BEGINNERS GUIDE TO MARINES

Firstly we are all beginners. even after 40 years of studying marine fish as a biologist, I learn some thing new every day. There are no experts although there are many who claim to be. Keeping a marine aquarium is taking a piece of the reef and placing it in your home.from that day on you learn as you go. making mistakes learning from them. Its big investment. your fish have travelled thousands of miles to get to your aquarium and they deserve the best. To keep the beautiful colours and stunning shapes needs the right food, the right conditions and the right system.

Many people claim that Marine fish are difficult to keep. This is not true,As importers of Marine Fish and corals,we buy from around the world. There are many myths about Marine fish.

We buy fish from Indonesia. The fish are  put into plastic bags.and arrive at the airport six hours before the flight takes off. They fly to Heathrow,where they are taken off the plane and eventually find themselves in the border post. a shed next to the vets office. This journey takes in excess of 24 hours. Yes there are a few that don't make it. but generally they arrive alive and recover over night. To survive this journey is an indication of thier ability to cope with the stress of traveling.

Marine fish are hardy as long as the basic rules are applied. The system has to be able to remove pollution in the water. what is pollution? Feed the fish they go to the toilet. fish die.you cant strip the tank to get them out. Un eaten food causes pollution. dying corals/algae all add to the equations. 

The rules for keeping Marine fish are the larger the aquarium the easier it will be to keep the fish you put in it. No disrespect to the Nano tank but it is very limited in what you can keep in it. The minimum size we recommend to keep fish and corals with any success would be 180lts. with a sump this increases the volume by up to 40lts.

The filtration system can only cope with the pollution level in the aquarium. there is no extra. You add a fish when the ammonia level is zero. Add bacteria and the ammonia will rise as the added fish pollutes the water. The filter will then catch up by adding bacteria and the level will return to zero. Do not add more than one fish at a time. Marine fish keeping is about patience.

External filters have a maximum capacity. it might be four fish,in which case the 5th  will die. there's no room for expansion.Its a sealed unit and limited in oxygen. Sponges clog up the filter faster than the bacteria can absorb it. Remove all sponges from the system and change to bio balls. water flows easily through this media. A deep bed sand filter has no limit its capacity is huge.Oxygen promotes bacteria growth.

The sump becomes an Eco system of its own. Food and waste are drawn from the bvase and then top of the aquarium into the sump.Not only is there a vast area of bacteria in the sand filter. but baby turbo snail/crabs coped plus any other creature you choose to add. its the same water and there fore capable of supporting life.

I have kept a yellow tang for 15 years,. A Majestic angel 20 years. and other fish equally successfully for over 10 years.

There is no comparison with tropical fish. Rivers. lakes etc are not compatible with the parameters of the oceans,. there is very little fluctuation in salt,ph etc and the fish are unable to cope with it.It is far more practical to invest in a system designed specifically for marine fish than attempt to keep in a tropical aquarium.

Our conversion kits are as efficient as a full set up. and we convert your existing aquarium. Our system will ensure many years of successful fish keeping. It takes up to 12 months for the system to fully mature.it will then be ready to upgrade if you chose to keep hard corals requiring metal Halide lighting. An investment which is expensive and totally pointless while the aquarium matures and develops.

There are many conflicting arguments about how to keep marine fish. however generally speaking the local aquatic store do not have the facilities to offer a specialist Marine system. They can only provide you with a set up designed for tropical fish and hang on filters etc. All our systems are designed for Marine fish and every thing is located in the cabinet making a truly spectacular piece of furniture.If you want to be successful, an investment in a special designed and tested set up is an essential for marine fish keeping. 

How does it work.

Rivers and streams, lakes fluctuate substantial with variations in PH, temperature and pollution levels depending on the time of year. weather and especially heavy rain. Fish and inverts adjust to these variations.

The vastness of the ocean with the deepest parts being several miles deep, there is very little variation in PH. salinity and pollution levels. The sea being a vast filtration system. However there are variations in light.which not only becomes dimmer the deeper in the sea but colour variations of light that penetrate the sea.

The effects of global warming are seen in temperature in excess of 28 degrees which kill off corals. The sea is becoming warmer and corals and inverts do not have the ability to survive.Many countries like Shi lanka have banned the export of corals.

