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Saltwater Aquariums For Dummies
Demystifies aquarium setup and maintenance Combine and care for a wide variety of marine fish and invertebrates Dive into the colorful world of saltwater fish! This fun, friendly guide gives you easy step-by-step instructions for choosing and caring for these amazing animals. You get the latest on feeding, tank upkeep, filtering systems, maintaining live rock, and preventing algae build-up, as well as what not to include in your aquarium. Discover how to
334 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2007
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158 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 16, 2020
I picked up this book to gain a better understanding of the saltwater aquarium we have where I work. We've been experiencing some issues with it and people (the maintenance person and the local fish store) keep "talking at" me, using terminology with which I am unfamiliar. As I have somehow inherited responsibility for the tank, I took it upon myself to become better educated in the equipment and the aspects of caring for the tank and its inhabitants. I do feel like I received a strong foundation and now feel more confident forming opinions and making suggestions on these matters. I also feel armed with some possible solutions to the issues the tank has been experiencing (much better than I was able to find online in various forums, since you never know who actually knows what they're talking about). This book is an excellent resource for anyone who is interested in setting up a saltwater aquarium...or has suddenly found themselves responsible for one.
March 28, 2014
This book has a number of troubling issues......first, it is rather outdated now - technology has come a long way in the past decade and a half, especially at the hobbyist level. Lighting is a great illustration of this. Of the options listed in the book (tungsten, fluorescent, power compact fluorescent, mercury vapor, and metal halide), only two are used seriously today: metal halide and T5 fluorescent lighting (as opposed to T12, a difference that is not even discussed in this book!). In addition, the market is increasingly shifting to the use of LED lighting, which did not even exist when this book was written. This is a common problem with this book: while it presents a smorgasboard of options, many of those options are outdated and it provides little guidance for choosing among those options. In terms of lighting for instance, metal halide is often considered the cadillac of the lighting options - the drawbacks are the immense heat such lights create and the enormous energy cost of running them, which have led many to turn to LED lighting as a cheaper cooler and more customizable alternative. T5 lighting is also quite good but as an owner of a T5 light fixture, I'm looking to upgrade to LEDs once I can afford it!
Other disturbing bits:
* The promotion of freshwater feeder fish such as goldfish and guppies for feeding predatory fish. Freshwater fish are *not* acceptable staples for marine fish; they have the wrong kinds and quantities of fat, the wrong nutritional profile, and can seriously harm your fish over time.
* The promotion of cleaner wrasses - as an appropriate beginner fish nonetheless ("Every aquarium needs a cleaner wrasse"). Cleaner wrasses are difficult fish at best and nearly all starve to death in any but the largest of public aquariums because they rely on feeding off of parasites and other fishes' slime coats. Furthermore, their collection damages the reef ecosystem. For this reason they are on most people's "do not buy" list - leave them in the ocean where they belong.
* Undergravel filters? Is this 1970? No.
* The filter section in general: most reef aquaria in this day and age rely on biological filtration provided by live sand and live rock, although you would not know it by reading this book. A wet/dry trickle filter may be great for a fish-only tank, but for a reef tank it is likely to lead to very high levels of nitrates. Don't do it.
* Acclimation: You can't just float the bag, scoop a cup of water into the floating bag, and call it a day. Marine fish (and especially marine fish) are delicate. Acclimation should take place over 30 minutes or more, gradually replacing the water in the bag with water in the tank until you match both salinity and PH of the water (as well as temperature). Many people prefer to "drip acclimate" and allow water from the tank to slowly drip into a bucket holding the new fish.
* The neglect of quarantine tanks. Quarantine tanks are NOT optional, folks. If you don't have the time and space to quarantine, you don't have the time and space to have a reef aquarium. You owe it to yourself and to the fish and invertebrates you care for - treating disease in a reef tank can be all but impossible (the medications will kill most of your coral and other invertebrates) and may require dismantling the entire tank to catch afflicted fish. Watch and treat newly acquired fish before introducing them to your own tank.
