In general, assembling an all-in-one aquarium is fairly simple. The pump is installed in the back pump chamber and is connected to flexible tubing that, via a nozzle, returns water to the front display aquarium. Set the middle chamber’s heater to 25°C, but do not plug it in just yet! This also applies to the pump: before you can power any of the equipment, water must be in the tank. Adding the filter sock or filter pads and any filter media to the rear filtration is the last step.

3. Add live sand

Usually found in saltwater aquariums, live sand contains live nitrifying bacteria that will aid in the growth of beneficial bacteria in your new aquarium. Add three to five pounds, or just enough to create a one to two inch layer of living sand on the aquarium’s bottom. Live sand can be added to your aquarium straight from the bag; it does not need to be cleaned. Make sure that after adding the sand, you are prepared to add rock and seawater.

4. Construct an aquascape with live, dry rock.

In addition to acting as a biological filter, the rock gives fish and other creatures a place to live. Through the aquarium cycle process, the dry rock will become “living rock” as beneficial bacteria bloom on its surfaces. Keep the rock away from the aquarium walls and try to arrange it into an eye-catching structure. A chisel and hammer can be used to break larger rocks, and Super Glue Gel is an appropriate adhesive.

5. Add saltwater

To mix up some saltwater, get filtered RO water from the grocery store water dispenser or RO/DI water from your neighborhood fish store. Using a pitcher, slowly pour seawater onto the rocks to assist disperse turbulence and lessen the sand’s initial cloudiness. Make sure the back chambers are full and fill the tank all the way. The pump needs to be fully immersed, and the water level in the rear pump chamber should be between two and three inches below the top rim of the tank. It will be crucial to maintain this water level at all times, so pay attention to it.

6. Add beneficial nitrifying bacteria

Your new aquarium’s nitrogen cycle will be accelerated with the help of live nitrifying bacteria, allowing you to safely introduce fish. This nitrifying bacteria consumes the harmful ammonia found in fish waste, preventing the fish from becoming poisoned by their own waste. The sand, rock, and bio-media in your tank will all become covered in this beneficial bacteria as it grows organically over time.

7. Turn on the pump & heater

It is okay to switch on the pump and aquarium heater after the tank is filled. A tiny packet of water clarifier solution that is safe to put straight into aquarium water is usually included with live sand. The murky water should become much clearer after a day, and it is a good idea to use an aquarium thermometer to make sure the water’s temperature is between 25°C and 26°C.

8. Add coral

Corals are not vulnerable to ammonia toxicity like fish are, so they can be added to the aquarium immediately. Coral pieces can be attached directly to the aquascape with an epoxy and superglue gel mixture. Recall that because corals are photosynthetic creatures, you must provide them with enough light. This little aquarium’s soft corals and LPS may survive with the lights on for 8–10 hours a day if you set a timer.

9. Add fish

Fish should always be added gradually to your aquarium; it is never a good idea to overstock it. A clownfish, for example, would fit perfectly in this tiny tank and could be introduced to the aquarium without risk. The fish should not be susceptible to ammonia toxicity thanks to the live nitrifying bacteria you provided. A hermit crab, cleaner shrimp, and/or Astrea snail are a few other little invertebrates you might want to think about adding to the tank to help search for leftover food and consume any algae that starts to bloom.

10. Daily maintenance

Maintenance for a tank this size will just require a few minutes every day. Give your fish only enough food so that it will be consumed in less than a minute; the hermit crab will scavenge any food that is left over. To replace the water lost to evaporation, you will also need to fill the aquarium to the brim with fresh water every day. To maintain that steady water level, simply monitor the level of water in the back pump chamber and fill the tank with fresh water each day. Additionally, any algae that starts to grow on the walls needs to be cleaned every day.

11. Water changes

Maintaining the aquarium’s stability requires weekly removal of 10% of the saltwater. It is simple to extract one gallon of water at a time from tiny tanks using a pitcher and then refill it with clean SALTWATER. To prevent experiencing bad water quality, do this water exchange daily or on a comparable basis. To keep the water clear and effectively remove extra waste, clean and replace the filter sock once a week.