Common Mistakes Beginners Make with Saltwater Aquariums (and How to Avoid Them)

Congrats on taking the leap into saltwater fishkeeping. As you set up your first saltwater fish tank, you'll quickly discover marine life has different requirements than freshwater aquariums.

Below are a few common mistakes often made by beginning saltwater aquarists and how you can avoid them so your marine tank will thrive.

Common Mistake #1: Not Mixing Aquarium Water Properly

You know saltwater aquariums require salty ocean-like water. But it's not as simple as pouring table salt into your freshwater tank and calling it a marine environment. It's not the proper type of salt due to the additives, including anti-caking agents and iodine.

Avoid this mistake by mixing your home tap or reverse osmosis water with Coralife BioCube Marine Salt. One scoop treats one gallon of water. This special aquarium salt neutralizes chlorine and chloramines while reducing phosphate.

Then, test the ratio using a hydrometer. You will learn the concentration of salt dissolved in the water, or salinity, by determining the specific gravity (or salt density) of the water. The ideal hydrometer reading will vary based on the type of fish you choose to keep.

For example, regal tang likes a specific gravity of 1.020 – 1.025, which is common among marine fish.

Common Mistake #2: Forgetting to Add Water Supplements

Adding aquarium salt to the water often isn't enough. If you've kept a freshwater tank in the past, you know you must adjust the water with extra elements to keep your fish healthy.

For marine environments, it's common to manually add calcium, magnesium, and other nutrients to the water daily if you're housing corals. Or, you can use an automated accessory to dose your marine tank.

Your tank will also need supplements to help you balance pH and alkalinity levels. A few additives you may find helpful include:

• Nano Reef Part A and Part B: This supplement helps balance the calcium, magnesium, and alkalinity levels of your saltwater aquarium. It also adds essential trace minerals to the water to help stabilize the pH.

• Liquid Calcium: Replenish the much-needed calcium in your marine tank to keep corals, crustaceans, snails, and fish happy and healthy.

• Pure: This blend of live beneficial marine bacteria and enzymes helps break down ammonia and nitrites created by fish waste and decomposing foods. Pure comes in a handy time-release ball to make dosing simple.

• Garlic Xtreme: This supplement helps support marine fish immune systems. Add it directly to your aquarium water or sprinkle it on fish food.

• Micro Vert: This blend nourishes your corals, anemones, sponges, feather dusters, and gorgonians with food, vitamins, and minerals needed for optimal color, health, and growth.

• Coral Vite Liquid: Enhance the color, energy levels, and growth of your anemones, corals, gorgonians, and calcareous algae with this mix of essential vitamins, trace elements, and nutrients.

Common Mistake #3: Not Using a Protein Skimmer

To keep the saltwater environment healthy for your fish friends, a protein skimmer is a must-have accessory for your aquarium. Skimmers can sit in a sump next to or below the tank, be freestanding, or hang on the outside of the tank.

But what do they do? A protein skimmer mixes tiny air bubbles with your aquarium water to help remove dissolved organic compounds and increase dissolved oxygen in the water. This process minimizes the burden on the filtration system so it can work optimally and helps to ensure water clarity and proper pH levels.

The residue, called skimmate, accumulates in a collection area of the protein skimmer. Plan to empty and rinse it about twice a week or more often for aquariums with high protein loads. If you don't use a protein skimmer, your tank will eventually become laden with organic waste and algae, causing poor water quality and potential health issues for your aquatic life.

Common Mistake #4: Forgetting to Add a Heater or Lighting

Marine fish generally originate in sunny, tropical environments. While a tank heater may be optional for freshwater fish keeping, it's a must-have in the saltwater community.

For example, the saltwater-loving pajama cardinal fish requires a water temperature of 74-80°F, which is generally much warmer than your home's ambient temperature. Use a heater with a programmable thermostat to make controlling the temperature simpler.

Marine fish also require ample lighting that simulates a day and night cycle. If lighting is left on all hours of the day, it can make your marine fish prone to stress-based illnesses.

Do you travel often? Consider using the Aqueon BlueIQ app to check in on your aquarium. You can adjust the lighting timing, spectrum, and intensity from a connected Coralife Seascape SMART LED Light Fixture or Coralife SMART BioCube Jr.

Common Mistake #5: Not Researching Compatibility Among Sea Life

Before you add any live friends to your tank — from fish and plants to corals or other sea creatures — you need to decide if your tank will be a fish-only habitat or a reef system (fish and other sea life). Why? What you have in the tank will determine the type of lighting and level of salt needed. Also, not all fish play well with one another — or corals.

Avoid this mistake by planning your watery community ahead of time on paper or by using the Aqueon BlueIQ app. In the app, you can research which fish are compatible (personality, water needs, lighting needs), how big they will grow, and what will fit in your tank. If you create a reef system, choose live creatures that are natural friends, such as pairing clownfish with anemones, a brightly colored carnivorous invertebrate sea animal that resembles a flower that feeds on fish and plankton. Not sure where to start? The app can make suggestions and recommendations based on your specific tank setup.

Setting Up Your First Saltwater Aquarium

Learning how to enjoy marine fish isn't as difficult as you may have previously thought. Sure, they have different requirements than freshwater fish, but once you learn how to maintain your tank, it will become second nature.

After you get your saltwater aquarium set up and cycling properly, it's time to think about which fish to bring home! Learn more in Top 10 Easy-to-Care-For Saltwater Fish for Beginners.