by The Aquarium Lady
A fish tank has seemingly become an important staple for any household. Many homes have fish tanks; some have smaller fish tanks with only a few fish, while others have large tanks with a large amount of fish, plants, and accessories. A type of tank that many people do not consider having, however, is a Reef Aquarium.
Many people do not know, or consider, having a Reef Aquarium Tank. A reef aquarium is different than a normal aquarium in the fact that it focuses on the live coral, and the ecosystem of fish and plants that thrive around the coral, instead of focusing on the specific fish that are in the tank. While people may not know about it, reef aquariums are gaining popularity.
What Is A Reef Aquarium
The major difference between the marine aquarium and the Reef Aquarium is the fact that the focus is completely different. While the Reef Aquarium and coral aquarium do have fish, it really focuses on the live coral itself. Fish tanks seem to work opposite, revolving around the fish instead of the surroundings. The aquariums are saltwater, which limits some of the fish that you can have in the tank itself. This is the type of water found where the coral reef lives and thrives.
The aquariums are available in multiple sizes, and have different names that depend on the size and aquarium dimensions of the actual tank itself. Nano reefs, a smaller tank, are often less than 40 gallons. Sometimes, people only consider tanks less than 20 gallons a “nano reef tank”. Pico reefs are the reefs that are even smaller than the nano reefs.
Things that are Found in a Reef Aquarium
While a Reef Aquarium does focus on the live reef itself, the coral is not the only interesting and living thing in the tank itself. While there are more than one type of coral to add to the tank (such as adding in leather coral to your tank), adding fish and other types of sea life can be beneficial to the overall look of the tank. Marine fish, maxima clams, and arrow crabs are great additions to any tank. Instead of having a seahorse aquarium, some opt to have a Reef Aquarium with the seahorses.
Taking Care of a Reef Aquarium
A Reef Aquarium is known for being more intense to take care of than any normal type of fish tank or aquarium. A protein skimmer is something that many people do not know about, but is important when trying to have a functioning aquarium ecosystem. This protein skimmer is needed because the organic material and such in the tank can only be taken care of in certain ways at times.
Taking care of the water and tank is very important; the coral can be very sensitive to many things, including ph and temperature. By making sure that all of these things are taken care of, you can ensure that your tank continues to thrive.
Other Aspects of a Reef Aquarium
Sand is something that many people do not think about when putting together any type of aquarium, nonetheless a Reef Aquarium. Sand is important for more than just looks, however. The sand allows any bottom dwelling creatures to have a normal surface to be on and around. Also, aragonite sand is the kind of sand to be used; it is actually live, with culture, and this is the best type of sand for coral reef.
Also, be sure to watch for aggressive fish, as they can throw off the balance in the tank.