Do you need a prescription for fish?
Studies show that you can benefit physically and mentally from aquariums. In one study, the participants’ blood pressure, heart rate, and moods, were all improved after spending time visiting an aquarium.
If you’re ready to start enjoying the healing benefits aquariums can bring, we can help. In this article, we’ll review everything you need to know to set up a coral reef aquarium.
So take a look! Before you know it you could be enjoying your very own aqua paradise.

Coral Reef Aquarium
First, what is a coral reef, exactly? Out in the ocean, corals are gigantic living structures. The largest coral system is over 1,500 miles long and it’s the Great Barrier Reef.
Aquarium corals are much smaller, however, they come in all sorts of species. When it comes to the coral reef for aquariums, you have to be careful to choose the right species of coral.
Brain and Daisy Corals
Brain corals are a semi-aggressive species that are likely to sting other kinds of corals. If you’re using brain corals, it’d be a good idea to make that the only species of coral in your tank.
One of the best parts about brain corals, however, is that they’re really easy to take care of. If you’re looking for a less aggressive coral, you should explore daisy corals.

Choosing the Best Coral Reef Plants
You’ll want to use coral reef plants in your aquarium to make the right reef ecosystem. Here’s a list of the different types of reef plants:
- Green finger algae
- Turtle grass shoots
- Mermaid’s fan
Once you know what plants you’re using, you can start selecting your fish. Take your time as you explore different species, like the coral beauty angelfish. You should also get things like rocks, to add to your aqua landscaping.

Include Coral Reef Animals Other Than Fish
What coral reef animals would you like to include in your aquarium?
Here’s a short list of some of our favorite choices:
- Sea horses
- Snails
- Sea monkeys
- Hermit crabs
Make sure your tank is large enough to hold all of your sea creatures.

Steps to Set up Your Tank
Now you’re ready to start setting up your tank.
Here are the 5 steps to follow:
- Install the sump and equipment
- Add substrate and sea salts
- Add aqua landscaping
- Set up the aquarium lighting system
- Add the fish and other animals
In addition to following the steps above, you’ll also want to follow any special instructions you get regarding your fish and animals. For instance, snails and many fish can have a hard time acclimating to the tank. However, you can help them out by floating them in the aquarium water using a tied off bag filled with the water the snails came in.

Enjoy Your New Aquarium
There you have it! The top tips for setting up a coral reef aquarium in your home. We hope our article was able to teach you at least one new thing about aquariums.
For instance, were you surprised to learn that brain corals are feisty? Or how about how snails can make the perfect addition to your tank?
Start taking the steps to set up your aquarium today! For more fun articles like this one, go ahead and check out the rest of this site!