What is easier to manage, a saltwater aquarium setup or a fresh water setup?

Philippines
December 3, 2006 8:20pm CST
I would like to put up an aquarium setup but I was thinking what kind of setup would I pick. Will it be a fresh water or salt water. For those who are into aquariums, what is easier to manage, a salt water or a fresh water setup? Please give nne the pro's and cons of both setups and please help me how to start one. Thanks a lot posters.
2 people like this
13 responses
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
4 Dec 06
I would also have to go with freshwater. THey are alot easier to maintain and you can do a lot of neat things with a fresh water tank now a days. Here is a website where you can request a free catalog and it deals with both freshwater and saltwater. Also remember there are some very pretty fish you can get with freshwater also. Here's the website www.drsfostersmith.com
2 people like this
• Philippines
5 Dec 06
woow thanks for the link.I will sure visit the site.Thanks again.By the way, do you happen to know what types of fishes are the best ones to get?
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
4 Dec 06
I have only had fresh water tanks and have friend who have salt water tanks. A large fresh water tank requires very little maintainence. A salt water tank takes a while to set up and requires a lot of daily maintainence. I suggest going with a large 20+ gallons fresh water tank unless you want to deal with contsantly checking your tank chemical levels, worry about where you are going ot get water from to refill your tanks, and spending over $1K on fish and coral to start the tank.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
4 Dec 06
Just luv' pizzas - I love eating pizzaz.My favorite pizza is the super supreme from pizza hut with volcano stuff crust.It's everything and all in pizza for me.Soooo delicious.
Yup like you I was only able to put up a fresh water setup.But salt water setups are so beautiful that I really really would love to be able to put one up.But uyeah i ahve to agree that salt water tanks are costly and hard to maintain.
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Dec 06
A fresh water tank is much easier to handle for sure. Salt water fish are very picky about their tank and if the slightest thing changes they will get sick and die before you even realize there is a problem sometimes. Besides that salt water fish are much much more expensive! If you lose a fresh water fish you feel bad, but if you lose a salt water fish you want to cry because of the expense.
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Dec 06
Probably freshwater. There's all the maintenance on a slat water that you don't have with a fresh water. However, you get to buy cooler fish with the salt water, like the clownfish.
1 person likes this
@jsnapp (137)
• United States
9 Dec 06
Fresh water are definetly easier to set up and maintain. I have had a fresh water aquarium for about 15 years. Once you get the water balance right they are pretty easy to care for. Salt water aquariums take a lot of expensive filtration and need a lot of ariation. I spent about $400 getting a salt water aquarium set up and never could get fish to survive. I finally gave up and went back to fresh water. The salt water fish are more expensive too. When you do get an aquarium set up, make sure to get a good water test kit. I would suggest going to a good pet store where the employees can help you with all the chemicals you need to balance your water. Make sure to just get 2 or 3 fish for the first couple weeks. If you start a new aquarium with a lot of fish the amonia level will get too high and kill the fish. Just add a few fish at a time.
@DocterDew (902)
• United States
18 Feb 07
Freshwater aquariums are much much easier, and cheaper to set up. Salt water you will have to buy some extra salt to add to the water but when you are cleaning it you have to know how much to put in based on how much of the water you put out. The salt water fishes are much better of a selection though, atleast where I live, while the freshwater fish are a lot cheaper. I guess what you choose should depend on how much time and money you're willing to put into your aquarium. Hope this helps.
• United States
17 Dec 06
most of the people here say fresh water.. i agree.. i have never had a salt water tank so i cant really say .. but my parents excuse was its to hard to keep the fish alive... if the water is not correct something could happen .. not only that but the salt water fish are expensive.. 20-50 dollars a fish .. and with them passing so often .. that not something that would make me happy .. fresh water fish are cheeper.. i do think that salt water fish are more colorful and beautyful .. .. good luck with whichever one you choose
• India
17 Dec 06
i prefer saltwater because many kinda fish can survive only in salt water. in our country chlorinated water comes as fresh water so if i put these water in my tank then my fishes cant cope with it so i use to fill the tank with underground water.it also make ur fish healty.so what food ur givin to ur fishes?
@tmnjyk (3486)
• Canada
9 Dec 06
We have fresh water tanks at home. I have never tried salt water myself.
@Signal20 (2281)
• United States
7 Dec 06
I have all fresh water tanks currently. I had a small salt water set up, and honestly it was too small. The larger the tank, the better/easier it is too maintain(true for freshwater also). Once you know what to do, both are just as easy to maintain. I've actually heard salt water was easier. Freshwater is much cheaper though to start up. If you're inexperienced, I'd recommend starting with a fresh water tank. Then gradually move up to a salt water. Here's some links to look over. Do searches on the search box for starting a fish tank, cycling a fish tank, caring for a fish tank. It'll give you a really good idea of what's needed! Good luck and enjoy it-they're fun to watch! http://www.about.com/ http://www.fishforums.com/forum/ http://www.aquariacentral.com/ http://www.aquariumboard.com/forums/home.php
@jess368 (3368)
• United States
17 Dec 06
Most definetly a fresh water tank! saltwater tanks need constant maintance!
@unisis (1673)
• Indonesia
5 Dec 06
Depend on where you stay if you stay near to the sea probably the salt water is easier to get but if you stay far from the sea i prefer to use fresh water and easier to get,easier to change ,if the aquarium has been dirty
• Guam
18 Feb 07
I would suggest a freshwater aquarium. Read plenty of books about the subject, surf the internet, and get as much info as possible about fishkeeping, it really is the best way to get the most out of this hobby. Saltwater aquariums require near daily maintenance checks, whereas a freshwater aquarium just requires a weekly siphoning out of dirt and fish waste.( the rest should be taken care of of by the filter ) Freshwater aquariums also enable you to keep live plants, whereas a saltwater aquarium would require live corals(very, very expensive in large quantities). Go with the freshwater aquarium, the plants and fish provide a breathtaking view if maintained properly)