Top 2012 Saltwater Aquarium Gifts

A great gift for anyone who has expressed the desire to have a mini/nano aquarium. These Top Pick compact plug 'n play aquarium kits combine technology and inginuity in one small package. From 2.5 up to 34 gallons in size, each aquarium kit includes complete built-in filtration and higher output lighting systems, and many more unique features, all of which make starting a new saltwater or reef aquarium a whole lot easier.

An automatic fish feeder is something that almost everyone with an aquarium wants, but never quite gets around to buying for them-self. Automatic feeders are great for keeping your fish and invertebrates fed regularly when you are away for up to a week, but many people use them even when they are home, just for the convenience.

These optical devices provides a direct reading of specific gravity and salinity in water in the easiest and most accurate way. Refractometers can be calibrated with reverse osmosis water. They require no batteries and compensate automatically for temperatures between 50-86°F (10-30°C).

A pH meter is the perfect gift for any aquarist who has multiple aquariums. A pH meter allows you to quickly and accurately measure the pH level of any aquarium. No more doing the slow liquid tests or dipping test strips in the aquarium water and watching the test results fade.

Any aquarist would love to have a new, digital aquarium thermometer. Some of the new thermometers are not only digital but are wireless to boot. The prices on these thermometers are remarkably low. They would make a great stocking stuffer.

Every marine aquarium needs at least one powerhead to maintain proper water flow. Most saltwater aquariums could use another powerhead to either create wave action, or to just improve water movement in a dead area of the tank. Some of the newer powerheads can be placed almost anywhere on the tank walls and pointed in any direction.

Most aquarists test their water parameters on a fairly frequent basis, especially if their tank is newly set up and still in the cycling process. Ammonia, chlorine, nitrite, nitrate, alkalinity, hardness, and pH levels can be quickly and accurately measured with test strips, rather than using the more familiar (and older) liquid or powder test kits. Save your favorite aquarist time and money with a simple dip in the water to read multiple parameters with easy-to-read, color-coded results.

Books are always an excellent gift, especially for someone with an aquarium. There are a number of excellent books on every area of aquarium keeping, written by experts in their own fields. If your favorite marine aquarist has a reef tank, "Aquarium Corals: Selection, Husbandry, and Natural History" by Eric H. Borneman would be a great choice. It is an authoritative and comprehensive guide that is packed full of everything you want to know about corals, both how they live in nature, and how to take care of them in a marine aquarium. This book if full of excellent photos of almost every coral found in marine aquariums today.

Every aquarist is interested in finding out about a fish before it is purchased or placed in his or her tank. A PocketExpert Guide series publication, "Marine Fishes: 500+ Essential-To-Know Aquarium Species" by Scott W. Michael covers over 500 of the most popularly kept marine fishes in the saltwater hobby. Each fish spotlighted in this book includes a full-color photograph with a simply outlined, but detailed profile. It includes a "Quick Finder" common name animal index that makes it easy to quickly locate the information you are looking for. This is a must have fish identification and captive aquarium care guide recommended for beginners and experts alike.

If you favorite aquarist is interested in marine invertebrates, "Marine Invertebrates: 500+ Essential-To-Know Aquarium Species" authored by Ronald L. Shimek would be a terrific choice. It profiles over 500 of the most popular invertebrate species kept in the saltwater and reef aquarium hobby and includes high quality photos of each one.

A well known fact among saltwater (and freshwater) aquarists is that almost all aquarium heaters are going to fail at some point in time. Submersible aquarium heaters are always a welcome gift. Even if your aquarist already has an aquarium heater, it seems like heaters always fail at the worst possible time, so having a new one on hand would be a lifesaver.

A Red Slime Algae removing product is some that many marine aquarists don't keep on hand, because they think (mistakenly) that they will never experience an outbreak. Having one of these stocking stuffer gifts on hand will be greatly appreciated when the aquarist finally realizes that he or she can see the dreaded Red Slime Algae in their tank.