Saltwater Aquarium Basics In 10 Minutes

If you're thinking of getting a saltwater aquarium, this is the first video you should watch. I talk you through the foundations of keeping marine in simple terms.
Buy 3D printed aquarium accessories from my Etsy store: www.reefdork.etsy.com
Join this channel to get access to perks:
/ @reefdork
The best algae scraper in the world - amzn.to/3lRCOVb
The best RO/DI filter for most people - amzn.to/46RXGRq
Best test kits for every parameter:
Salinity - amzn.to/3tkVovy
Alkalinity - amzn.to/3z8kKxM
Calcium - amzn.to/48ubKlL
Magnesium - amzn.to/3rnLYPD
Phosphate - amzn.to/3PQ2OxN
Nitrate - amzn.to/3wWfL1M
The kalkwasser I use: amzn.to/48Ud2H4
My vlogging equipment
Video
Fujifilm XT-4 amzn.to/3LYfyPY
16mm F1.4 amzn.to/3z7706r
80mm F2.8 macro shorturl.at/uvMN7
Fujifilm X-S10 shorturl.at/aQ169
Sony ZV-E10 amzn.to/3PVarUL
Tiffen 85b orange filters amzn.to/3wYhpjh
Elgato stream deck XL amzn.to/3dKLlbn
Audio
Sennheiser MKE600 amzn.to/3me3S17
Zoom H6 amzn.to/3ajJsAO
Focusrite Scarlett Solo amzn.to/3N4Ggrw
Deity V-Mic D4 Mini amzn.to/3pvIKov
Rode Lavalier Go amzn.to/3LYOeRw
Zoom H1N amzn.to/3NMp8qo
Audio Technica AT2020 amzn.to/3AdcGe8
Shure SM58 amzn.to/3Tl9ghH
Sliders
iFootage Nano amzn.to/43jvsOz
Neewer motorised slider amzn.to/3N5Jsmz
GVM 24 inch motorised slider amzn.to/3N312aL
Lighting
Elgato Keylight amzn.to/3wVM9S7
Elgato light strip amzn.to/3CiZE1e
Raleno PLV-S192 (fill light) amzn.to/3wXGjzt
Lume Cube Panel Go amzn.to/3a69cR8
Art
Canvases Instagram @coraldesign.pl
Software Epidemic Sounds streamyard.com/pal/6266920650...
Streamyard (get $10 off) streamyard.com/pal/6266920650...
Some of these links have an affiliate code - so if you make a purchase, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!
For any commercial enquiries, please send me a PM, contact me via Instagram or leave a comment below.
0:00 Intro
1:02 Saltwater
3:08 Food
4:45 Filtration
8:25 Flow
9:50 Summary

[@ReefDork]

Here's how to set up your first salty tank - kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnS2hmmQo7SJisk

[@Arizona9001]

even if i feel very comfortable now after 8months into the hobby with a mixed reef. i'll still watch these beginner level videos, no matter how many are made.

[@RonAtienza]

Yeah he explains the concepts really well

[@ReefReview]

Same lol there’s always something to learn

[@sammaestas2516]

what's with the clickbait woman in the thumbnail?

[@doyouwanttobuildasnowman4726]

You're talking about it....

[@paullehane603]

Nice, well explained video as always! And It just struck me that my wife must be evaporating fresh water because she definitely gets more and more salty as the day goes on....

[@ReefDork]

😅

[@neilsmith5883]

Haha

[@dominikortiz2539]

Someone tag his wife

[@peterpansplayground]

HAHAHAHAHA

[@TheMrFunny11]

Not the boomer humor 💀

[@Tayloraurrekoetxea]

I’ve always wanted to a reef tank but have been very intimidated by the sheer amount of knowledge it takes and the consequences of harming an animal if you mess up. This video has really helped demystify it and given me an accessible starting point to start learning. Thank you so much!

[@spinster4000]

I am someone who came from freshwater, and even that hobby I only knew things like pH, dGh and all that other stuff about it, and looking over into saltwater it just seemed like this impossible jump for me with all the maintenance being ten fold and how to keep coral alive and healthy, but this video really did explain everything I needed and wanted to know and I should have my 32.5 gallon Fluval Flex SEA picked up by the end of this month, and then from then just spend months researching things fully before setting anything up. Cheers!

