There are many details of which to be mindful in the saltwater aquarium hobby, but if you forget the big picture, your efforts may be doomed to failure.
Consistency is King—Everything from your water chemistry to your lighting cycle to your weekly water changes should be consistent. A marine tank is a joy to have, but you must be committed to consistently caring for it. If you are not prepared to make consistency king, hire a service to maintain your tank and buy a controller to automate many of the functions.
Allow Ample Acclimatization—Take the time to acclimate your new animals properly. The time spent at the outset drip-acclimating any and all new animals will set you and your animals up for long-term success.
Feed Frugally—While the goal is not to starve your animals, overfeeding is a much more common problem than underfeeding. Overfeeding results in excess organics which cause your filtration system to have to work harder and/or your water quality to decline.
Stock Sparingly—The picture book image of the heavily stocked reef should remain in the book. A new reef tank needs time to mature and stabilize. After your tank has cycled, add a clean-up crew and maybe a hardy algae-eater such as a Yellow Tang. Spend the next few months focusing on an invertebrate tank while the aquarium continues to mature and the bioload stabilizes. Once your invertebrate tank is thriving, then start stocking your other fish. Don’t overpopulate your tank, and plan on adding the most aggressive fish last.
Observe Often—One of the best things you can do to promote the well-being of your livestock is to observe them frequently. This happens to also be enjoyable! Keep a log, take pictures and share your experiences with others in the hobby. Marine aquarium hobby websites like The Reef Tank and Reefs.org are good places to share your experiences and learn from others.
Research Relentlessly—The more you know about your animals, the better (and sooner) you will be able to notice when a certain specimen is acting strange. Doing research BEFORE adding anything to your tank will help you avoid compatibility problems. Finally, researching the natural environment from which a given species hails will allow you to better provide for any species-specific habitat requirements.
Don’t Take Shortcuts—DIY projects and shortcuts are not always one and the same. Definitely take the time to learn how to fabricate acrylic sumps or build your own refugium, but don’t take shortcuts like under-skimming your tank or not purchasing a powerful enough return pump. Cheap equipment is often…well, cheap. The saltwater environment is a hostile one—make sure all the components of your system are up for the task.
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