We are two months into this saltwater aquarium journey! At this point you might be itching to start buying gear, so we are bring you two build guides! One is for a 20 gallon aquarium and the other is for a 45 gallon aquarium. We will try to make this quick and easy to read, with a direct link to every product in each section! These are not budget builds, rather more on the middle path of high quality gear, but without super fancy gear you don’t necessarily need.
However, we know some of you will still want some ways to save some cash! If so, be sure to watch this week’s video to the end!
Marine Depot was kind enough to create pages for both builds where you can easily find and buy everything you need!!! The links are below:
If you are interested in getting some other gear and supporting us, consider using our affiliate link to the rest of MarineDepot.com
As well, consider checking out Coral Vault if you are searching for corals! You can find them here www.coral-vault.com
These are great companies and by using the links you support us in making more content for you, without any extra cost to you!!
Table of Contents
This Week's Video:
Build One: 20 Gallon Setup
Aquarium and Stand
Light and Light Mount
Rock and Sand
You probably already know that reef rock and sand is more than just for looks, it actually holds a majority of the bacteria that filters your water! Here are some options that will fit well in this build. If you are looking to save some money you could also skip the sand for now and buy These rocks instead.
Heater
If you didn’t know, most saltwater aquariums are tropical reef aquariums, and so the water temperature needs to be kept at 77-81 degrees Fahrenheit. A heater is a simple tool you wont think much about, but it is extremely important. I personally suggest acquiring some sort of temperature monitor as well as having at least one backup heater!
RO/DI Filter
Now the RO/DI Filter can be a bit of an intimidating piece of gear for new saltwater aquarium hobbyists. That is totally understandable, I honestly spent a few months debating on whether or not I wanted to try and set one up. However, it is necessary for making saltwater and once you get it setup, it really won’t seem as intimidating. As well, it saves you tons of money in the long run!
Still if you are looking to save some cash, you could hold off buying the RO/DI for now, or you could go for a cheaper option at first!
Salt Mix
The salt mix contains more than just some salt, but all of the major and minor elements that your fish and corals need to thrive! There are many brands of salt available, and we are going with a salt that will insure your water can support corals without you having to do extra dosing! If you think there is a different salt that works better, feel free to ask us and look around the Marine Depot website.
If you are looking to save some cash, you could get away with a cheaper salt, or just buying saltwater from your local fish store, but it will end up being more expensive in the long run! Also, DO NOT FORGET to get a Refractometer! They are all more or less the same, so just pick one up with your salt, it is absolutely necessary!
You can buy the Salt Mix here!
Water Test Kit
In this hobby you need to be able to test your saltwater, as that is the only sure way of knowing things in your aquarium are doing okay. There are tons of test kits available, but we recommend starting with the more basic kit to make sure that your pH and nitrates are at safe levels.
You can buy the Test Kit here!
Maintenance Gear
The least glamourous gear is all the stuff you use to maintain your tank. You will be using this stuff on a weekly basis, but really its nothing fancy. You need ways to clean algae off the glass, with the magnetic scraper being the convenient way and the hand held one for tough spots. The magnetic scraper certainly isn’t necessary, but at its relatively low cost, its something you will appreciate having! You’ll need a siphon (and buckets!) to get that algae and dirty water out while doing a water change. Finally, the fish net comes in with a ton of random uses from catching fish, to cleaning up old food.
Magnetic Algae Scraper, Handheld Algae Scraper, Siphon, Fish Net
You also might want to get a smart surge protector so that you can actually plug in all your gear and be sure that it is all safe!
Link to the whole build in one spot: 20 Gallon Build Link
Got more questions? Watch the video above and read the previous blogs! Feel free to send us or Marine Depot an email with questions as well!
Build Two: 45 Gallon Setup
This larger build will mirror the smaller build, with most of the gear just being upscaled versions of the same thing. If you already read the section above for the 20 gallon build, but wanted something bigger, you can just go ahead and use the links in this build! The same money saving tips apply to this build, just upscaled as well.
Aquarium and Stand
Light and Light Mount
Rock and Sand
You probably already know that reef rock and sand is more than just for looks, it actually holds a majority of the bacteria that filters your water! In an aquarium that is double the size you’ll basically need double the rock and sand! Here are some options that will fit well in this build.
Heater
If you didn’t know, most saltwater aquariums are tropical reef aquariums, and so the water temperature needs to be kept at 77-81 degrees Fahrenheit. A heater is a simple tool you wont think much about, but it is extremely important. I personally suggest acquiring some sort of temperature monitor as well as having at least one backup heater!
RO/DI Filter
Now the RO/DI Filter can be a bit of an intimidating piece of gear for new saltwater aquarium hobbyists. That is totally understandable, I honestly spent a few months debating on whether or not I wanted to try and set one up. However, it is necessary for making saltwater and once you get it setup, it really won’t seem as intimidating. As well, it saves you tons of money in the long run!
Salt Mix
The salt mix contains more than just some salt, but all of the major and minor elements that your fish and corals need to thrive! There are many brands of salt available, and we are going with a salt that will insure your water can support corals without you having to do extra dosing! If you think there is a different salt that works better, feel free to ask us and look around the Marine Depot website. Also, DO NOT FORGET to get a Refractometer! They are all more or less the same, so just pick one up with your salt, it is absolutely necessary!
You can buy the Salt Mix here!
Water Test Kit
In this hobby you need to be able to test your saltwater, as that is the only sure way of knowing things in your aquarium are doing okay. There are tons of test kits available, but we recommend starting with the more basic kit to make sure that your pH and nitrates are at safe levels.
You can buy the Test Kit here!
Maintenance Gear
The least glamourous gear is all the stuff you use to maintain your tank. You will be using this stuff on a weekly basis, but really its nothing fancy. You need ways to clean algae off the glass, with the magnetic scraper being the convenient way and the hand held one for tough spots. The magnetic scraper certainly isn’t necessary, but at its relatively low cost, its something you will appreciate having! You’ll need a siphon (and buckets!) to get that algae and dirty water out while doing a water change. Finally, the fish net comes in with a ton of random uses from catching fish, to cleaning up old food.
Magnetic Algae Scraper, Handheld Algae Scraper, Siphon, Fish Net
You also might want to get a smart surge protector so that you can actually plug in all your gear and be sure that it is all safe!
Link to the whole build in one spot: 45 Gallon Build Link
Got more questions? Watch the video above and read the previous blogs! Feel free to send us or Marine Depot an email with questions as well!