In buying corals therefore it is important just like plants to establish there location on the reef. Hard Corals tend to be in shallow water to get the full benefit of day light. Softer corals can be some metres deep on the reef wall.The importance of water flow is an essential factor in keeping corals. since they are unable to move they are totally Dependant on the flow of water to feed. As long as you can see the coral moving in the water flow they will be able to capture food.

Feeding corals. There are many products on the market available to the aquarist. The general rule is how much of the food is absorbed by the corals and how much pollute the water. With only a few corals use sparingly

The Facts

Do you have several hours every week to carry out a minimum of 10% water changes.Do you have the funds to replace dead fish because the system doesn't keep them alive. can you afford the considerable electricity bill as a result of high wattage pumps and lighting. External filters are fine with tropical and cold water systems. Marine fish are totally different and need a new approach to keep them alive and healthy. So why no water changes?water evaporates as a result of the open top and sump. this is essential so that gases in the water can escape to air. Only pure water evaporates as it does in the sea. This is automatically topped up by the RO unit. The water is changed constantly providing a balanced environment.

These are questions that you should be asking. Many of the standard set ups are manufactured in south east asia.The quality of the cabinets is insufficient to prevent salt attacking the melamine.

In constructing our systems we design them individually selecting the appropriate equipment with low power consumption.our new products such as our new filter media which includes impregnated bacteria.but also releases calcium to ensure a stable PH. Our salt is a completely new concept in marine technology. The set up can be fully automated with lighting on timer and a float switch to ensure constant stable water levels. Leaving just water testing on a weekly basis.

We provide you with water testing logs so that in the event of any problem our support team can advise you of any adjustments required. We now offer Sea water from the indian ocean and live sand from the sea bed creating a truly natural environment. Yje initial cost is slightly higher but only pure water evaporates and is replaced by the RO unit.

The solution.

Keeping marines is never going to be cheap. The cost of shipping fish by air is ever increasing. The cabinet you fall in love with may be totally unsuitable for your intended use. You need to identify a budget and look for a specialist system to achieve your objective.

How does our system work.

Taking the gold fish bowl as a basic example. After a day or so it becomes murky and smelly. if you feed the fish they go to the toilet. this pollutes the water and creates ammonia. this kills fish. they literally die in thier own excrement.The filter breaks down the ammonia to less toxic nitrite.still capable of killing fish. and finally to Nitrate which is less toxic. In a tropical rivers and streams,plants absorb nitrate as food and complete the cycle.

In a marine system same process. same pollution except water changes are required to eliminate Nitrate since there are no plants.If using tap water the pollution levels are higher than the water your changing. you therefore have to use pure RO water. Nitrate will still kill fish and corals.Using calurp in the aquarium is not an option. its eaten by the fish and will spread over the aquarium out of control In the sump its managed and harvested.then fed to fish.

In the sea there is a constant movement of water. the waves, the currents all for one purpose to generate oxygen.The gasses in the water can only escape at the surface and therefore there has to be movement over the entire aquarium area other wise cold spots are created.The hood has to be open so that these gasses can escape and are entirely harmless.There is no smell and the gases disperse into the air.

The sump is an open lid aquarium located in the cabinet.The skimmer and pump are positioned in the first chamber since the water level remains constant.The second chamber contains live sand and calurpa(sea weed) this is lit 24/7 to force grow the plant and constantly absorbs nitrate and expel oxygen.

The final chamber contains the return pump and bio balls which remove the ammonia. There are no areas of dead water flow. the efficiency of the filter is 50% higher than externals and stocking levels increase by 60%. No water changes and with a float switch and RO unit the system becomes  automated. Why is that you ask? When every one else tells you water changes are esential why do we say no its not.

The system we have developed has an open top. this allows gases to escape at the surface. Glass lids prevent evaporation which is an essential factor of the eco system. The objective is to recreate a piece of the reef in your home. There are no external filters in the sea. Just natural filtration. The flow of water at the surface,running down the pipe work to the sump and into the sump chambers creates evaporation and oxygen. just as it does in the sea. only pure water evaporates leaving the salt in the system. By fitting a float switch to the sump connected to an ro unit. this evaporation creates a natural and consistent means of changing the water. The balance of the aquarium remains constant.The fish prefer mature water.

