Caring for your marine invertebrates is the most challenging aspect of maintaining your saltwater aquarium setup. They are very sensitive towards changes in water chemistry and when it comes to feeding, it is extremely difficult because you have to ensure that their main source of food is available. Certain invertebrates are incompatible with one another while the fish will often make a good meal out of them. It is therefore almost impossible to setup a marine tank to have both the fish and invertebrates to coexist together and thus most marine hobbyist decided to have an invertebrate-only setup. There are exceptions of course, like the anemone, which will establish symbiotic relationship with clownfish.
To start off with your invertebrate aquarium, first you must need at least a 55-gallon tank size with the height dimension of the tank must not be over 2 feet. This means that you will need a fairly long and shallow aquarium so that light will be able to penetrate through right to the bottom while avoiding yourself the trouble reaching the base when doing water changes. A recommended marine lighting to use should involve halide tubing known for producing the best intensity. This will help to contribute towards the growth of zooxanthellae which is actually a micro-algae that carries out photosynthesis while at the same time produces organic substances providing food for itself and the host (invertebrates).
The filtration system is also another aspect that you should look into. Basically what you will need is a power filter and pump that is strong enough to ensure crystal clear water and at the same time generate high output of water, at least 2 times the volume of the aquarium water. Some experts also recommend a counter flow setup involving two different pumps located at both ends of the aquarium so that it will mimic the natural flow condition just like in the ocean. Protein skimmer is also another necessity and needless to mention as well that water test kits are the most crucial accessories to have.
It’s quite difficult to identify all the invertebrates over here since they all exist and form a very diverse population but based on my current understanding and knowledge, there are quite a few, which I’ve come to know like the anemones, sponges and starfish. What makes it exciting actually involves the challenge of learning through the whole process, start from acclimatizing your invertebrates to your tank and then working towards ensuring their survival and healthy growth. For certain people who just don’t have time to commit towards such demanding process especially novices, it would be a good idea to engage the help of a company providing aquarium services.
Freshwater invertebrates: fiddler crab and freshwater shrimp
Learn how to set up a truly natural ecosystem by selecting invertebrate-compatible marine fish
To start off with your invertebrate aquarium, first you must need at least a 55-gallon tank size with the height dimension of the tank must not be over 2 feet. This means that you will need a fairly long and shallow aquarium so that light will be able to penetrate through right to the bottom while avoiding yourself the trouble reaching the base when doing water changes. A recommended marine lighting to use should involve halide tubing known for producing the best intensity. This will help to contribute towards the growth of zooxanthellae which is actually a micro-algae that carries out photosynthesis while at the same time produces organic substances providing food for itself and the host (invertebrates).
The filtration system is also another aspect that you should look into. Basically what you will need is a power filter and pump that is strong enough to ensure crystal clear water and at the same time generate high output of water, at least 2 times the volume of the aquarium water. Some experts also recommend a counter flow setup involving two different pumps located at both ends of the aquarium so that it will mimic the natural flow condition just like in the ocean. Protein skimmer is also another necessity and needless to mention as well that water test kits are the most crucial accessories to have.
It’s quite difficult to identify all the invertebrates over here since they all exist and form a very diverse population but based on my current understanding and knowledge, there are quite a few, which I’ve come to know like the anemones, sponges and starfish. What makes it exciting actually involves the challenge of learning through the whole process, start from acclimatizing your invertebrates to your tank and then working towards ensuring their survival and healthy growth. For certain people who just don’t have time to commit towards such demanding process especially novices, it would be a good idea to engage the help of a company providing aquarium services.
Freshwater invertebrates: fiddler crab and freshwater shrimp
Learn how to set up a truly natural ecosystem by selecting invertebrate-compatible marine fish
