Salt vs Fresh

[snyder810]

Why did you take this so personal. It is a fact that SW is more expensive and more work than FW. I have had both and I don't have to have bags of salt on hand for fresh water, or barrels of pre mixed SW on hand for emergencies. FW wont put a coat of rock hard salt deposits on everything around the tank. Skimmers, UV lights live rock, there is a lot to keep up with. Now for those who enjoy it, it does not matter.

1. yes salt is more expensive
2. NO it is NOT a fact that SW is more work, that isn't even close to true.
3. what upkeep is there with live rock? you just put it in and enjoy its benefits
4. UV lights aren't needed anymore in salt than they are in fresh

people have a lot of misconceptions about SW tanks and "how hard they are" mainly because they've never tried it. many people will admit a mature SW tank is easier to maintain than a mature freshwater system. once again the initial start-up and cost of fish will probably be more,

but i've officially been converted to a huge freshwater guy to SW because it just seems more interesting to me. in freshwater tanks you don't have the experience of finding a new critter that "appeared out of nowhere" which happens a lot in salt tanks. just so much more variety of animals to be kept...just my 2 cents, don't knock it til ya try it

 

[Ang]

The eel can be mean , though hes my big baby. He likes to be scratched and pet , and will lunge his body to my hand like a cat would. He's a goof.

that is so cool. I would start a large SW tank just to have an eel like that. I'm too afraid to do corals or invertebrates. And I'm just too darned lazy to figure out stocking a bunch of small SW fish, but having one large SW predator is something I would do.
Especially one like that.

 

[irishfan]

Ive had both. Salt for much longer than fresh. Unfortunately I moved and the salt talk was taken down. I absolutely loved it though. It really was not too tough. Water changes involved a few more minutes to mix up the salt and make sure it was right and it was a pain sometimes to scrape the buildup of salt off of filters and the hood.

It comes down to personal preference, but the colors of some salties is just amazing. When my job picks up and make some more cash I will be back in the SW game, that was where I started and what got me hooked.

BTW I never had live rock or sand in my tanks and they were up for years.

 

[irishfan]

Gotta agree with snyder real quick...that was the coolest part...came home one day to find creatures growing in the tank. That was interesting to me, I was much younger and seeing something grow from an environment I had created was awesome.

 

[erk419]

Gotta agree with snyder real quick...that was the coolest part...came home one day to find creatures growing in the tank. That was interesting to me, I was much younger and seeing something grow from an environment I had created was awesome.

Howd you have little creatures if you never had live rock?

 

[erk419]

Thanks man I like somone that can read personality through posts. I never got to tell you how much me and my girlfriend enjoy your avatar. Rooted for them when they came to dallas.

Though i was never aware most people dont like me .

The eel can be mean , though hes my big baby. He likes to be scratched and pet , and will lunge his body to my hand like a cat would. He's a goof.

I love fresh and love salt. I encourage everyone to give salt a try. I was once the person that was like , FRESH WATER FTW!!!! Then one day i traded in my 400$ stock gravel and all the goods. To get a little live rock some sand and a clown trigger. This was due to my girlfriend , she hates fresh. I couldn't believe i did it. I also find a fish is not right for you until you get it in your home. I find SW fish to have so much personality once you begin keeping them for a while. They are much smarter than freshwater and personable. I say this from experiance , not from opinion. Yes my oscars love to be fed and what not but man the mind a SW predator has. I have only been doing SW for 9 months!!!! Before that i knew nothing of it. My little 10 gallon with my snowflake eel. 55 gallon , week later 125 , then 180 , then 210 , now my new 12ft tank. I thought freshwater was addicting .... I was no expert , im still not. Saltwater turned my brain into a never ending sponge. I can't stop wanting to obsorb more!

Thanks bro you a jackets fan of do you just not like the stars. If I had to guess I'd say your a Vancouver fan!

Anyways Go Jackets!!!

 

[irishfan]

I couldnt tell you. All i know is there were many things that appeared. Often..and it was always when the tank was in perfect condition, small worm like things, lotta weird things. I had no live rock or anything so I cant explain it, they would come and disappear, some only at night, some would be things that would craw up the glass, etc. No fish got sick or died so I have no clue what they could have been.

 

[erk419]

I couldnt tell you. All i know is there were many things that appeared. Often..and it was always when the tank was in perfect condition, small worm like things, lotta weird things. I had no live rock or anything so I cant explain it, they would come and disappear, some only at night, some would be things that would craw up the glass, etc. No fish got sick or died so I have no clue what they could have been.

Wow that pretty cool and weird!

 

[mgk]

its fun if you have the money and research a proper setup. You definitely can't pack fish in like freshwater as water changes get a little more challenging.

the live stock could definitely be considered better looking in salt. reefs are pretty awesome. check out the tanks on this page http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/subject/totm.php


non-coral - is probably around the same price as fresh with nice filters except added cost of the salt.

reef- is alot more expensive

but keep in mind price goes hand in hand with size of the tank.

 

[TheCanuck]

Thanks bro you a jackets fan of do you just not like the stars. If I had to guess I'd say your a Vancouver fan!

Anyways Go Jackets!!!

Rick Nash is a fellow canadian. A dam good one too.