[@Ffollies]

Wow, hobby has come a long way since I had my 29 gallon take back in the late 80s, early 90s. I did water changes once a month and had a carbon filter and powerhead and that's about it. I'd probably test the salinity every so often too. Fish poop just fell to the gravel and I assumed bacteria just ate it. I used tap water and would mix it with store bought sea salt. Some of my fish lived for a few years too. I'm thinking of starting another one.

[@mohammedfaizbelgami8780]

Great Knowledge. Loved the way you explained complicated things in so easier manner. Thanks a lot mate ❤️

[@scottring6514]

4 weeks into my first reef tank. 2 fish in. Bloody loving it 🤙🏻🇦🇺

[@midnull6009]

are they still alive? just curious...I'm thinking of getting into this very expensive hobby lol :*(

[@aarushmadhireddy4326]

happy for these longer videos

[@gerflores4185]

So amazing! And helpful! It is so hard for me an unsettled student to wait for more stability to come back into the hobbie, but that does not keep me from watching so many of your videos and keep learning!!!

[@haymatr]

Wow, I felt like I was in the Caribbean Sea, swimming with the fish. Loved this video! So knowledgeable. One of the best,if not the best aquariums with so many different fish Corals, I love it! Stay safe, stay blessed, continue doing what you’re doing, great hobby!

[@volvandthepocketkaiju]

That's such a simple explanation that's super helpful for people who are just starting getting interested in saltwater tanks! Thank you for it! :)

[@shproperties9974]

Love this video! Learning a great deal from it. Thank you 👍👏

[@alfst5546]

As alway, a great and interesting video, you never disappoint 👍

[@pointnozzleaway]

5:35 That made my Day !

[@harlanmichael7088]

Thank you. Great refresher! Keep it up!

[@stephen6409]

very easy to understand video straight to the point

[@andrewsweeney1869]

Excellent Video

[@RicardoJunqueira]

I'm loving your channel.

[@Testytimes22]

excellent video! from Australia.

[@nikhilgoyal007]

wow! thanks so much for the condensed info!

[@RenegadeLK]

Makes thinking about starting a saltwater tank much easier.

[@brianmorecombe2726]

Its a beautiful hobby and looking at the results of your hard labour is well worth it.Aquariums look fantastic,the corals and fish with all the colours,i wish i had the patience to build a Aquarium.I might start with a fish tank.

[@patxiaquariums]

Well explained! 💪

[@dictionaryzzz]

I am a complete newbie.....GF bought me a Fluval 13.5 for Christmas....I been admiring and wanting to get into reef tanks for the last 15 years. The parameter checking and price of fish/equipment always scared me away. Now I have no choice and I am just going to do it and see how it goes. Wish me luck.

[@thecoinjar]

After being in the freshwater hobby for just 3 yrs I am looking forward to venturing into the saltwater world so I'm glad I found you Mr. Reef Dork! I am a wee bit intimidated but you have provided a good foundation to get started. Cheers

[@christospapazoglou5194]

I've seen many of your videos and I really like your content! One note on that video, regards the algae eating fish, they can't be classed as part of "filtration" as they don't remove any nutrients from the tank, rather recycling it. I understood the way you said it (meant for someone completely new to the hobby) but it's just not right! Other than that, everything else was nicely explained! 👍

[@pauldeacon8764]

Hi Alex! I love your videos & I think that u are doing really, really well with that Copperband! 😀👍👍

[@sachinr2211]

Probably one of the coolest hobbies there is.

[@lisadimercurio9473]

Adding nitrifying bacteria to your tank is a much better way to start the nitrogen cycle than adding a table shrimp.

[@anthonytindle5758]

I've liked aquariums for years but never got past just tropical I'm thinking of going to the next step and having a saltwater tank system but don't know enough about it and don't know anyone to give me a hand or some good advice. Maybe later this year I will get saltwater in the home as a hobby.

