sw vs fw - setup and ?'s

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Defeatist

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 28, 2010
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i forget
just got a couple pcs of glass from a 55 gal tank. have a big side pc and a bottom pc and a side pc. so, im going to start a 125is build maybe 150. something long and wide instead of tall.

me and the wife were thinkin about going fw but after looking @ some fish and the diff options, now leaning towards sw.

ive been told that sw reef tanks cost more on start up and maint, but non reef tanks are faily cheap. is this true?

also what do i need to buy? all i have is the tank.

:confused::confused::confused:


thanks for ne help
 
SW tanks in general cost more then FW tanks. Regardless of whether you go reef or fish only with live rock (FOWLR) or fish only it will cost you more and it is more complicated. You will need to purchase an RO/DI unit for you water which will cost you about $200. You will also need a protien skimmer which is another $200 or so. And once you get SW fish, you will want a reef tank. It the natural progression. If you have never had a tank before, start with FW.
 
If your experienced in fishkeeping and your just now starting out on expenses sw with fish only will probably only be a little bit more expensive than fw. I've always wanted to do a sw tank but due to expenses and not having room for a big enough tank I just stick with a ten gallon planted tank. However sw fish are much more sensitive to toxins in the water and are generally harder to take care of without proper care and experience. If your just starting out get fw down, then think about the transition.
 
I have keep both fw and sw, I still have fw, sw. There are really not that much diffrent on taking care of fw or sw. If you want to start a sw tank, I will start with fish and live rock first to get your feet wet. For a 150gal you will need about 100 to 150LB of live rocks(they are there to keep your water in check) I will say about 150lb of live sand. A good wet/dry filter, a few powerheads, protein skimmers, uv sterilizer, Water pump for your wet/dry, hydrometers, salt mixes, and T5 or power compact lighting (if you want your rocks to be nice looking you will need it) all other water conditioners for your water and marine supplements. I don't use R.O water in any of my tank, I really don't think you will need one. One thing I will tell you is that don't try to save money on your equipment when you start your tank. You get what you pay for. It may cost you $100 more for a good protein skimmer than the one that is price less, but in the long run you will not regret spending that extar $100. This is the only reason that saltwater cost more than FW to start. You need more equipment and salt mixes. I check and change my water every other week and this is where you will spend money at SALT. I hope this will help you a little, I am sure other member can help you too. Here is my 300gal salt, 180gal salt, and my 150gal FW.

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Nice Setups Jack...

Well salt is more expensive and requires you to do a lot of reading up.. Its TOTALLY worth the trouble...
 
Go to a fish store... look at freshwater, then look at saltwater... what's more appealing to you? Everyone has a preference.
 
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