Challenges of aquariums in the desert
It seems that everyone in Las Vegas wants a saltwater aquarium, or at least a couple saltwater fish. Technology has gotten to a point where this is possible pretty much wherever you live but Las Vegas has some unique challenges for those entering the Saltwater Fish and Coral hobby.
Water Quality
One thing saltwater fish need is good water. One thing Las Vegas doesn’t have… you guessed it. Water from the tap here isn’t great, it isn’t even “ok”, its bad. Hard water, additives, and god knows what else is in your tap water. In order to successfuly have saltwater fish in las vegas you need to invest in an RODI system. Alternatively you can purchase water from us at Artistic Oceans, but either way… clean water is a real challenge in the desert.
Temperature
Another real issue out here is the heat. If you havent noticed, Las Vegas gets hot. Your Saltwater fish and coral want a temperature range in the high 70’s to about 80 degrees. When it is 120 degrees outside, that is easier said than done. If your tank is near a window, or in an older house with less insulation the problem becomes even worse.
There are a few things you can do. Chillers are an easy addition to most tanks. They are little fridges that water runs through to keep it cooler. LED lights over traditional nickle halide and T5 lights also put off much less heat. High quality dc pumps and pumps with the motors outside the tank like the Vectra products also keep heat out of the tank.
If your tank is near a window consider some UV tint on that window to reduce the amount of heat causing rays warming your slice of the ocean up.
Air Quality
Saltwater fish and coral need good air quality to thrive. This comes in the form of high PH air and low particulates in the air. Las Vegas is dusty, a quality air filter in your home and closed windows goes a long way in stopping these things from going into the tank.
Conclusion
Keeping Saltwater fish in las vegas isn’t as easy as some other places but with a few precautions it is very possible. A few different pieces of equipment or some forethought on placement of a tank can save you a bunch of headache when setting up your reef tank.