* There are no tank size guidelines in the fish section. Many many many of the fish introduced here require very large tanks (180+ gallons) but not mention is made of this. Furthermore, much of the book is geared towards smaller tanks - for instance, the heater guidelines only go up to 75 gallons!
Puzzling bits:
* The author claims wrasses make a poor choice for the reef aquarium. Either the author is confused or ignorant of the large number of "reef-safe wrasses", which are VERY popular aquarium fish: fairy wrasses and flasher wrasses are hardy beautiful fish that complement the reef tank well.
* Many of the common names used by the author do not match what you will find use nowadays (aka "Lemon goby" instead of "Citron Clown Goby" for Gobiodon Citrinis).
* The failure to discuss tankbred options - I am not sure if these were simply not available when the book was written, but there are a number of fish species now being bred and reared in captivity, and many corals are now propagated in aquariums. Whenever possible, these tank-bred fish should be sought out. They not only are a more sustainable option that puts less pressure on the reefs, tank-bred fish are hardier, less delicate, and more accustomed to life in captivity. They are more likely to readily accept prepared foods, such as pellets and flakes, and less likely to introduce disease into tanks than their wild-caught counterparts. Almost every commonly seen clownfish species is now bred in captivity (and come in a wide variety of patterns now!), as are a number of gobies and other fish. Other species - such as yellow tangs and blue hippo tangs - are "tank reared", in which very very small juveniles are caught and raised to market size in captivity. These fish are also preferable, as they reduce the biological impact on the reefs (most of those juveniles would have died anyway on the reef, instead of us catching one of the few fish that beat the odds to grow up and make it) and are healthier, easier to feed, and more accustomed to life in aquariums.
Other disturbing bits:
* The promotion of freshwater feeder fish such as goldfish and guppies for feeding predatory fish. Freshwater fish are *not* acceptable staples for marine fish; they have the wrong kinds and quantities of fat, the wrong nutritional profile, and can seriously harm your fish over time.
* The promotion of cleaner wrasses - as an appropriate beginner fish nonetheless ("Every aquarium needs a cleaner wrasse"). Cleaner wrasses are difficult fish at best and nearly all starve to death in any but the largest of public aquariums because they rely on feeding off of parasites and other fishes' slime coats. Furthermore, their collection damages the reef ecosystem. For this reason they are on most people's "do not buy" list - leave them in the ocean where they belong.
* Undergravel filters? Is this 1970? No.
* The filter section in general: most reef aquaria in this day and age rely on biological filtration provided by live sand and live rock, although you would not know it by reading this book. A wet/dry trickle filter may be great for a fish-only tank, but for a reef tank it is likely to lead to very high levels of nitrates. Don't do it.
* Acclimation: You can't just float the bag, scoop a cup of water into the floating bag, and call it a day. Marine fish (and especially marine fish) are delicate. Acclimation should take place over 30 minutes or more, gradually replacing the water in the bag with water in the tank until you match both salinity and PH of the water (as well as temperature). Many people prefer to "drip acclimate" and allow water from the tank to slowly drip into a bucket holding the new fish.
* The neglect of quarantine tanks. Quarantine tanks are NOT optional, folks. If you don't have the time and space to quarantine, you don't have the time and space to have a reef aquarium. You owe it to yourself and to the fish and invertebrates you care for - treating disease in a reef tank can be all but impossible (the medications will kill most of your coral and other invertebrates) and may require dismantling the entire tank to catch afflicted fish. Watch and treat newly acquired fish before introducing them to your own tank.
* There are no tank size guidelines in the fish section. Many many many of the fish introduced here require very large tanks (180+ gallons) but not mention is made of this. Furthermore, much of the book is geared towards smaller tanks - for instance, the heater guidelines only go up to 75 gallons!
Puzzling bits:
* The author claims wrasses make a poor choice for the reef aquarium. Either the author is confused or ignorant of the large number of "reef-safe wrasses", which are VERY popular aquarium fish: fairy wrasses and flasher wrasses are hardy beautiful fish that complement the reef tank well.
