Types of Saltwater Aquariums
Once a decision has been made to create and maintain a saltwater aquarium, we can begin considering some choices related to specifically what type of aquarium we might choose to own.
Some hobby aquarists choose to identify their aquariums based upon the types of livestock that are used to inhabit their tanks, while some other aquarists choose to classify their tanks based upon the temperature level that is maintained in the water.
A tropical marine tank is the most commonly found type of aquarium.
As the name suggests, the temperature is relatively warm, usually about 30 degrees Celsius, which comes out to about 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
A warmer tank typically requires much lower levels of skill, knowledge, and experience than do colder tanks.
They are therefore universally considered to be the most suitable choices for beginner aquarists.
Tropical tanks often consist of livestock such as reef or fish, and the fish are commonly obtained through pet stores and similar such commercial suppliers.
An abundance of warm water fish and additional types of livestock are readily available and easily accessible.
However, this type of aquarium tends to be absent of any significant amounts of plankton that are eaten by filter feeders, so this should of course be taken into account while making our choices about populating the tank.
Contrastingly, colder tanks are much less common among hobbyists due to the comparative complexity of the tanks and the limited choices of livestock.
The temperatures of a cold marine tank generally range from 10 to 24 degrees Celsius, or 50 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
These aquariums are often considerably less visually appealing than warmer tanks, as their inhabitants are typically found at much lower ocean depths than the colorful livestock that is typical among the tropical tanks.
Choices of livestock for cold water aquariums is pretty much limited to fish and crustaceans.
These kinds of livestock are rarely found among commercial suppliers.
This results in aquarists who maintain cold tanks often being left to rely upon physically acquiring their livestock via their own means, further adding to the levels of skills and resources that are necessary.
Furthermore, appropriate livestock for cold tanks usually have rather specific dietary requirements.
However, such fish are often quite hardy, and cold tanks are less costly to maintain than tropical tanks.
If the aquarist possesses the required expertise and abilities to populate and maintain the tank, it might indeed be an appropriate choice.
As we go about conducting our research and making our decisions related to our saltwater aquariums, we should take the time to enjoy and benefit from the knowledge we are gaining and the like-minded people we are meeting along the way.
The mutual interests held by members of the aquarist community and the subsequent sharing of experiences and insights may very well prove to be as personally rewarding and entertaining as any other aspect of the hobby.
Enjoy your journey into the magnificent world of marine life, and take the time to appreciate and enjoy each leg of the journey.
Some hobby aquarists choose to identify their aquariums based upon the types of livestock that are used to inhabit their tanks, while some other aquarists choose to classify their tanks based upon the temperature level that is maintained in the water.
A tropical marine tank is the most commonly found type of aquarium.
As the name suggests, the temperature is relatively warm, usually about 30 degrees Celsius, which comes out to about 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
A warmer tank typically requires much lower levels of skill, knowledge, and experience than do colder tanks.
They are therefore universally considered to be the most suitable choices for beginner aquarists.
Tropical tanks often consist of livestock such as reef or fish, and the fish are commonly obtained through pet stores and similar such commercial suppliers.
An abundance of warm water fish and additional types of livestock are readily available and easily accessible.
However, this type of aquarium tends to be absent of any significant amounts of plankton that are eaten by filter feeders, so this should of course be taken into account while making our choices about populating the tank.
Contrastingly, colder tanks are much less common among hobbyists due to the comparative complexity of the tanks and the limited choices of livestock.
The temperatures of a cold marine tank generally range from 10 to 24 degrees Celsius, or 50 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
These aquariums are often considerably less visually appealing than warmer tanks, as their inhabitants are typically found at much lower ocean depths than the colorful livestock that is typical among the tropical tanks.
Choices of livestock for cold water aquariums is pretty much limited to fish and crustaceans.
These kinds of livestock are rarely found among commercial suppliers.
This results in aquarists who maintain cold tanks often being left to rely upon physically acquiring their livestock via their own means, further adding to the levels of skills and resources that are necessary.
Furthermore, appropriate livestock for cold tanks usually have rather specific dietary requirements.
However, such fish are often quite hardy, and cold tanks are less costly to maintain than tropical tanks.
If the aquarist possesses the required expertise and abilities to populate and maintain the tank, it might indeed be an appropriate choice.
As we go about conducting our research and making our decisions related to our saltwater aquariums, we should take the time to enjoy and benefit from the knowledge we are gaining and the like-minded people we are meeting along the way.
The mutual interests held by members of the aquarist community and the subsequent sharing of experiences and insights may very well prove to be as personally rewarding and entertaining as any other aspect of the hobby.
Enjoy your journey into the magnificent world of marine life, and take the time to appreciate and enjoy each leg of the journey.