The task of purchasing your saltwater aquarium equipment can be overwhelming at times and can make it easy to forget the basics that you really should consider buying first. In this post, I want to review four basics that can be overlooked when buying a saltwater aquarium, that if you forgot, you may want to take another trip back to the local fish store.
1) You absolutely must make sure you buy a fishing net. This basic but essential item for your aquarium is necessary from almost day one. Depending on the size of your aquarium tank, it could be very difficult to reach in all the different areas of your aquarium. Also, keeping your hands out of the aquarium as much as possible is good practice to avoid bringing in harmful chemicals from lotions, soap, etc. In the aquarium environment. I would suggest buying a couple of different sized nets to use when you need to pick something up in a hard to reach spot and are prepared for whatever you need to do inside your aquarium.
2) Buying a portable refractometer is a good idea to measure the salinity level of the water in your aquarium. Ensuring that the salinity level in your aquarium is in balance is imperative to maintaining a healthy aquarium for your livestock. I would suggest buying a portable refractometer to get an accurate reading. You can find them online for as little as $ 80.
3) Make sure to buy water jugs to store your fresh / salt water aquarium. I would suggest 5 gallon jugs to help carry large amounts of water to store for water changes. This item in your aquarium maintenance tool kit is often overlooked. Whether or not you make your own aquarium water through a reverse osmosis (RO) system, you’ll want a few 5-gallon jugs to store your future water. Especially when creating your own salt water, you must allow time for the salt to dissolve in the fresh water. I highly recommend that you pick up a couple of these ASAP to store your water and create a consistent schedule.
4) Aquarium glass cleaner will be a product that you will rely heavily on. When you buy an aquarium, you want to be able to see the fish and coral in your aquarium, right? Part of your routine maintenance is cleaning your aquarium glass of algae buildup that prevents you from seeing inside your aquarium. There are several products that you can purchase at your local fish store to help you complete this task. My personal favorite is a small metal blade that you can cleanly scrape the algae off your glass, or a magnet that sweeps the algae out of its way. These are relatively inexpensive and keep your aquarium looking sharp for you and your friends.