Owning a salt-water reef aquarium, or refugium, is quickly becoming one of the most popular set-ups for home aquarium hobbyists and professionals. Designed with the concept that an indoor ecosystem should be self-sustaining, all-natural, and maintained with only the highest quality water, filtration, and lighting systems, a salt-water reef aquarium is, for many aquarists, the only option when designing an all-encompassing aquatic system.
Reef ecosystems are vastly gorgeous additions to a home aquarium. They provide the opportunity to own a wide array of smaller, more fragile water creatures than would normally be possible in a conventional aquarium. (In standard aquariums, many of these smaller creatures would be eaten or otherwise destroyed by the larger creatures and/or aquarium conditions.) And a salt-water reef aquarium also serves as a place to display wildly colorful reef systems, sands and rocks, plants and decor. Enjoying the wonderment of a reef ecosystem is an incredibly astonishing and soothing experience.
Yet not only is a salt-water reef aquarium incredibly beautiful, it also provides a method for owners to enjoy the purest aquatic scientific observation and underwater ecological study that is inherently possible within the comfort of our own homes. With the correct design of a salt-water reef aquarium, the system is self-sustaining, with natural life cycles and habitats. It's a truly fascinating work of art, and one that will thrill you for years to come.
It's also true that once your salt-water reef aquarium is up and running, because it's mostly a self-sustaining, highly efficient system, it requires less maintenance from the owner. This is a definite plus, especially for aquarists who know how much effort it takes to maintain a conventional salt water aquarium.
When purchasing the supplies for building a salt-water reef aquarium, the most important elements are to ensure that you're getting the highest quality plumbing, filtration, and lighting systems on the market. These three elements: plumbing, filtration, and lighting, are the three things that matter most when it comes to sustaining your natural salt water reef aquarium and encouraging its natural development.
It's also imminently important to ensure that you've prepared for installation of a reef aquarium by either purchasing a separate tank in which to design it, or (as a preferred method of many serious professionals and hobbyists), by designing a custom set-up that is separate from the existing tank, yet still incorporated into the existing aquarium's water supply. This is the detail that makes a salt water reef aquarium what it is: a refuge for smaller, more fragile aquatic creatures to live and thrive without fear of attack from predators or larger aquatic life.
All in all, a salt-water reef aquarium can be a relatively easy system to set-up, and an incredibly astonishing thing to witness. Aquarists enjoy the flexibility, wonderment, and beauty of reef ecosystems. And so, once you choose to become an aquarium owner, building a salt water reef aquarium seems to be the next step-naturally.
