My daughter really wants a fish for her birthday and she told me it is a saltwater fish. I don't know a bunch about saltwater fish. Do you know how to get saltwater, or is it from a filter, what food...(etc.) If so, I would appreciate an answer.
--Paige BWhat is the difference between salt and freshwater aquariums? in a salt water aquarium, how do i change water?Dear Paige,
since your daughter sounds like shes new to fish, I don't recommend saltwater for her. Saltwater requires ALOT of care. The difference between salt and fresh, is salt water has a higher PH, higher temp, and higher salt level. Only serious marine aquarists get into saltwater, because the water chemistry is hard to achieve. It is definately NOT something for your daughter to handle if she is under the age of 18. Just personal experience.
I would go with freshwater. You can start her off with a small 5 gallon or a 10 gallon (depending on the fish you want to put in). There are many beautiful and interesting freshwater fish that I'm sure she'll love as much as the saltwater one she likes. Freshwater is very simple to take care of, and I recommend going into your local pet shop and talking to the some workers about fish care.
I could tell you everything you need to know, but I've gotta run. Good luck.What is the difference between salt and freshwater aquariums? in a salt water aquarium, how do i change water?The marine aquarium is not for beginners. There is a ton of information out there about this side of the hobby, and its not a good idea to begin a tank like this without at least being somewhat familiar with it all. Saltwater is similar to freshwater, but with very little room for error and the need for a much bigger budget.
I honestly think it would be better to go with something that is less expensive and easier to maintain. There are lots of great freshwater tropical fish out there, and entire setups that you can get for under 100 dollars.
Make sure to research Cycling your tank and establishing beneficial bacteria (in case you don't know about it already) as this is the most important part of fishkeeping.What is the difference between salt and freshwater aquariums? in a salt water aquarium, how do i change water?saltwater fish are a lot harder to take care of and if the tank is smaller than 50 gallons you might as well forget it. i tried to get salt water fish in a ten gallon and the salt was always way over or way under and it is impossible to keep it correct. if you do have a tank over than 50 gallons then you need to know saltwater tanks need a lot of care and time. if you still want to get the fish you can go to pet stores and ask for salt for your tanks and it will come in a bag, then you mix that together with the water. if you want to learn more about how to take care of a saltwater tanks i found a really good book called Saltwater aquariums by david e. boruchowitz and its supported by animal planet and the pet care library so you know its a reliable sourceWhat is the difference between salt and freshwater aquariums? in a salt water aquarium, how do i change water?saltwater tanks are pretty much a differnt world of fish. they need different filters, heaters, gravel, and things like that. it's a really big upkeep for them. if your daughter is interested in salt water fish, get her a few african cichlids.. they're gorgeous and as close to the pretty salt water fish as freshwater can get :) the cool thing about them is they like to be 'comfortably cramped' meaning if you have a 20 gallon you could put about 10 in there. for a 10 gallon get 5 or 6 =] ask any cichlid breeder, and they'll tell you the same. =] good luck, and happy birthday to your daughter!What is the difference between salt and freshwater aquariums? in a salt water aquarium, how do i change water?Most will tell you saltwater aquariums are harder to set up and maintain than freshwater. You'll also hear that you'll spend about twice as much money in set up and maintenance. I would take this to be true, and the reason I personally have yet to convert to the saltwater experience (combined with the fact that I've moved alot and saltwater aquariums can be pretty sensitive).
I would start by reading this article and some of the links/books it suggests:
http://www.fishlore.com/SaltwaterAquariu
There's even a video at the end about how to set up the basic aquarium.
That will help you decide if you want to set up a saltwater aquarium in your home.
As for how you get saltwater, you do have to add marine salt to the aquarium. The filters you will run on your tank will be slightly different from freshwater tanks. Many saltwater fish prefer live foods, but dry/flake marine foods are available.
I know I haven't provided much information right here, but that's because I feel like the article on fish lore does a better job of making it clear and concise. I really hope this helps! :)What is the difference between salt and freshwater aquariums? in a salt water aquarium, how do i change water?salt is more expensive and a little harder you do the water changes for both salt and fresh but if you forget to do one salt is more unforgiving. you have to mix the salt to get salt water and to get the right salt you have to buy it at the right store. your best bet is to go to a saltwater fish store and ask some questions they will help you