[@JoeBurner1720]

@@anthonytindle5758 It’s not as complex as a lot of people think, it’s quite simple. Good luck on your salty adventure!

[@bhagyamaithripala6642]

Nice Video Brother, very informative

[@DavidDavis311]

Great video! The only thing I’d add to make the new hobbyists life easier is nitrifying bacteria additives.

[@zachariahtri]

Loved the video. Became a new subscriber as a result :)

[@danielcrabb1604]

i’m working at a shop that sells saltwater fish as an aquatics specialist and i’m very knowledgeable of freshwater but know next to nothing about saltwater. this video will really help me advise my customers although saltwater is currently out of my price range myself as I want to set up another freshwater tank currently 😅

[@davidbaker6382]

great video

[@josephposada1830]

Thank you for Gracing my existence Alex. You are a fantastic presenter. Its an honor to know of you and partake of these videos. I send blessings to the entire reef Dork family. I'm happy the copper band is doing well. I have the same problem in freshwater with apistos. It's a beautiful fish,but the water needs are very delicate

[@Jodoropanzer]

I love this video!

[@briattnybrittany6843]

i'm in the research phase still. this video makes it feel slightly less intimidating. it's still intimidating, but it seems a bit more doable than i thought. i take living things seriously so i want to make sure i'm fully aware of everything before i before i take this on. thank you 💙 back to more research i go lol

[@peggymaxwell3643]

Your son is a Mini Doug! Awesome!

[@JetJockey87]

Wasn't gonna subscribe til I saw the channel name. That's amazing

[@sueyounglove9253]

That was great.

[@PracticalReefer]

Another great video! 👌 Seems to be a lot of people using natural sea water now, testing it myself for the first time on a 20 gallon nano before going bigger! 🤞

[@JohnMurphyB]

How did you get on using natural sea water? Where did you source the water? Im thinking of doing that for most of the water changes when I get a reef tank.

[@PracticalReefer]

@@JohnMurphyB it's going well! Bit of the ugly stage just now but with the exception of 1 single water change when I didn't get chance to collect due to weather/work/tide times I've been using 100% NSW. I have a few videos on my channel showing how I collected it using a basic method and tested the basics with salifert test kits but I'm overdue trying out an ICP test to see really what the quality is like, I will hopefully do that soon!

[@JohnMurphyB]

​@@PracticalReefer I am worried that the local sea water could feed algae alright. I was thinking that you would need to time visits to the beach for mid tide when the currents are faster? Id imagine the levels of nitrates could be quite high after rain due to the farming run off, I can see plenty of green algae at my local beach anyway! Thanks, I'll check out your other videos on it.

[@PracticalReefer]

@@JohnMurphyB yeah check out my 2 videos, 1 on collecting and another I tested a few basic parameters including the Nitrates and Phosphates too. You're thinking the right way! 👍 you want to collect just before high tide when all that fresh sea water surges in (if like me you sadly don't have a boat...) and your right avoid areas near farm land and collecting after heavy or sustained rain due to run off which could contain unwanted chemicals/pesticides/fertiliser and effect salinity too, good luck! 🤞

[@raphaelknoops750]

After doing 6 years of freshwater i will be trying reef within the next 2 months. I cant lie it looks scary but im excited

[@benweisz3380]

Love the vid

[@ekolaksono8973]

1. Not too much fish. 2. Find hardy fish that friendly, not aggresive. 3. Protein skimmer. 4. Live rock. 5. Good filtration with lots of bioball.

[@panduarifsaputra4645]

amazing

[@catpowers7339]

Setting up the ro/di is what took so long to get my tank filled honestly.

[@Hamburg_ER.]

4:55 I don't know, your little kole tang really liked that foxface poop 🤣

[@jeffjackson9679]

Disagree with #1. Have never bought pre-mixed water from a petstore. Have always used tap water, mx it with a reef salt and use a good water conditioner. Never had a single issue with my corals, and I keep SPS in my tank.

[@dullnwhiteish6125]

What type of corals?

[@CatRacer1a2a]

The quality of your water locally will determine if this is possible.

