Why did you decide to setup a saltwater aquarium?

[triga22]

The beauty of the fish and corals. Also something to keep me busy. I was already in the hobby with freshwater so I decided to challenge myself. And my wallet.

 

[prime311]

Originally Posted by Scopus Tang
http:///forum/post/2523897
Ouch! Theres some time you'll never get back!
No doubt about that

 

[fishfreak1242]

My friend got me into SWF and I loved it. The fish were so much more colorful and it was more of a challege to keep up with your tank and keep it healthy. And because I had alot of money and didnt know what to do with it.

 

[fenrir]

I set up a saltwater tank because I miss my home state and the ocean. It is an extremely calming feeling walking into my room that smells like saltwater and being able to watch some of the most beautiful animals on our planet right agianst your wall.

 

[fenrir]

And I must be crazy but I actually think my saltwater tank is easier than my 20 gallon tall that I had for four years before I took the plunge. I do not miss vaccuming my bright red gravel out of my fw tank! lol

 

[nordy]

"Seriously though, because I wanted the challenge of a saltwater aquarium, while being able to keep something really cool looking (more color than freshwater, more options)."
Lex, you got that right! I had a 55 FW tank given to me by someone who got tired of it. I played with it for about 4 years, then got kinda bored with it so I went over to the salty side of life in 2001 and never looked back. Now, I have changed that SW fish tank to a reef tank and it's a whole other world out there in the reef world.
Oh, and what others say about the money pit that a sw tank can be? True dat! I do side work on weekends and find myself on Saturday evening calculating "How many new corals can I afford to order tonight?"

Great thread!

 

[florida joe]

I think in my case it’s the call of the sea if you will. Having always lived near the ocean it’s just something that is hard to explain to some one that lives inland. The last great frontier as they say just pic up any book and look at reef pictures and you cant help be in awe of natures wonders. So I guess im a little or maybe a lot selfish and I want to bring that wonder into my home

 

[hintze55]

it just looks 100% alive, unlike freshwater water everything is fake except the fish, but saltwater is so much more colorful and everything is importent

 

[azul1994]

My uncle had given me his 35 gallon that he no longer had time for.
I planned to set it up as freshwater since i already had a 10 gallon fresh, had a stocklist and everything. Then i stumbled upon this site and started looking through all the fish.

 

[mathwhiz]

we started with a beta for our daughter and it died almost overnight, we took it back and got another one. We had it for awhile and decided he looked lonely. We quickly found out you can't really put anything else with a beta, but we just couldn't stand how lonely he looked. We started checking on other types of fish we could pair up - of course daughter wanted Nemo - so Presto! Our spoiled

little girl got 2 nemos with a 55 gal. tank and other fish have come and gone from our family.

 

[metweezer]

Originally Posted by Jaymz
http:///forum/post/2523839
I agree with the idea saltys are more colorful, but there are alot more than fish in the fresh water world. Bamboo/flower shrimp, clams, devil crabs etc...
they are not as colorful but equally as interesting. Plus freshwater fish are easy to breed which is always a rush.
Yeah, but I hate getting into the tank to do the deed

 

[morval]

i live next to a lake so i put the ocean in my house.

 

[gonefishcrazy]

I started with fw but everytime I went to lfs I spent my whole time in the salt section admiring the colorful fish and the million choices. Once I switched I realized fw was more work maintaining than sw.

 

[phelpz]

Originally Posted by LexLuethar
http:///forum/post/2523733
Because I had too much money and I needed to burn some of it in the bottomless vortex that is saltwater fish keeping...
thats pretty much why I did. I had some extra cash and I was at a LFS and decided I needed one. If I would have known I would have bought a PS3, or a new tv....

 

[florida joe]

Originally Posted by metweezer
http:///forum/post/2524239
Yeah, but I hate getting into the tank to do the deed

now steve that was funny and i will not even ask abut your equipment to do the deed

 

[alix2.0]

i was bored with life in general.
the SW things kind of challenging and involved so it holds my intrest.

 

[prk543]

Two of my friends set up tanks in their dorm rooms, I thought they looked cool, but i couldn't set one up because i had to ride 10 hours in the car back and forth to school, so I waited until I got a place of my own, and my buddy tore down his tank and gave me a bunch of free stuff (including livestock)

(he wasn't going to set his tank back up)
Too bad he ended up killing off all of his LR, he had some really cool peices... I just don't want to be in the county when he opens that sealed 5 gal bucket...
Oh well, at least I get to torture him with talk of how my tank is doing and the neat things I am doing with my tank!

 

[grim_reefer]

i was bored with freshwater and decided i didnt have enough debt at the time

 

[snowrider84]

i had a freshwater tank, all fish got sick, and died with in a day, i was mad!! tank sat empty for months in my living room. I had always though about going salt water, but though that it cost alot and was alot of work. yes it costs alot but not too much work.(i mess around with things more than anything) My Buddy went out and got one and after talking with him and him taking me to the LFS i had turned my 46 bowfrount in to a reef tank, now two years later (and who knows how many thousands) I have a 120g reef (I should say reef in process) Im now way more into it than i ever was with freshwater. one of the best things i have ever done.

i could never go back at this point.

 

[aquaferg]

I JUST got done cycling my first SW... a 55g and I made the HUGE mistake of reading some of these posts to my wife...... She is now rethinking letting me keep the thing. I would buy her something to make her forget about all the $$ I am about to spend but that would take away from my SW fish $$$.