Saltwater Aquarium Shopping List
When creating your first saltwater aquarium tank, you’ll need some or all of the following:
- Aquarium (tank) – the bigger the better! Smaller tanks are actually harder to maintain
- Saltwater Mix
- Saltwater Hydrometer
- Filter
- Powerheads
- Thermometer
- Power Strip
- Heater
- Live Rock – This is optional but certainly adds to the aquarium.
- Protein Skimmer
- Vacuum – a vacuum specifically made for aquariums
- Fish food – different types of food depending on your fish species
- Buckets – for water changes. Five gallon buckets will do
Your local aquarium store can advise you on any other accessories you might need. Remember that you don’t have to spend a fortune to get the basic tank running.
Start with a simple tank and then build it up from there. This is the best way to get the hang of the fish keeping process, particularly if you have never owned an aquarium of any type before. And don’t purchase a lot of fish to start out. Add at most 3 or 4 fish once the tank is ready, and then keep it to 2-3 extra fish at a time.