[@ham7357]

🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯

[@Nettie107]

Did you use a Rodi water filter

[@finncampbell6524]

Do you use chlorinated city water?

[@PHPW]

Sounds so much like the cycling guy 🚴‍♂️ he explains so well too

[@gabzilla2809]

best video for the newbies.. thank you sir! i have a question regarding the ATO reservoir is it saltwater or just freshwater?

[@ReefDork]

Just freshwater

[@justinrvarga7236]

That was a great video. I’m getting into marine very soon. Bit daunting but I will get their ❤️🐠

[@mvhpets]

good luck!

[@seangriffiths9163]

Just remember a water change does alot of good. Doesnt solve the issue but will save your coral and fish.

[@justinrvarga7236]

@@seangriffiths9163 I’m gonna start with marine fish only with live rock. Get my head around the fundamentals. Then get into the corals ❤️🐠

[@Mooseboy240]

Yeah its all in the experience

[@dolphuscovert2772]

What do I fill the top-off’s container with? Not tap water, right? Edit: just realized you put the top-off you used in the description, super cool of you! Thanks!!

[@alexandrafontaine8111]

thank you 🙃💁🏻‍♀️🇨🇦

[@arthurbenavides465]

I never would have thought of smelling the fish poop until he said something about it -_-

[@cominationz6130]

For the unpolluted seawater, should I keep it in some containers for six months to kill all the harmful bacteria? Some say there may be some diseases like ich in the water. Also, for wild caught fish, how can I get rid of all of its parasites and be sure of it? I brought home a clarkii that somehow washed up by the side of a shallow pool which is unusual because I saw no anemones. At first, it swam oddly but now it is fine but I am scared to put it with the others because it may have parasites. Any ideas? Thankyou!

[@LayneWilson]

Great video! You have some amazing tank shots! Good advice as well keep it simple. Now if only I could follow that advice lol How long have you been in the hobby?

[@ReefDork]

About 7 years

[@filiplaskovski9993]

Dr Tim’s ammonium chloride bottle does the trick for a fish less cycle !!

[@Charles-xu7pu]

Thanks. I think I'll stick to freshwater though hahah but this was informative.

[@jamienewton3851]

I never understand why people in the hobby say that you can not use tap water i simply add chlorine and metal remover into the water with my salt and my corals and fish thrive. (although im in Australia so my water my be different)

[@keganjensen2605]

Very informative! This is a great video for new reefers. The only thing I disagree with is that you have to use RODI water. Depending on where you live you could get away with using dechlorinated tap water. This is what I’m doing atm and my mixed reef is thriving!

[@Mlh1978]

Well you dont have to BUT you save your self alot of trouble by just using rodi. And its realy not hard to do. And you never know...sometimes somthing happens to your freshwater like a pollutant that you just will miss

[@keganjensen2605]

@@Mlh1978 Very true! It all depends on where you live. Tap water varies widely

[@no1baggiefan]

I've seen what tapwater does to my kettle, its going nowhere near my aquarium

[@Wissperwind]

In my Opinion PH and lighting are also some necessary things to learn to have success.

[@smokeandkippers]

Hi Alex, thanks for this. It’s giving me some badly needed confidence. What is that test kit brand you’re using? It looks easier to read than the one I’m trying. Thanks mate 👍🏻👍🏻

[@ReefDork]

Nyos for the nitrate and Hanna for the phosphate 👍

[@smokeandkippers]

@@ReefDork thanks buddy .. I’m colour blind red and green and really struggle with test kits but I can see different shades perfectly so having a comparison colour looks like the perfect solution to my problem! Thanks again .. I’m always learning something from your vids 👍🏻👍🏻

[@smokeandkippers]

@@ReefDork Just got my Nyos nitrate kit .. it’s a game changer for me! Thanks mate

[@karepy]

skimmer collection once a month !! haha thats stretching it a bit

[@ReefDork]

#TeamSkimDry 😁

[@freakygoblin3068]

Key requirements should included research and what I sometimes have problems with.. patience.

[@lisafoster4468]

Think I might have included light for the corals, and mentioned that certain element levels need to be maintained, but otherwise solid video.

