The Salty Side: Saltwater Aquariums for Beginners

Gift Ideas for a Saltwater Aquarium Keeper

gift ideas for a saltwater aquarium keepers

Buying a gift for someone who keeps a saltwater tank can be a nightmare. Invariably, they already have everything they need, and anything else seems superfluous and overly expensive. I know this, because I have a long-suffering wife who makes it known. In an attempt to ease the suffering of all saltwater enthusiast’s spouses, partners, siblings and other unfortunates, I have compiled a list of some of the cool stuff that we reefers talk about, but often do not buy for ourselves. I hope that these gift ideas for a saltwater aquarium will ease your burden, and make your hobbyist very happy!

The trick is to find out what the hobbyist in your life already has, and see if anything below would make them excited. Some are extremely helpful, and others are very useful. I have tried to steer away from gimmicks. With budget in mind, the following ideas do not exceed $58.99!

FL!PPER DeepSee Aquarium Magnifier 4”

The FL!PPER DeepSee Aquarium Magnifier is perfect for the aquarist who cannot help stopping and gazing deeply into their aquarium every time they walk past it. The magnifier is magnetised with the magnifying glass on the outside of the aquarium, and it can be moved to any part of the front panel. This helps us look at the tiniest things, like coral polyps, close up of fish, amphipods and more. It really is a fantastic gift idea for a saltwater aquarium.

Be sure to consider the Flipper DeapSee Max Orange Filter (below)

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FL!PPER DeepSee Max Orange Filter 4”

The FL!PPER DeepSee Max Orange Filter 4” is a lens that attaches to the magnifier. Its purpose is to see corals in a saltwater aquarium in their true colour. Marine tanks are often lit by the blue light spectrum. When viewing by eye or through a camera lens the true colour of corals can become distorted. The orange filter lens blocks out the blue spectrum making it possible to appreciate the true colours. It also makes it possible to take amazing true-to-colour photos. When purchasing the orange filter, make sure that the sizes match.

Be sure to consider the FL!PPER DeapSee Viewer Spotlight (below)

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FL!PPER DeepSee Viewer Spotlight

In addition to the orange filter, FL!PPER has also included an added extra, a light to be used at night when the lights go off. This little attachment allows a reefer to gaze upon the night activities, through the magnifier, in their aquarium without disturbing the inhabitants. It makes one of the unique gift ideas for a saltwater aquarium.

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Orphek Aquarium LED Lighting Extra Wide Coral Lens

The Orphek Aquarium Extra Wide Lens Kit has been made to clip onto a smartphone and take amazing photos It is super smart with a dedicated holding case for the lenses and clip attachment. The kit includes four lenses. You have a 15,000K orange lens, and a 20,000K yellow lens that can be used together or in combination for the ideal natural color look. If you get a lot of glare when taking photos of your tank, they have included an anti-glare lens. The fourth lens is a macro lens that works as a magnifier for close-up shots. All lenses can be used separately or combined. I cannot go without my lens kit for taking amazing photos.

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Kraken Reef UV Coral Viewing Glasses

A pair of Kraken Reef UV Viewing Glasses are the ideal gift for a saltwater aquarium enthusiast. They are an orange filtered pair of glasses that when worn immediately cut out the blue light from the saltwater tank. They enable you to see the tank in all its natural colored splendour. Not only that, you can pass them around to guests so they can also appreciate the corals, they truly are one of the best gift ideas for saltwater aquarium family and friends too. These are profession-grade glasses with UV 400 orange lenses. They provide 100% UVA and UVB protection, should you decide to wear them out too!

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FL!PPER 8” Aquarium Top Down Viewer

The FL!PPER Aquarium Top Down Viewer is the perfect gift for a reefer who likes to look at, or take photos of, their corals from above. This is used by placing it on the surface of the water then looking through the included orange filter, or from above. The flat viewing pane on the water surface makes for fantastic viewing and photography without the distortion of surface water movement. The viewer is about the same size as your outstretched hand, wrist to fingertips.

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Seaside Aquatics Look Down Box

The Seaside Aquatics Look Down Box is also a top down viewer. It is slightly smaller at 6” than the Flipper version, and is circular. The clear bottom allows for the perfect photos without surface water distortion.

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Blink Mini Camera

Although not strictly speaking an aquatic item, I find this perfect when I am away from home. You simply plug it in and download the app. It allows you to see the aquarium on a smartphone app in real-time. The clarity is amazing, and you can even use night vision when the lights are off. This is perfect when away on holiday, or even if you want to have a camera on your tank at all times. This is one of those excellent gift ideas for saltwater aquariums tech savvy owners!

