Deciding what aquarium to get and where to put it can be a difficult choice for many people. But, even more confusing is figuring out what equipment you then need to buy to run a successful saltwater aquarium. Equipment related questions are amongst the most common questions we receive here!
This week we will cover what equipment we believe is essential based on three categories. Even within these categories, the specific equipment will vary based on your needs and setup. However, we will leave some useful links throughout the blog for you to be able to find and buy what you need easily!
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Table of Contents
This Week's Video:
Category one: Basic necessities
In this first category we will cover the truly essential things you need to run a saltwater aquarium. These pieces of gear are essentially universal and choosing what you buy is one of the most important decisions for you to make.
Lighting
Unless you plan on having a fish only saltwater aquarium, then you absolutely need a light to support the growth of your corals, macro algae, clams, etc. There are basically three types of lights: LED, T5’s, and metal halides. However, beginners and really most hobbyists only use the first two nowadays. Unless you are planning out a larger and more advanced aquarium, it is best for you to look at LED lights.
The LED light has become the most common style because it has a lot of versatility, is the most energy efficient, and is easier to work with than the other types. There is a lot of nuance with PAR (basically how much of the light is useable by the corals/macro algae) and light spectrum (color given off by the light). However, as long as you get a decent quality LED light made for reef aquariums, you will be able to grow what you want!
Salt Mix and Refractometer
There are many different brands and “styles” of salt mix, but any respectable brand of salt mix will do okay. You can have some fun with it and choose a brand and style that fits your setup plans, but it does not need to be complicated if you don’t want it to be. To be able to measure salinity, you should always have a refractometer. There are other ways to measure salinity, but a refractometer is usually the cheapest and most reliable way to do so.
Water Source (LFS or RO/DI)
When it comes to your water source, it highly discouraged to use tap water as it contains many contaminants and potential nasty things that will cause problems in your saltwater aquarium. This water is used for “topping off” your aquarium as water evaporates, and for making new saltwater. Essentially, you want something as close to pure water as you can get!
If you have a small aquarium, you could just buy distilled or RO/DI filtered water from your local grocery store or local fish store. However, over time it is worth it to get your own RO/DI filter and make your own pure water, especially if you have a larger aquarium.
Heater or Chiller
Most of our saltwater aquarium are tropical and require water temperatures around 77-82 degrees Fahrenheit. A majority of people will thus need a heater to keep this up, and there are plenty of reliable and cheap options out there. Some may also need to actually cool down their aquariums in the summer, so you might want to get some aquarium fans.
For those with a cold water aquarium, or just in a really hot area, a dedicated chiller is what you might need. As well, even if you do not have a fan or chiller, it is a good idea to get some temperature controller that will independently monitor the temperature of your aquarium. This piece of equipment can literally save your aquarium by turning equipment on and off when the temperature goes past a certain threshold.
Finally, always have a reserve of whatever heater or chiller you use. If it were to break during an inconvenient time, you risk losing all your inhabitants before you can get a replacement. Better to be safe than sorry.
Return Pump and Wavemakers
A return pump is the pump that returns the water from your filter, whether that is a sump or a chamber within your aquarium, back to your display aquarium. Many aquarium kits that come with the internal chamber or a sump, also come with a return pump that will work just fine. However, you might also need to buy one yourself!
As well, it is always a good idea to have a secondary return pump in reserve, especially if you have a sump. It is not as critical as having a reserve heater/chiller, but get a replacement pump as soon as you can afford it!
While the return pump provides some flow, only in the smallest of aquariums will this flow be enough to create a healthy environment in your saltwater aquarium. Really you will want to be able to provide adequate flow using a wavemaker. What is adequate really depends on what livestock you have, soft and LPS corals don’t need intense flow while SPS corals do!
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Category two: Filtration Support
This category mainly covers filtration and some additional things that go hand in hand with filtration. There a tons of ways and methodologies to achieve adequate filtration, but we will be sticking with the most simple and beginner friendly options.
Filter
Having a sump is generally considered the best option, with the most versatility and usually the greatest capacity for various filtration. But, with smaller aquariums, the other options are just as viable!
Filtration Media
Test Kits
The last part of filtration is having a test kit to test your levels of ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite. This will let you know when first setting up your saltwater aquarium that nitrogen cycle is done. As well, doing these tests consistently after will let you know if you need to up your filtration or if there might be some underlying issue developing.
Product Link: If you are looking to get any of this gear, use the following link to support us without any extra cost to you!
Category three: Maintenance and others
The final part of running a successful saltwater aquarium is the maintenance. Truly, maintaining the aquarium is what you do most of the time after you setup it up! This part is where you can have the most variation in how you get it done, but here are some general things you should probably have to make maintenance efficient and effective.
Auto Top Off or Manual
Algae Scrapers
Simply put, this is a glass or acrylic safe scraper used to remove algae from your glass, which you will have to do about weekly!
Gravel Vacuum and Siphon
Food and other stuff will get stuck in between sand particles. The best way to remove it is by using the natural suction power that comes from the tubes you are using to remove water for a water change. So not only are you changing water but you are also “vacuuming” the larger particles that settle out on your aquarium’s floor.
Lids
A lid is not necessary, and in some cases people would rather not have one at all. However, if you are afraid your fish will jump off, or you are afraid a cat might jump in, a lid is the perfect solution. You just want to make sure it lets light through, is easy to remove and to clean.
Test Kits and Dosing
If you have corals, it is a good idea to get test kits for calcium and alkalinity. There are more test kits you can get to be even more precise and informed about what is happening within your aquarium. Basically, your corals will consume things as they grow, and you will need to replenish these things through water changes or directly dosing the used up elements. In some cases, water changes won’t be able to keep up with coral demand, so dosing will become a necessity.
Buckets, Spare towels, gloves, etc.
Finally, maintenance can be messy and dirty. It is a good idea to have dedicated buckets, towels, gloves and other equipment for your maintenance. The main reason people struggle with doing maintenance is because it is too tedious. If you have all your gear figured out and have an efficient system, motivating yourself to do maintenance will be easy!
Product Link: If you are looking to get any of this gear, use the following link to support us without any extra cost to you!