[@Pedro116092]

Question.....Can I use volcanic rock as the structure base in a saltwater tank, or do I have to use live rock or reef rock?

[@ReefDork]

I've never seen it - volcanic rock probably contains metals which is a no no for reef tanks

[@rjl42985]

About to buy this exact tank, any updates on it?

[@matanfgaming640]

Can't wait to start my hobby I'm getting an 105 letter tank with everything with it and I'm going to be using life sand as the substrate and I won't be putting no saltwater fish in it till all my test have concluded with flying colours

[@enzomontini758]

Knew he couldn’t say the word algae with out a shot of that terrible aqua roch rock 🤣 great vid

[@ReefDork]

😅 Need to get new footage! 😁

[@masonherron5430]

Amazing video thank you so much!!!!

[@robertfly5991]

Can you use the dechlorinators or the detoxifiers that they sell at the fish stores instead of that filter when it comes to the stuff in the tap water?

[@ReefDork]

No, there are loads of other things in tap water you need to filter out. The total dissolved solids in tap water is usually around 300 parts per million. You want 0 ppm for a marine tank! An ro/di filter is the only way to achieve that.

[@robertfly5991]

@@ReefDork ok thanks, your channel has been really helpful and I've been thinking about a reef tank but I was always afraid to try

[@ReefDork]

It can feel extremely complicated from the outside but it's only as hard as you want to make it and it can be relatively easy...

[@neilsmith5883]

Haha fun vid Alex

[@Lucasaurios]

10:24 what type of fish is the little blue one with the stripes? I cant seem to google the right thing to figure it out.

[@ReefDork]

Cleaner wrasse

[@bioletsmakeiteasy]

These videos are amazing and so well explained. Does anyone know the name of the fish at 7:36?

[@ReefDork]

It's a wrought-iron butterfly 🙂

[@lgx2410]

Does the water in the ATO container go stale? Does it need cleaning/refreshing regularly?

[@ReefDork]

No, I almost never clean mine

[@oloyolo6711]

What container do you use for your ATO freshwater? And does this water need to be filtered, or is tap okay?

[@ReefDork]

Any container that's food safe is fine. Can't be tap water, it must be rodi water.

[@oloyolo6711]

@@ReefDork Got it, thank you. For your container, did you cut a hole for the ATO tube on top?

[@adam-uy6qg]

I'm buying my first tank next month, 300 litre tank with a 120ltr sump, been doing alot of research before I get into it and so far from what I've seen on youtube I need; heater automatic top off wavemaker lights protein skimmer Is this correct ?

[@diskuslars7527]

Sump is a little big..usually 10-20% of the Tank. Its ok as long as you dont choose a to big Skimmer. A to big Skimmer will eaten up your traces. 👍

[@bjelliott7765]

What auto top off do you use? I’d like to find that exactly little set up you have

[@ReefDork]

Reefloat ATU

[@YoutubeGirly93]

Hi I’m a newbie to this and wondering what size tank is best for marine fish like this??

[@ReefDork]

Smaller tanks require less maintenance day to day but bigger tanks are easier to keep stable. 3 foot would be a great starter size in my opinion if you have the space. Most of the cool fish need bigger tanks which is why I'm less of a fan of nano tanks generally...

[@das_schnitzel8459]

Very nice video 👍 Maybe this sounds lazy but is there a way without doing water changes?

[@ReefDork]

Water changes increase your chances of success so significantly that I'd never recommend avoiding them.

[@flyingmortgageman]

Great Video. Thumbs and subscribed. I am about to head to my local Aquatic shop and doing some background first. I work from home and want a tank to calm me in my office. I have done Tropical in the past and have always dreamt of Marine. Question. We like to go away for a winter sun holiday (Diving) So will be away 10-14 days probably twice perhaps 3 x a year. We also do many short 3-4 day breaks. We have someone that can come in and feed fish but no more than that. Am I dreaming that i can keep a healthy tank

[@ReefDork]

Long weekend is fine, 14 days is more of a pain but it can be done.

[@JosephsJungle8]

Is it possible to keep a Midas blenny with 2 ocellaris clownfish in a 30 gallon tank?

