- Recommended For - Beginners and intermediate level aquarists.
- Description - 170 pages of fish-only saltwater system set up, stocking, fish care, aquarium maintenance, and fish breeding information.
- Price Range - Low Scale.
- Publisher - Green Turtle Publications; Paperback; 1992. (First published by Norns Publishing Company in 1982).
As you can see from the photo we took of this book we have had since 1989, it is well used. This was THE first saltwater aquarium book we ever purchased, and it was our one-and-only guide when we began, as well as ran our fish collection business in Hawai'i for 10 years. We referred to it as our "Bible", and still use it today! From it we gleaned information on how to make our own 55 gallon glass aquariums and undergravel filters, which at the time we began in saltwater was pretty standard. From start to finish this book taught us all about setting up, choosing a filter, the biological filtration cycle, caring for fish, and much more to say the least.
The Marine Aquarium Handbook contains the following chapters:
- The Aquarium: Size, Shape and Construction
- The Water: Composition, Collection and Manufacture
- Filtration: Mechanical, Chemical, Biological and Sterilization
- The Biological Filter: Function and Construction
- Physics and Chemistry: The Essential Information
- Set Up & Maintenance: The First Day, The First Year
- Fish Selection: What To Look For, Condition and Compatibility
- Introduction & Quarantine: Purposes and Methods
- Disease & Distress: Identification and Cure
- Foods & Feeding: What, When and How
- Breeding Marine Fish: The Basic Process
- Other Content: Selected References; Weights, Measures and Useful Data; Index
Even though this is an older publication, and tends to be a little more technical to understand than other aquarists newer publications, the content in it still relates to all the aspects of setting up, stocking, and maintaining a fish-only aquarium in this day and age. We highly recommend The Marine Aquarium Handbook: Beginner to Breeder as a valuable asset for any beginner or intermediate level aquarists to have in their reference library.
