# bad things about salt tanks



## sweet lu (Oct 3, 2003)

my couseins really want to start a 75g salt tank but i am trying to convince them not for many reasons

first off they havnt been the best at tanks i mean she kills feeder fish, all she has right now is 4 mollys that arnt gonna make it for more than a week

also she wants to have one of those beatiful tanks like you see at hotels in vegas and stuff but with a 75g

she also wants to mix other salt species that cant go together

and all the money, i mean they only have enough to get a 55g and a aqauclear 300 for filtration

i dont want to be mean but is there anyway that someone can give the goods and the bads with salt water fish

thanks


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## J_TREAT911 (May 29, 2003)

there are plenty of positive things i can say about saltwater tanks!

however with what you have stated sweet lu i don't think its a good idea for them to get a saltwater tank. if they can only afford a 55 and a ac 300 then they will not have the bare minimum to even start a saltwater tank. for perspective i was going to start a reef tank in my 40 gallon. i already had it setup for freshwater. the cost for all the equipment including the live rock and sand was going ot be about $1600 and that is just start up!!! no animals!!! there is so much equipment involved with starting and maintaining a tank.

even if you get it all setup there is no gurantee that the fish will survive. they are a lot more fragile then freshwater fish due to the salt factor as well as all the other water factors (pH, ammonia, etc.).

then there are the compatiblity issues. many kinds of fish can only survive with certain companions. other organisms can only be with themselves and many fish will get quite large and need lots of tank space.

i'm not telling them to not get a tank but i'm saying that they need to invest a ton of time and money into it. if they aren't prepared for that then they shouldn't be getting one. its all about patience with a salt tank you just can't expect to get instant gradification out of it.


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## sweet lu (Oct 3, 2003)

thats what i am trying to say

it is expensive and time comsuming to start a tank

also they just got a 75g and only want to use a ac 300 and that is it

i dont think they know what they got into, i mean they barely can keep mollies alive


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## Dasu95 (Oct 18, 2003)

I agree very bad Idea without the right equiptment it is headaches and heartache


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## J_TREAT911 (May 29, 2003)

if they can barely handle mollies then there is no way they can have any sort of saltwater creature!!! stop them at all costs


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## Fallenangel0210 (Dec 15, 2003)

J_TREAT911 said:


> if they can barely handle mollies then there is no way they can have any sort of saltwater creature!!! stop them at all costs


 agreed, save nemo before he dies in their 75 gallon tank with the ac 300. hmm were they gonna use tablesalt too?


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## sweet lu (Oct 3, 2003)

yep i told them to return this huge bag of just plain table salt and they complained that it was a a lot cheaper and just salt

there is no way i will let them have a full marine tank cause my 10g brackish tank is harder than a fresh water tank

i will make sure they never get a salt tank....yet









thanks


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## MR.FREEZ (Jan 26, 2004)

salt tank take a lot of devotion alot of maintainence doesnt sound like they sould have any kind of pet 
ecxept a pet rock maybe


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## sweet lu (Oct 3, 2003)

those rocks crack me up every time i see them

mine keep dieing though


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

> yep i told them to return this huge bag of just plain table salt and they complained that it was a a lot cheaper and just salt


Cost of one 55 gallon drum = free (stolen homeless person's fireplace)

Cost of 10 pounds of table salt = Ten dollars

Cost of constantly circulating water with wooden spoon = free

Cost of having your own ghetto marine aquarium = PRICELESS


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## sweet lu (Oct 3, 2003)

acestro said:


> > yep i told them to return this huge bag of just plain table salt and they complained that it was a a lot cheaper and just salt
> 
> 
> Cost of one 55 gallon drum = free (stolen homeless person's fireplace)
> ...


 :imao:


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## piranhapat (Oct 11, 2003)

I disagree with you guys on this. My saltwater tank is very easy to maintain. Doesn't cost that much more once your started. If she going to add live rock she doesn't need much of a filter. The only thing she should get is a good protein skimmer. That would cost a few bucks. But all in all its not as hard as everybody says. I always listern to people until I tired it myself. I think its the best thing I done. Today if you take your time and do your research before you buy things its alot more fun with the prettiest fish. Got to start some where.


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