FAQs & How To's
Browse these FAQ and How To resources to find some basic answers to questions you may have about getting started, setting up, maintaining, or other things you want to know about keeping a saltwater fish aquarium or reef tank system.
Paint an Aquarium Background
Instead of using the standard stick or tape on type imaged or colored aquarium background, we chose to paint the two outside walls of our 92g reef tank with a beautiful complimentary color. The usual black, blue, or reef scene backgrounds one has to choose from can be boring, and this is a quick and simple way to cover the back of glass or acrylic aquariums to hide equipment from view, as well as add a splash of color. Here's how to paint an aquarium background.
Instead of using the standard stick or tape on type imaged or colored aquarium background, we chose to paint the two outside walls of our 92g reef tank with a beautiful complimentary color. The usual black, blue, or reef scene backgrounds one has to choose from can be boring, and this is a quick and simple way to cover the back of glass or acrylic aquariums to hide equipment from view, as well as add a splash of color. Here's how to paint an aquarium background.
Site "How To" Content
From your Guides A to Z Site Content Index, use this "H" topics page to quickly browse for "How To" subject content you are looking for at About Saltwater Aquariums.
From your Guides A to Z Site Content Index, use this "H" topics page to quickly browse for "How To" subject content you are looking for at About Saltwater Aquariums.
FAQs Quick Reference Index
Browse this FAQs index of algae, equipment, filtration, setting up, disease, and more frequently asked questions your About Guides Debbie and Stan have answered to quickly find what you want to know about.
Browse this FAQs index of algae, equipment, filtration, setting up, disease, and more frequently asked questions your About Guides Debbie and Stan have answered to quickly find what you want to know about.
How To Repair Small Leaks in Glass Aquariums in 9 Easy Steps
With a few inexpensive items and a little time you can easily repair small or minor leaks in a glass aquarium using these simple instructions.
With a few inexpensive items and a little time you can easily repair small or minor leaks in a glass aquarium using these simple instructions.
How To Preclean Live Rock Before Using It
When uncured and even "so-called" cured live rock is first placed into an established saltwater system, some die-off of the organisms that reside on and inside the rocks will occur. This dead or dying organic matter creates ammonia, so to help lessen excessive ammonia spikes, as well as shorten the curing time of the live rock, here is a simple way to preclean the rocks before using them.
When uncured and even "so-called" cured live rock is first placed into an established saltwater system, some die-off of the organisms that reside on and inside the rocks will occur. This dead or dying organic matter creates ammonia, so to help lessen excessive ammonia spikes, as well as shorten the curing time of the live rock, here is a simple way to preclean the rocks before using them.
How To Cure Live Rock in a Separate Curing Set Up
Here is a standard method for curing live rock BEFORE placing it into an established or a newly set up aquarium for use. It's easy to do, beneficial, and takes just a few items to set it all up.
Here is a standard method for curing live rock BEFORE placing it into an established or a newly set up aquarium for use. It's easy to do, beneficial, and takes just a few items to set it all up.
How To Cure Live Rock in a New Saltwater Aquarium
If the only container you have to work with to cure live rock in is the tank you are setting up as your main aquarium, here is a simple way to cure it inside the aquarium, preferably before you add substrate and start aquascaping the rocks.
If the only container you have to work with to cure live rock in is the tank you are setting up as your main aquarium, here is a simple way to cure it inside the aquarium, preferably before you add substrate and start aquascaping the rocks.
How To Build a Simple DIY Aquarium Trap
Here is a simple do-it-yourself aquarium trap you can build and use to easily capture and remove fish, as well as modify to catch common saltwater aquarium pests with, such as problem crabs, bad type errant bristle or fireworms, and mantis shrimps.
Here is a simple do-it-yourself aquarium trap you can build and use to easily capture and remove fish, as well as modify to catch common saltwater aquarium pests with, such as problem crabs, bad type errant bristle or fireworms, and mantis shrimps.
How To Clean Dirty Bio-Balls
It is NOT the bio-balls in a wet/dry trickle or other type of biological filter that go BAD! Just like with an undergravel filter, it is the "lack of proper maintenance" that turns them into a nitrate factory. If you periodically rinse them off and keep them clean, nitrate and bio-balls woes should decrease, as long as this is the sole source that is generating the nitrate problem in the aquarium.
It is NOT the bio-balls in a wet/dry trickle or other type of biological filter that go BAD! Just like with an undergravel filter, it is the "lack of proper maintenance" that turns them into a nitrate factory. If you periodically rinse them off and keep them clean, nitrate and bio-balls woes should decrease, as long as this is the sole source that is generating the nitrate problem in the aquarium.
How To Make a Power Back-Up Unit from a UPS and a 12 Volt Battery
To protect yourself from the possible loss of your aquarium animals during a power outage, you can keep some basic but vital pieces of aquarium equipment running by taking an old UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) and a 12 volt car battery to put together your own power back-up unit. This simple project only takes a few dollars to make and little time to assemble.
To protect yourself from the possible loss of your aquarium animals during a power outage, you can keep some basic but vital pieces of aquarium equipment running by taking an old UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) and a 12 volt car battery to put together your own power back-up unit. This simple project only takes a few dollars to make and little time to assemble.
How To Separate Aquarium Pets During a Move
When fish and motile invertebrates are in an aquarium there are plenty of places where they can hide to avoid conflicts with other tankmates. However, when placed in a container where they are freely-swimming about together with no cover present, harassment and fighting will occur amongst some species. To avoid this problem, here is an easy way to keep the animals separated during transit.
When fish and motile invertebrates are in an aquarium there are plenty of places where they can hide to avoid conflicts with other tankmates. However, when placed in a container where they are freely-swimming about together with no cover present, harassment and fighting will occur amongst some species. To avoid this problem, here is an easy way to keep the animals separated during transit.
How To Make a Simple PVC Tap Water Filter
If you are using fresh tap water as the source to make-up aquarium saltwater or top-off your system with, here are easy to follow instructions for making a simple PVC constructed tap water filter that can achieve about the same purification results as with a more costly commerical TWP (Tap Water Purifier).
If you are using fresh tap water as the source to make-up aquarium saltwater or top-off your system with, here are easy to follow instructions for making a simple PVC constructed tap water filter that can achieve about the same purification results as with a more costly commerical TWP (Tap Water Purifier).
How To Clean and Rejuvenate Old Air Stones
Save some pennies by learning how to clean and rejuvenate old clogged air stones to reuse them with these simple instructions from your Guides.
Save some pennies by learning how to clean and rejuvenate old clogged air stones to reuse them with these simple instructions from your Guides.
How To Tips For Feeding Saltwater Livestock
Learn how to feed saltwater aquarium fish and other marine animals with greater ease and success with these simple how to feeding tips from your Guides.
Learn how to feed saltwater aquarium fish and other marine animals with greater ease and success with these simple how to feeding tips from your Guides.
Freshwater Aquariums Q & A
A list of common and frequent questions from About Freshwater Aquariums site readers that your Guide Shirlie Sharpe gives her answers to.
A list of common and frequent questions from About Freshwater Aquariums site readers that your Guide Shirlie Sharpe gives her answers to.