type may vary slightly.

Reef tank systems

For people who’ve never owned an aquarium before, it’s better to opt for readymade aquariums. You will get red sea aquariums in Sydney quite easily. As for others, you may build one from scratch. However, the critters you put in your reef tank have to be able to cohabitate peacefully and develop a symbiotic relationship to thrive. The relationship of a clownfish and anemone is a perfect example of this co-existence.

Requirements for a reef tank aquarium

A reef tank system is basically a ‘fish only with live rock system’ with corals that requires good lighting, as well as better water quality and movement. You also need to make sure that the occupants do not adversely affect the corals.

Reef safe fish – You’d need fish that do not eat invertebrates or pick at corals.

Reef safe invertebrates – They are an integral part of a true reef tank and you’d have to make sure that you get the kind that does not harm corals.

Reef safe tank janitors – If chosen wisely, they can cut your tank maintenance chores down to near zero. These are critters that will keep the aquarium glass clean, and keep the substrate free of uneaten food and detritus.

Lighting – The generally accepted rule-of-thumb for reef tank lighting is 3.5 watts per gallon of tank water for most soft corals and 4.5 watts of fluorescent light per gallon of tank water for hard corals. The same is followed in industry-best aquariums as the red sea aquariums.

Filtration – Most corals cannot withstand the levels of nitrates, phosphates, and other toxins that most fish and invertebrates will live through; hence, water quality in a reef tank is of utmost importance.

Conclusion

All that being said, you may wonder where you can get all this! Well, the right research and the right gear can help even the most novice reef tank keepers achieve success, and Fish City Aquarium is the perfect place for everything pertaining to aquariums. You may either settle for the red sea aquariums in Sydney or may even opt for the less demanding easy corals, perfect for small tanks. The people at Fish City Aquarium will help you figure out all that you need and even guide you in how you can maintain the coral tank of your dreams.