So you’ve decided to take the plunge into the exclusive club of aquarium owners. If you haven’t decided already, the next step is choosing whether to have a freshwater, saltwater or reef aquarium! So which one is best for you?
Freshwater tropical aquariums are colorful and natural, they provide an impressive visual experience requiring a less demanding maintenance schedule and lower operating costs.
However, if you were to go for a heavily planted freshwater aquarium for example, additional special lighting, fertilizers and carbon dioxide will be required and the costs can really add up fast.
The fish in freshwater aquariums are inhabitants from rivers, lakes and streams. They aren’t always as vibrantly colored as saltwater aquarium fish, but can definitely come in an array of amazing patterns and unique shapes. The combination of the earthy colors and sleek lines of freshwater fish and fauna can look particularly striking in a luxurious interior. Variations and combinations of rocks, woods, plants and sands can be sculpted to suit your preference, resulting in a relaxing, zen-like visual.
Freshwater inhabitants also tend to be much hardier and generally less expensive than their saltwater counterparts. They are also more tolerant of changing tank conditions than saltwater fish.
When it comes to saltwater fish, truth-be-told the biggest difference from freshwater fish is – personality.
A saltwater fish tank opens you up to keeping creatures from oceans and seas all over the world. While amazingly colorful and exciting, truth-be-told the biggest difference from freshwater fish is – personality. The ability to keep species from different parts from the sea opens you up to an amazingly diverse world of behavior. From the symbiotic relationship of the Clownfish and anemone, to the Hawkfish perching on a rock, to Gobies that chew up sand to sift through for food or the Cleaner Shrimp keeping its tank mates tidy. It’s a diverse eco-system, right in your own home or office.
A Saltwater Fish-Only Tank or Marine Aquarium is the nomenclature for a saltwater aquarium that only houses fish, along with artificial or non-living décor. The advantages being it’s a more affordable alternative to a reef tank in terms of equipment and maintenance and you’re able to keep fish that would not be safe in a reef environment (read invertebrates or coral predators).
A saltwater reef aquarium is a re-creation of the ocean. Saltwater fish with living corals and invertebrates (shrimp, snails, crabs, starfish, clams, etc). A reef tank also requires live rock for it’s in tank structure. Natural or aquacultured rock from the ocean, teaming with living micro-organisms and beneficial bacteria. A reef aquarium usually requires more equipment, specific lighting and additional maintenance to keep the water parameters exact as possible. With the ability to support all of these different species in one aquarium, the reef tank is not as forgiving when it comes to water conditions in order to keep all inhabitants flourishing.
Because most of saltwater fish sold in the trade are sensibly harvested from the worlds oceans, the cost is much more than freshwater fish. The cost of collecting a fish in Indonesia, flying it to the United States and then housing it for quarantine is a delicate process. Aqua FX Aquariums quarantines all of the livestock we provide our clients for at least 14 days to insure that they are in optimum health.
No matter what type of living art aquarium you choose, you will always have an exceptional show piece everyone will love. Every freshwater, marine and reef aquarium created by Aqua FX Aquariums is a fabulous conversation piece that makes an engaging focal point in any room.
Freshwater Aquarium:
- Tap water system
- 2-4 week maintenance interval
- Natural aesthetic
- Durable and colorful fish
- Cost effective visual impact
Marine and Reef Aquariums
- Specialized salt and Reverse Osmosis water
- 1-2 week maintenance interval
- Live coral reef wow factor
- Colorful fish and corals
- Impressive visual impact with personality
COMING NEXT WEEK – PART THREE – GLASS OR ACRYLIC?