[@ReefDork]

Yep

[@navsreef5869]

Hi Alex are you still using ati pro? And what your experience been? Thanks

[@ReefDork]

Yep, been using it ages. Love the stuff 👌

[@navsreef5869]

Thanks for the quick reply 👍I'm using it myself and ill think I'll stick with it too, how many ml daily are you dosing?

[@Fishgeek1979]

@reef dork , on average how much water evaporation do you get ?

[@ReefDork]

On my 4x2x2 about 4 litres per day on average. On my 2 foot, 150 litre it's about 1.2 litres per day.

[@tubefeetmackay3693]

what do you think of C02 scrubbers for raising ph .

[@ReefDork]

Don't like them personally - no control, too much faff and expensive

[@tubefeetmackay3693]

@@ReefDork thanx for reply i was thinking of getting one but your experience sounds like its not worth the fuss ect

[@jocw101087]

Don’t smell the poop. Good advice 😂

[@ReefDork]

😅

[@getsajal]

What’s the minimum budget to get started on saltwater aquarium? I have experience of freshwater fish keeping but never tried saltwater because it always seemed a bit intimidating?

[@ReefDork]

For something half decent, around £1k. But you can go much cheaper, particularly if you go smaller and 2nd hand.

[@bradtate10]

Presumably the freshwater in the top off needs to be RODI water too?

[@ReefDork]

Yep 👍

[@BaezLife]

So you can't put your new fish in immediately you have to wait a month doing the process you mentioned?

[@ReefDork]

If you cycle it that way, yes. But you can just buy the bacteria in a bottle these days instead. That way you can add fish straight away 🙂

[@tomastakac7027]

Dummy question: At the beginning, I can use premix salt water. Due to evaporation fresh water is needed, so I am not able to use tap water for obvious reasons and I do not have a water filter. Is there any other possibility? For instance distilled water...

[@ReefDork]

I'd only ever use rodi water - water is just so important it's not worth compromising...

[@tomastakac7027]

​@@ReefDork ​ So if I use RODI water + special sea salt, do I need to add some additives like minerals, vitamins or so?

[@ReefDork]

@@tomastakac7027 no additives necessary 🙂

[@xx_trapzx2929]

Hey Reef Dork, i do a 30% water change every 3 weeks. Is that okay or will my tank crumble?

[@ReefDork]

Little and often is probably better, but I doubt it'll make any notiecable difference

[@xx_trapzx2929]

@@ReefDork okay, thank you!

[@Tommy81.519]

Is rodi water just regular reverse osmosis?

[@ReefDork]

Reverse osmosis, de ionised. The di part is really important

[@leeverink32]

if u just use a lid on your tank u (almost) dont need an auto top up on your tank. This way you have to do a little work on your tank ensuring you have to do something to it every day. That means cleaning the glass, filter, measurements for that day looking at your fish and making sure everything is okay. But if u are gone for a day or two or three thats fine ur fish wont die if they dont get food everyday although that is not trough for every fish so be informed well enough. u can get a timed feeder for your pets. Do no some fish need to learn to eat from it like the copperband butterfly. some fish eat brine shrimp frozen foods feed em some from time to time its a nice treat. dont over feed u only get a dirty tank just give that what is gone in 5 minutes or feed em 2 times a day.

[@johnnyb9797]

Which corals are non poisonous and safe for a starter person?

[@ReefDork]

All of them. Technically some zoas and palythoas contain toxins but it's not something to worry about in my opinion - the risk is negligible.

[@Vison24466]

Does this cost much on the electric though?

[@ReefDork]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/imayYaKMmrx6mJI

[@9latinumStudioz]

Denzel killed me 🏴‍☠️

[@jaguaresed]

I use tap water with conditioner and works good idk why people are scared of not using ROD water, I had tank for 10 years and still working good

[@dualfirecatgaming8035]

I'm so worried about trying that I use aqua essential from api for my freshwater 40 litre but I wanna go to saltwater and haven't because I'm terrified of treating it with the water conditioner and how often I'll habe to keep using the conditioner to keep de contaminating heavy metals