Aquariums are not a lot of work. The biggest issue with marine aquariums in the past was with lighting, but metal halide and LED have been game changers in that regard and lighting is now effective and efficient, allowing the keeping of many corals and anemones which only a decade ago were no go.

Filtration has also progressed from undergravel plates to fully automated systems with a trickle sump, refugiums and other features.

The main thing is to do what needs to be done regularly. Avoiding sudden changes is key to success. It is better for the fish to live in attrocious conditions than to be suddenly taken from these into ideal conditions. Swings in temperature, pH, hardness, salinity and chemical composition can have dire effects on a community in an enclosed environment and any changes must be gradual.

Water changes are a necessary evil, but I enjoy doing them as the process allows a good close look at the tank. Gravel vacuuming through suction is a must to get rid of detritus and nitrates that build up in areas there is limited or restricted water flow. This process requires close attention, thus you get to look closely at areas of the tank which might avoid notice at a casual look. Again, regularity is key. 10 - 20% of water is the most you want to change at any given time. This is THE BIG ISSUE with marine tanks as the water is salt water, the chemicals and minerals that make it so must be added, unless you have a source of fresh, clean, unpolluted sea water. It can be expensive.

The most common mistake people make is to think they will get a small tank to keep things easy. The bigger the tank, the easier it is to keep things in balance and to maintain it as there is a larger volume of water to stabalise things.