What happens when you carry out a water change. Firstly you can be as accurate as can but you can not achieve an exact replica of temperature and salinity of the aquarium.this causes an imbalance to the system.

What about the water you tip down the drain. not only does it contain salt. but parasites. bacteria and polluted water and infects the sewage system.

The heaters are located in the sump so that all that is required are circulation pumps in the aquarium concealed in the rock work.

Live Rock.

The seas natural filtration is dependant on sea weed and the bacteria growing in rock and sand.Live rock there fore is an essential factor in the marine set up however each piece displaces water and therefore the quantity has to be balanced on a practical basis of visual appearance and reduction in the water volume.in a four foot tank about 30 kilos is sufficient. there are no sponges in our system. that's because the sponges captures all the pollutants and prevents them from reaching the sump. The sump is an eco system of its own with star fish. copeds tiny crabs.all of which depend on the food passing from the aquarium. The waste sinks to the bottom of the sand filter and broken down by bacteria. The sump is lit 24/7 so that the calurpa grows to its maximum level.It is then harvested and fed to the fish.

A marine Aquarium offers hours of entertainment in watching the creatures of the sea. shrimps.crabs fish and corals. In todays society most customers do not have the time or the inclination to spend time on constant water changes and adjustments. Invest in some thing that works rather than waste money on some thing that doest.

Our Systems are Guaranteed for two years with our insurance backed product policy. These systems are hand made in the  UK not in china or some european country. Our work shop manufactures cabinets doors and many other wood products.

Why are Marine fish different.

Like all creatures they need oxygen to live. They absorb Oxygen through thier gills and discharge salt water through thier bodies. The sea creates the oxygen through the waves and currents.The warmer the water the less oxygen. water movement is therefore essential with water from the bottom of the tank being drawn to the surface. In a sealed exterior canister this cant happen. For a sump system the whole volume of water should pass through the sand filter at least 4 times an hour.

When buying fish look closely for any signs of sickness and ask to see them feeding. alert fish swimming normally will probably be ok.There are many healthy fish caught with nets buy from recognised aquatic centres. Marine fish are not hard to keep but some fish are still caught using cyanide and dying before you buy them. good quality fish will live 10/15 years

If your budget doesn't include a custom built aquarium we can supply you with Live sand essential for a good system. Live rock and quality protein skimmers. The live rock isn't just for decoration the bacteria in the rock is essential part of the filter system.

For more information click on our live chat button and talk to our expert. 

We recommend  Salt for a stable environment at a level of 1.025, ph 8-3 and temperature of 27c.

Water life 8-3 buffer

Water life iodine booster

Water life bacterlife bacteria.

contact us at sales@customaquariumcompany.com

Having been through the process of setting up a marine system as a complete novice. I firmly believed that my knowledge of Tropical Fishkeeping would be enough. It was not. The difference between tropical and Marine is totally different. Tropical fish cant live in the sea and Marine fish cant live in fresh water. They are both fish and that's as near the resemblance of common ground.we are here to advise you on the correct process to ensure success.

Salt water has a greater density than fresh water. The fish need higher levels of oxygen and a stable environment. Temperature around 79 degrees. Salt between 1.024 and 1.025. The salt level is determined by the temperature of the water. A temperature of 82 degrees and salt level of 1.024 is totally different. the higher the temperature the greater the salinity and lower the oxygen level.

It is this kind of knowledge and information that ensures success in keeping marine fish. this is what we do. there is no point in selling a complete set up if it becomes to complicated for the customer to understand. We offer a maintenance contract if you have limited time available.

Marine fish keeping is not cheap nor is there any success in trying to do it on the cheap its wasted money.

we recommend our 3 x 2 x 2 set up as being suitable for a beginner.any thing smaller will have limited success. these come in a range of colours from white/black to pine/oak or any suitable finish. Our white unit in satin finish is ready for shaker doors below and these start from £960 with our new efficient eco wier.

For the DIY enthusiast we supply a Diy set up which comprises Aquarium to your specification.base unit and sump with pipe work. this ideal in situation where the kitchen is being refitted and the front and sides can be made to match your layout with your own fitters or your qualified to do it your self.

In order to help you the customer our terms are 50% deposit balance on completion so that the payment is spread over the construction period.
Our insurance with AXA insurance covers us for the manufacture/delivery and installation of all of our products.we are insured for up to 5,000,000.