fresh vs salt

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Thanks for the advice.
The 2 tanks are ranging from 6+ months to at least 18 months old now. They have also had issues keeping Scribble Angels too(Current one is going really well though). I figured small Angels are fragile. The hardest part is not knowing what is happening overnight. They have some clowns, i think 1 or 2 in each tank. I have suggested some bigger fish such as Lion Fish, Dog Face Puffer or an Eel. But mum likes calm fish that are not too agressive.
So, would you think it is because the fish are so fragile? Is there anything specific they should be doing with the Angels, or is there some secret on how to keep them happy?
 
Other than the salt expense monthly there's not much difference for a fish only salt tank, Ive done fresh, salt and brackish and the only reason I don't have salt or brack anymore is laziness I got so sick and tired of mixing salt! I never got around to getting a mixer for it haha, I never had too much of an issue with keeping salt fish alive either. I will have a 6 plus foot tank set up for salt again soon though as one of my favorite fish ever is the Miniatus grouper, or another Clown Trigger or another lionfish or a ...........i could go on and on,. Where did I put that other 180 and I know where the skimmer is hmmmmm.
 
One reason why i have avoided a S/W tank for so long (even though i kinda want one) is the cost of running a S/W tank in Hong Kong...

I know you guys all say it costs about the same as Freshwater, but in HK where its hot, we have to run chillers on S/W tanks pretty much 24/7... then adding R/O water etc means that the costs of a S/W tank becomes a lot more expensive not only for the initial setup, but also in the long run...

One day though, i may decide to venture into the darkside...
 
I always say that saltwater isn't any more difficult, it's just more of the same. You probably know how to do some freshwater tests for chemistry, and it's more of that. For larger setups, you need more equipment. For reefs you need more light, more flow, a little more time for maintenance, and more money. However, there is no denying that there is more color in saltwater. Don't get me wrong though, I love freshwater as well.

All in all, I keep 8 tanks (all 55g and under) and only one is saltwater. It's a 29g reef (glass tank not biocube) with several fish, several corals, and several other inverts. If I didn't have the coral I wouldn't need the light (which only cost me $45 new for 2 t5's) and if I didn't have inverts I would never need a UV sterilizer. As it is you don't really need one unless you get marine ich (cryptocaryon). I don't run a skimmer or have a sump. Just a HOB filter with a biowheel and a powerhead.

And if you're just doing FOWLR then it's basically the same as freshwater except when you do water changes you mix salt in the water. A 30g trash can on wheels makes a good mixing bin for large tanks. Otherwise 5g buckets work fine.
 
Another easy way to do water changes for salt water is to set up another smaller tank, put on a heater and a power head. Then let the salt mix in using the power head over a couple days. THen when the water is up to temp and all other paramaters are fine, do the water change using a pump.
 
daleteekz said:
Another easy way to do water changes for salt water is to set up another smaller tank, put on a heater and a power head. Then let the salt mix in using the power head over a couple days. THen when the water is up to temp and all other paramaters are fine, do the water change using a pump.
Click to expand...

Thats what I always wanted to do, I just never got around to it or would forget and then there I was with a 5 gallon bucket mixing and mixing haha and only 2 short hrs later I was done!!!!. Its been almost 10 years since I sold off my last salt tank. But if I remember correctly instant ocean used to have free mixing powerheads in the buckets, my lfs always had the bags on sale so I never ended up getting one. I was going to use a new plastic garbage can, anyone using those for mixing their salt up?
 
This is how it was explained to me years ago. the only difference between any higher end f/w setup and s/w is the setup cost. I know plenty of people who dump just as much money into a small plant tank as others with nano reefs. But yes big full reef can be more expensive, but when done right you dont "need" RO units or chillers. My 65 reef setup has over 400w of light over it and doesnt ever have temp. spikes unless the house temp. spikes. It is a different kind of thinking that I take to it but i spend far more setting myn up atfirst and requires next to nothing per month to maintain. I think i spend maybe $10 a month to maintain it.
 
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