What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Aquariums

Well hey wuz up? I'm always running my mouth about something so here it is. I really want a saltwater aquarium. I do have experience with small freshwater tanks and my stepdad has a little water garden with koi in it. I was wondering which do you guys prefer saltwater or freshwater. I really wanna do a saltwater one but what are the pros and cons and stuff like that. just gimme some info on the aquariums you like that way i can decide the cost and everythign else. well hope to see your posts!!
unclesam.gif
 
unless you're willing to fork alot of money over, don't do saltwater right now... for beginners you'll need a big tank, especially if you want fish. a 55 gallon minmum for a tank of fish is probably right. Next there are the costs of life sand, crushed coral, salt, protein filters, tidepool filters, ph and ammonia testers, nitrogen testers, lighting, expensive fish food, and most of all the fish and coral themself. if you want a really nice looking 55 gallon tank be prepared for your wallet to be 1,000 dollars smaller
wow.gif
 
well i knew all that would be calculated into it. i already did the cost and I know what I'm looking at but the thing is i want to do a saltwater so badly I am willing to forget the cost and cry my eyes out everytime I buy something fof it lol.
wow.gif
this face looks like a fish.
tounge.gif
man I saw a kit that comes with everything expect the supplies to fill it with and it was $1000. so i'm looking at around $2,000 -3,000 i think,
tounge.gif
 
I've done both.
I like saltwater, but as you know it's expensive. Just the salt gets very expensive if you do a 25% water change every 2 weeks. You probably should change the water every week.
I have a 40 gallon planted discus tank. 1st time for real plants. I've had this tank over 4 years now. I change my water twice a week, thank goodness I do not need salt.
You can see my tank here:
http://www.geocities.com/elgecko1989/community.html
 
Hey I had a discus tank for years! Planted, too! I got two, and darned if they didn't have babies. Except that they gradually, um, consumed them.
rock.gif


Anyway, aside from cost, the biggest difference between salt and freshwater is maintenance. While your enthusiams is all revved up (and believe me, I'm very familiar with this), it seems like it's not big deal, but over time, the amount of work you have to put into it makes a big difference. I think one can make a freshwater tank that is absolutely stunning, and have it be relatively low maintenance, and for that reason, that's the way I'd go. Of course, if you decide to keep discus, it's possible for it to be even HIGHER maintenance than salt. Keep it simple! I'd love to get fish again, but when I do, I'll probably get goldfish so I don't even have to heat the tank!

Hey elgecko, that's a really beautiful tank! However, I think you have WAYYY too many fish for a tank that size. That's the right size for 2 discus and a few neons maybe! With 6, you'll have to do extensive DAILY water changes.

Capslock
 
beautiful tank. yeah that's what im worried about. i mean my mom had an aquarium and she always took care of it. but somehow a disease got into the tank and she couldn't save her fishes.she had never seen the disease b4 so she didn't know what it was. i think my mom will help me with it and so will my stepfather. i'm afraid of the maintenance part. i know there's so much to do but do you check everything every day or once a week?
biggrin.gif
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (wolfpackgurl @ Mar. 24 2004,15:45)]beautiful tank. yeah that's what im worried about. i mean my mom had an aquarium and she always took care of it. but somehow a disease got into the tank and she couldn't save her fishes.she had never seen the disease b4 so she didn't know what it was. i think my mom will help me with it and so will my stepfather. i'm afraid of the maintenance part. i know there's so much to do but do you check everything every day or once a week?
biggrin.gif
every morning and every evening with saltwater tanks
 
Capslock,
I have seen were they say 7 gallons per discus is ok. I agree I'm pushing it right now. I do have a lot of biological filtration with my fluidized bed filter.
When the neons pass away I will not be replacing them.
5 discus are 5" and 1 is a 2" runt that I purchased some time ago to see if I can keep them alive. I then talked to a breeder. He was kind enough to give me fish. I told him the size of my tank. I left with 8 fish total. 6 were for me and 2 were for my friend who wanted to try discus also. I place the 6 fish in my tank and said no way, too many fish. So I gave my friend 3. Even though this is what the breeder recommended for me.
What I'd like to have happen is get 2 pairs in the tank. I have 1 pair now. I know that I have another female but not sure of the last 2. I think they are the same sex but watching their behavior.
I will be setting up a 29 gallon tank, as soon as I'm finished my stand for it, that I might be moving my pair into, I'm not sure yet.
 