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Innovative Marine Accudrip Acclimator

An extremely practical addition to any reefers arsenal. The Innovative Marine Accudrip Acclimator takes the guesswork out of acclimating new fish and invertebrates. No more using knots in airlines. This acclimator provides an accurate drip rate for safe introduction of inhabitants. This is well worth the money, and if they do not already have one, they will be very happy to receive one.

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Innovative Marine Gourmet Grazer

The Innovative Marine Gourmet Grazer is a feeder aimed at the reefer who keeps herbivorous fish. If they have mentioned feeding nori, then this is ideal. Often, hobbyists use suction cup feeders to feed nori, which means they get their hands wet every time they reach for it in the tank. With the Gourmet Grazer, the strong magnet holds it in place. It can be removed from the tank just by sliding the Grazer up with the magnet. No more sticking hand in the tank!

For more info on the Gourmet Grazer read this article.

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Innovative Marine Gourmet Gadget Defroster

The Innovative Marine Gourmet Gadget Defroster is a great piece of kit for those reefers like me who feed their fish defrosted cubes of mysis, krill and brine. The problem with frozen fish food is that you cannot simply throw it into the tank. In its ice form it floats, all the way to the weir grate, and then is sucked down into the sump. This is a great solution, in that you chuck your frozen cubes into the defroster. It keeps the cubes within the cylinder, and as it defrosts, they enter the aquarium through holes in the bottom of the defroster where the fish are waiting. No more waste!

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Python No Spill Clean and Fill Aquarium Maintenance system

After years of struggling with water changes, this is a lifesaver! No more buckets of water, spillages and mess every time I need to swap water out. The Python No Spill kit is amazing. This kit is as much for the hobbyist as it is for anyone living with them.

How it works is, you attach it with the included brass adapter to your faucet (or an optional universal adaptor). Then you run the water. The force of the water coming out of your faucet draws the water out of the aquarium. The aquarium water is flushed away with the water from the faucet, down the drain. To fill the aquarium you can add a threaded fitting to a utility pump. Place the pump in a bucket of premixed, preheated water, and fill the aquarium back up. Brilliant.

The good news is that each component of the kit is sold separately, so if you need to adapt the kit to suit your water changing, it’s entirely doable.

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AquaticHI Aquarium Tongs

Tongs, AquaticHI Aquarium Tongs to be specific, are something I use on almost a daily basis. With the aid of tongs, a reefer very rarely need to put their hands in the tank. They can help to retrieve things on the sand bed (like frag plugs the urchin has moved), or turning those stupid snails over, again. They are completely reef safe and highly recommended. This is one of those I-ain’t-getting-my-hands-wet-no-longer gift ideas for saltwater aquariums.

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FL!PPER Cleaner Float

The FL!PPER glass scraper is one of two top rated glass cleaners. The other is the Tunze Care Magnet (below). This is no knock-off scraper, it is the real deal, and is fantastic at its job. If the reefer in your life is struggling with a sub-standard scraper, or even worse, a Mag-Float type glass cleaner meant for tropical tanks, then they will be delighted to have a scraper that will make life so much easier. All blades are replaceable with new Flipper blades.

For more info on the Tunze Care Magnet and the FL!PPER Scraper read this article.

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Tunze Care Magnet

The Tunze Care Magnet is another top class scraper. I have had mine for almost ten years. Like the Flipper, the Tunze is a top class scraper that does a fantastic job. It also has replaceable blades, both plastic and stainless steel. I couldn’t do without mine.

For more info on the Tunze Care Magnet and the Flipper Scraper read this article.

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FL!PPER Platinum Hand Scraper Tool

There is nothing worse trying to reach hard to get algae without submerging your entire arm, with towel on hand. Well, the FL!PPER Platinum Scraper Tool makes that a thing of the past. You can purchase them in various lengths, but I would recommend the 28” version. It is super sturdy and comes with a replaceable FL!PPER ‘plastic blade’. However, in their wisdom, they have designed the scraper to accept any old credit card, gift card or even hotel room card. This really is one of those gift ideas for saltwater aquariums that keeps on giving.

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FL!PPER Aquarium Mat Artwork

I did say in the beginning of this article that all gift ideas will be helpful and useful, but I had to throw this in too. This unique floor mat was produced for FL!PPER by an artist called Sharon Cummings, and would fitting on the floor in front of any saltwater aquarium!

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Conclusion

I hope you have found this article of gift ideas informative, that it has made your life easier, and that you were able to find something that would bring a smile to your saltwater aquarist’s face. Just have to show my wife now!

Saltwater Aquarium for Beginner

Hi, my name is Craig.
I am the owner of The Salty Side.
Firstly, thank you for visiting us. If you have found this article to be informative, and you now have a better understanding of the topic, then my job is done.

If you are feeling charitable, and feel I deserve a little thank you, I thank you in advance for any support given.

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