# salt water vs fresh water



## newbie2009 (Feb 12, 2009)

hi all ... im interested in setting up a 48 gallon tank (have all of the required equipment to do so - tank / light / filter) ... freshwater vs saltwater ? is my next decision - if i go saltwater, any more equipment required? is it recommended for a newbie? or should i build up experience with a fresh water tank ... and then move into salt water down the road? ... thoughts


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## FishyCracker (Feb 5, 2009)

I wouldn't jump into either yet until you are well informed and know what you want. Have you considered joining a club? You meet great people and get a ton of information to help you decide what is right for you.

Depending on your location you probably have a few options. 
Check out http://www.caoac.ca/clubs/clubs.html for a list of some FW clubs.
Check out http://www.mastcanada.org/ great bunch of Marine inclined people.

Either way both FW/SW require constant care and dedication and money heh =)


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

If I was you I would go fresh water first but thats just me Ive been reading for almost a year now and Im still not sure. probably by the summer I may star into salt. Iam sure the marine people here will advise you.


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## blossom112 (Mar 19, 2008)

Well .... Im not to sure about Freshwater .
But saltwater Was my very first tanks you have to educate yourself and research!
Myself .......I think saltwater is easier then freshwater as you have your live rock for bio filtration and just so awesome .
I like my FW and planted im finding more difficult then the SW but I am learning slowly .


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## newbie2009 (Feb 12, 2009)

done some reading on saltwater systems - and no filter is required? just the live rock -- i can live with that .... but what causes the water to circulate? do you need to change the water on a more often ... appreciate the recommendations and will continue to research online ... thx


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Check out wet web media, as it's a great resource for starting out, be it FW or SW. All your questions should be answered first. 

And make sure you know as much as you can before making the first move - I personally dislike hearing "I done this, this happened, now help me" - better to know what to expect, and know the requirements before you make the plunge.

FW or SW each has it's own pleasures


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## UnderTheSea (Jun 2, 2008)

First off, I totally agree with Blossom to a certain extent. The larger the SW tank the easier to care for and more time to react if parameters fall out of line.

I was away from my tank for 6 weeks in the fall as my daughter was in the hospital. Came home to a healthy tank, just a little green algae on the glass. Autofeed, auto-topoff and turned my skimmer off. The only thing I was afraid of was a lengthy power outage. Next big investment is backup power.


Before you consider either I think you have a lot of reading to do. Visit some local enthusiasts places to see their setup. I research over a year before making the move from FW to SW. The more you learn before hand, the better the odds that you will actually stay in the hobby. Many rook's make too many mistakes and give up on the hobby too quickly due to lack of knowledge and/or trusting the wrong people.


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## Cory (May 2, 2008)

SW and freshwater both have advantages and disadvantages. I couldn't say which is more difficult really since there are so many variables. What I can say is that if you mess up with saltwater you'll have spent more money in doing so which is something to consider. 

Otherwise though, larger is better both in sw and fresh. A lot of people like to start with a small tank thinking it is more appropriate for a beginner and then move up to a larger one when they've got more experience. In reality a larger tank is better suited to the beginner and small tanks to the more experienced hobbyists. It is much harder to "mess up" a large tank than a small one, there's just more margin for error. 

Posting here is a good start but there's a wealth of readily available information on the net that can really get you going and probably fuel your excitement for the hobby even further. When you're ready to get the fish lots of folks on this forum and elsewhere in Toronto, including myself, are breeders of fish and you can get better quality stock at lower prices from most of these people .

Best of luck in your adventure. Let us know how it goes.


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## cablemike (Jan 7, 2009)

I would say start with a 33 gallon.. its the perfect starter tank.. big enough to have fun and enough water volume so problems do happen too quick. As far a fresh or salt.. i have both but im biased.. i love my salt tank, i like my fresh water.. Fresh water is easier and much cheaper. But fresh water isnt a challenge.. Salt water is a hobby which requires serious dedication.. where as fresh water is very forgiving.. to be honest i totally neglect my fresh water task.. i dont do water changes for 4 months at a time and everything is doing well.. if i did that with my salt tank, well i could end up having a tank crash (water parameters go totally out of wack, things start dying) .. There are good books at the library for both fresh and salt.. go get some and read.. then decide which you want.. the easy yet potentially stunning fresh water/planter tank.. or a coral reef in your home..

My tank, Salt water coral reef









gorgeous planted fresh water tank (not mine)









This was my first tank, a 10 gallon fresh/planted..


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## UnderTheSea (Jun 2, 2008)

Nice Tanks Mike !!!


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## Cory (May 2, 2008)

Stunning Reef Tank !


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## evilmonkey (Feb 6, 2009)

Cory said:


> Stunning Reef Tank !


agreed that tank is amazing. Im just starting out myself and want a salt water tank more then anything but figured since im starting out i better start with a fresh water tank for the reason if i screw up something fresh water fish seem to be much more forgiving and a lot less expensive then salt water fish.


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