  • #10
My neons might be leaving sooner then I thought. I just saw one pick off a discus fry.
mad.gif
mad.gif
mad.gif
 
  • #11
ooh my goodness. i hate it when fish aren't friendly.
 
  • #12
What, its small and its swimming. all fishes think things like that are food
 
  • #13
Wolf,

There is just no comparing FW and SW in terms of cost, maintenance, patience and of course, in my opinion, beauty.

I have been heavily involved in marine aquariums for many years now.  I have been President (currently Vice Pres) of a marine aquarium society - MASOV.  I currently have 5 marine tanks and run my own small business manufacturing filtration equipment (in Australia only so I figure I’m not breaking any forum rules by mentioning that.., I hope?).  My main area of interest is the propagation of SPS corals (namely Acropora, Pocillopora, etc)

I’ll give you the one most important piece of advice if you want to go marine….

READ!

Read everything you can get your hands on from books, magazines and on the web.

Once you’ve read enough to give yourself a good general understanding of what’s involved (remember that books and the web can be very out of date at times), hop on to one of the web forums and start asking questions and putting your plans forward for comment from more experienced people, etc.

Two of the best:

Reef Central
Reefing the Australian Way - My home ;-)

You can also have a look at my little site:

Aaron's Marine Aquarium Site

Hope this helps.

Aaron.
 
  • #14
okay i've been reading about marine aquariums for about a year now. just getting prepared for it.
biggrin.gif
 
  • #15
Fair enough.

Then you should definately hop onto those forums and describe your plans so that you can get some feedback and to confirm if you are on track.

Can I ask what you intend to keep and what type of setup will you be running?

Aaron.
 
  • #16
I have no experience with SW, but one thing I really like about SW is that the fish can reproduce just as they do in the wild. While its true that hatcheries and some home aquarists breed SW fish(such as neon gobies, clownfish, some angelfish etc.), it is much easier to do so in freshwater. This is what provides the challenge in FW. In SW, the challenge is keeping the "delicate"(okay, I know there are plenty of exceptions to that one) little organisms alive and in a natural enviroment...with the high tech lights, filters etc. In FW, you challenge is satisfying the fish so they will breed, and then try your hand at raising fry to maturity. Of course, some SW fish are almost as hardy as FW fish...and some of the FW fish are just as delicate as SW fish.

But for a beginner, FW is best. That way, your fish don't die if you change the water without unplugging your heater, or forget how your filter works. Get a little more experience, and two roads lay ahead of you...more FW challenges, or Sw.

"If you come to a fork in the road-take it'

Does anyone know who I quoted just then? Someone told me about a baseball(?) player who said this, but I forgot the name.

Since I only keep Fw, this may be pretty one sided, but certainly wasn't mean't to be!
 
  • #17
well i can't set up one anyway right now b/c I don't have the money too. but maybe my stepdad can help me out.
 
  • #18
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Nflytrap @ Mar. 26 2004,5:46)]I have no experience with SW, but one thing I really like about SW is that the fish can reproduce just as they do in the wild. While its true that hatcheries and some home aquarists breed SW fish(such as neon gobies, clownfish, some angelfish etc.), it is much easier to do so in freshwater. This is what provides the challenge in FW. In SW, the challenge is keeping the "delicate"(okay, I know there are plenty of exceptions to that one) little organisms alive and in a natural enviroment...with the high tech lights, filters etc. In FW, you challenge is satisfying the fish so they will breed, and then try your hand at raising fry to maturity. Of course, some SW fish are almost as hardy as FW fish...and some of the FW fish are just as delicate as SW fish.

But for a beginner, FW is best. That way, your fish don't die if you change the water without unplugging your heater, or forget how your filter works. Get a little more experience, and two roads lay ahead of you...more FW challenges, or Sw.

"If you come to a fork in the road-take it'

Does anyone know who I quoted just then? Someone told me about a baseball(?) player who said this, but I forgot the name.

Since I only keep Fw, this may be pretty one sided, but certainly wasn't mean't to be!
Yogi Berra!
 
  • #20
ok i have decided that i'm gonna have a freshwater aquarium and keep that in my house and then if i feel i can handle a saltwater tank by myself then i'll move up to that. well also when i can afford to have it.
 
Back
Top