* Many of the common names used by the author do not match what you will find use nowadays (aka "Lemon goby" instead of "Citron Clown Goby" for Gobiodon Citrinis).
* The failure to discuss tankbred options - I am not sure if these were simply not available when the book was written, but there are a number of fish species now being bred and reared in captivity, and many corals are now propagated in aquariums. Whenever possible, these tank-bred fish should be sought out. They not only are a more sustainable option that puts less pressure on the reefs, tank-bred fish are hardier, less delicate, and more accustomed to life in captivity. They are more likely to readily accept prepared foods, such as pellets and flakes, and less likely to introduce disease into tanks than their wild-caught counterparts. Almost every commonly seen clownfish species is now bred in captivity (and come in a wide variety of patterns now!), as are a number of gobies and other fish. Other species - such as yellow tangs and blue hippo tangs - are "tank reared", in which very very small juveniles are caught and raised to market size in captivity. These fish are also preferable, as they reduce the biological impact on the reefs (most of those juveniles would have died anyway on the reef, instead of us catching one of the few fish that beat the odds to grow up and make it) and are healthier, easier to feed, and more accustomed to life in aquariums.
May 7, 2018
Great primer on how keep marine aquariums
I used to keep freshwater tribal fish. I've always been way of venturing in to meeting saltwater tanks. This book removed a lot of that fear. This book fires a great job of explaining how the saltwater aquarium work and Joe a novice can pick it up. I'm Lee's afraid and may well start a saltwater aquarium.
I used to keep freshwater tribal fish. I've always been way of venturing in to meeting saltwater tanks. This book removed a lot of that fear. This book fires a great job of explaining how the saltwater aquarium work and Joe a novice can pick it up. I'm Lee's afraid and may well start a saltwater aquarium.
August 21, 2019
Solid Foundational read for saltwater caretaking
Comprehensive, experienced and intelligible. Some of the points made are a bit outdated, and for specific advice you’d want a more focused article. Overall very helpful though
Comprehensive, experienced and intelligible. Some of the points made are a bit outdated, and for specific advice you’d want a more focused article. Overall very helpful though
March 10, 2022
Super helpful information, but I had to definitely read in segments. Too much information for my brain to digest so quickly! Can't wait to start on my own aquarium.
August 11, 2022
This book has lots of information, but in my opinion has less details on water parameters, Lightning, etc. It has great information and tips on fish, invertebrates, and coral however.
January 21, 2016
Saltwater Aquariums for Dummies by Gregory Skomal (Wiley 2002)(639.342). This is a fairly thorough overview of the issues surrounding the set-up and maintenance of salt-water aquaria. Be warned, though, that it is from the popular”...for Dummies”series, so how thorough can it be? My rating: 4/10, finished 2004.
March 8, 2011
I thought this was a great beginners book, which was exactly what I was looking for. It would have been helpful to have some kind of fish compatibility chart or some other type of chart that would show temperment or compatibility with different types of saltwater set ups. This information was in the book, for the most part, but it would have been helpful to have a quick reference guide.
July 31, 2007
Generally this is a very simple but thorough guide to the world of salt water. The author is both informative and witty and covers a complete range of skills as well as steps and guides and information about setting up, maintaining, and understanding salt water aquariums. I highly recommend it.
January 10, 2009
This was a great introductory book to the complicated world of saltwater aquariums. It gives the basics about all aspects of the hobby and provides comfort that it actually is a do-able hobby, despite all the warnings you'll get from your friends and family.
January 12, 2015
It covers he basics and helps get a basic understanding of marine fish keeping. It also helped solidify and help me to better understand things I already knew from school and from my Job working at a public aquarium.
July 21, 2008
Quite informative without bein boring. But it has probably informed me that I'm not ready for a saltwater tank. No matter how cute Nemo is.
July 16, 2020
I don't pick up "For Dummies" books. How they are written varies enough that I don't feel like the quality or style could reliably be the same. But this was helpful!
March 11, 2013
Ocean habitats
Grade: 5
Grade: 5
December 21, 2015
A bit dated but good for beginners.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews