Small marine systems are "all the rage"; being cheaper to buy and operate, aquascape and livestock, and much easier to maintain than larger marine tanks. Being smaller and less money to purchase and keep however comes with some greater need for patience, more careful observation and limits on what one can easily, quickly or simply do. Smaller volumes of water are inherently less stable than larger... vacillating in temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen and much more, and having difficulties much more quickly than larger volume systems. As with all endeavours in our lives, there is a series of compromises, trade-offs in putting together and maintaining a small saltwater tank. As you will see/read here, there are still many options in gear and avenues to explore in decorating and stocking a salty world of a few to several gallons. You won't have to become a multi-field scientist, but knowing more of the actual background facts and rationale will greatly add to your enjoyment and appreciation for what is involved here. Similarly; sorting through what is currently available in the way of tanks, lighting, filtration and other components is not as daunting as it appears on first brush. Take your time, and good notes... Consider each part of your proposed set-up individually... per your space available, budget, desires... and then consider those parts, aspects as they relate, impinge and impact on each other. "Rome wasn't built in a day" and neither will your system be completed in days or even months. In putting this little book together I have purposely selected some, but not all possible makes and models of gear presently available. As these are constantly changing, and some lines are improving, while others become obsolete, you must take on the task of keenly reading through pertinent hobbyist literature (e-magazines and pulp) as well as carefully (not with a grain, but a fifty gallon bag of salt mix) sorting through input of the several excellent blogs and bulletin boards for actual users' experience with smaller marine systems.
About the Author: The diversity of life has always fascinated me; but the systematics of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians was blown away by the expansiveness and degree of unknown of the fishes. Few people had "companion animals" overseas, but many friends had bowls and aquariums with goldfish, guppies and other tropicals. I was born in Rhode Island, the smallest State of the U.S. but grew up in the orient as my father was career military. We had very few jobs "on base" for the "dependents" but I was fortunate to secure employment at a fish store that was associated with a restaurant in downtown Sasebo. Other vainglorious work overseas includes two years working for a Betta culture business, collecting and processing marines in Manila. Back to the U.S. in the late sixties I stuck to the trade as a retail clerk, a livestock wholesale worker (for Pratt's in San Diego), and eventually formed an aquarium service business with a school friend. This business cycled larger and smaller, and supported me all through college and beyond. It eventually became an employee-owned corporation with aquaristic retail outlets, fabrication (principally large acrylic systems), water feature construction, manufacturing and distribution divisions. Subsequent to the tax law changes, water-shortage "scare", and general decline in the California and U.S. economy in the late eighties these businesses were sold and liquidated. I worked for three years as a consultant and buyer for the mass-merchandiser PetCo in their bid to upgrade their stores, incorporating livestock. Is there a difference between what you do for money and for a living? Not me. Nowadays I write articles and books for the diving/underwater natural history and ornamental aquatics interests, and manage my rentals and securities. I browse the electronic bulletin boards to "chat" with others daily, and often travel, to go "hashing" (sort of running), writing and photographing with friends around the world.