Saltwater Aquariums for Dummies

Rating:
Summary: Now I just need an aquarium...
Review: For a while, I've been interested in starting a saltwater aquarium, but I'm an English teacher, not a chemist. I was constantly discouraged by people saying that maintaining the pH levels and light and temperature would be too much for an amateur to handle. This book showed me that anyone, and I mean anyone, can start a saltwater aquarium if they are willing to learn and do work. No, the saltwater aquarium isn't as easy as a freshwater one, but with this book, you can at least start with a very basic saltwater aquarium and work your way up. This book is entertaining, very well written (remember - I'm a fussy English teacher) and organized to boot. I tore through this book - it was more captivating than most mystery novels! I just need some money to get aquarium and equipment now.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointed with Dummies
Review: I bought this book and The New Marine Aquarium: Step-By-Step Setup & Stocking Guide by Michael S. Paletta in order to plan my new saltwater aquarium. The Paletta book is fantastic, up to date and is everything a beginner could want. The dummies book still pushes the undergravel filter as the best method for filtration. About a dozen websites that I checked dissagree. That's my major problem with this book. Having read both books over the course of two nights, I was astounded by how little information you actually get from this book. No subject is given in enough detail, even for a beginner's book. You will see my copy on ebay soon.

Rating:
Summary: Perfect for the clueless
Review: I bought this book for one reason. I wanted to start a marine aquarium but had absolutely no idea how to do it properly. I suppose I could have set out on my own just as the author did at one time. After reading this fine book, I can say with great certainty that my expensive salt water pets wouldn't have stood a chance. Nobody can include everything in one book. To be perfectly honest, I didn't want everything in one book. I wanted good coverage of all the basics necessary to be successful in this great hobby without being overwhelming.
Recommend to anybody who is clueless when it comes to salt water aquariums.

Rating:
Summary: Simply wrong!
Review: I ordered this book having loved some other for dummies books. Thank goodness I ordered several other saltwater tank books. As I was picking through each of them I noticed that the for Dummies book contained information that completely contradicted the others! I was so angry at the wrong information in this book that I sent it back at a $5.00 loss. I'm actually considering checking some of my other for dummies books for errors. Yes, the language is simpler than in other books, but the amount of wrong information is not worth the cost of the book. Buy this if you want to kill some fish.

Rating:
Summary: Out of Date and sometimes misleading information
Review: I was very excited to start my aquarium and used this book to start, within a few weeks I found out by visiting stores that I was basically doing everything wrong. I went to buy an underwater filter and they laughed at me and told me that they haven't sold any since the 70's. They also fail to mention how important and easy to maintain live rock is. I didn't even get any until a very knowledgeable sales person mentioned it. This book mentions very little about it and even less of it's importance. Overall the book is terrible, I am shopping for something new.