If you are planning on setting up a saltwater or reef aquarium, chances are good that you have invested a large amount of money into purchasing the coral and the fish that are needed to populate your aquarium. This means that you are going to want to make sure that you set up the tank exactly right so that you don't accidentally hurt your fish and cause them to die. Here are some tips for setting up your aquarium so that your fish do well and that the money you've invested is worth it.

1. Place Your Aquarium in the Right Spot

When you are choosing a place to put your aquarium, you are going to want to make sure that you choose a spot that will not affect the temperature of your aquarium. This means that you should avoid areas near windows where the aquarium could get direct sunlight which could warm the tank to an unsustainable level. You also want to make sure that you keep the aquarium away from radiators for the same reason. Finally, you want to make sure that you keep your tank away from areas that experience a draft because this could cause the temperature to drop too quickly for your aquarium heater to keep up with maintaining the relatively warm temperature. 

2. Choose a Large, Boxy Tank

Next, you are going to want to choose as large a tank as you can manage, with regards to both budget and space. You want a large tank because it will allow you to more easily mimic the natural habitat of the fish you plan on populating the tank with. You want the tank to be boxy, like a rectangular prism, in order to increase its overall surface area. This is important because it increases the overall gas exchange within the tank and makes it easier to keep the water quality high.

3. Clean Your Tank Before Adding Anything

Finally, before you start setting up your tank, make sure that you wipe it down with a cloth that has been dampened by either saltwater or freshwater. This will allow you to get rid of any dust or other unwanted particles. You need to make sure that you never use commercial glass cleaner, bleach, or any other cleaner because these chemicals leave a residue that could harm the fish or live rocks that you put into your aquarium.

For more information, talk to a company that specializes in aquarium supplies. To learn more, contact a business like Congressional Aquarium.