Even before you fill the first drop of water into your aquarium, there are a few things to consider. We'll tell you 7 typical mistakes when planning and building a seawater aquarium - and give tips on how to avoid them.
#1 Underestimating the total weight
An aquarium with deco and water can quickly become very heavy. It is therefore worth taking a look at the permissible floor load or consult a structural engineer if necessary.
#2 Too small dimensioning of the sump
In the event of a power or pump failure, the sump should be large enough to collect the returning water. It is also possible to leave some extra space so that you can easily install additional filters, integrate an algae refugium or set up a frag area for corals.
#3 Installing technology that requires maintenance in hard-to-reach locations
It makes no sense to mount the skimmer in the back corner when you have to clean it every week. It's best to think about such things before you start - this way you'll have less trouble later and regular maintenance will be much easier.
#4 Making it more complicated than it is
KISS - "Keep It Stupid, Simple" - means: Keep everything as simple as possible. Especially when getting started, you should first stick to the basic equipment and the recommendations of the manufacturers. Adventurous settings in the lighting or innovative homemade solutions can have negative effects (certainly not have to).
#5 Not using an underlay
A glass aquarium should not stand "naked" on the substrate, but should be underlaid with styrofoam or a mat if possible. This will level out any unevenness in the floor or shelf and balance the load on the panes. Even from above, no load (such as a table top) should lie on the aquarium.
#6 Too little flow
The role of flow is often underestimated. The water should not only move, but should also flow around the entire decoration, so that no "junk corner" is created. In addition, corals need adequate flow to allow for an exchange with the surrounding water body. Only in this way are sufficient nutrients and trace elements supplied and pollutants removed. As a guideline, 10 to 15 times of tank volume should be circulated per hour. By the way, flow is also important for fish, since some of them even make their territories dependent on the pattern.
#7 Socket strips on the ground
Socket strips should not be carelessly placed on the floor near the aquarium. It is best to use splash-proof sockets and fix them firmly at raised points or upside down in the aquarium cabinet. This prevents the ingress of water and thus a short circuit.
By the way, we ourselves have already become familiar with No. 5 of this list: In the sharehouse of a buddy, a "counter aquarium" was built (fortunately, there were no fish in there - but water). When 3 strong men with their beer leaned on the counter, it once made "CRACK" and the aquarium water ran through the living room. Of course we hope that this won't happen to you and wish you lots of fun setting up your seawater aquarium!