Know Your Salt

Saltwater fish require specific habitats and aquarium equipment and are less adaptable than freshwater fish. If you're a beginner or just want low maintenance pets, we recommend starting with a freshwater aquarium. If you enjoy the complexity of marine ecosystems, saltwater aquariums are the way to go.

Freshwater Aquariums
As a rule, freshwater fish are less expensive than their saltwater counterparts. This is because most freshwater fish are raised in fish tanks or ponds rather than brought in from the ocean.

Equipment and supplies for freshwater aquariums are also usually less expensive. Inexpensive gravel can be used as a substrate (bottom layer) in freshwater aquariums. A greater selection of marine plants is available for freshwater aquariums than for saltwater aquariums.

Saltwater Aquariums
By now you're probably wondering what makes saltwater fish so special. Most of the saltwater fish kept as pets were removed from the ocean. Saltwater fish are accustomed to living in a complex yet unchanging ecosystem, and imitating that ecosystem as closely as possible is the key to successfully keeping a saltwater aquarium.

Saltwater aquariums require you to maintain a proper and stable pH level and water salinity. Live rock such as coral skeletons should be used as a substrate and is rather expensive, though it can be used in combination with crushed coral. Saltwater aquariums that contain invertebrates also require more intense lighting, which comes at a cost. Protein skimming (collecting waste via bubbles in the water) is an additional filtration element with saltwater aquariums. Protein skimmers are filters used in saltwater aquariums. They work by a process known as foam fractioning in which dissolved wastes are drawn to tiny air bubbles inside the skimmer's plastic column. As these bubbles burst, the foam they create is skimmed off, taking the dissolved proteins and wastes with it.

If you have the patience for them, saltwater aquariums are very beautiful and a lot of fun. Saltwater fish are intensely colorful and interesting, and actually prefer living with other creatures such as crabs, eels, and starfish.

Overcrowding is a common mistake made by the first-time saltwater aquarium owner, as is overfeeding. Start slowly, make sure to purchase fish that will get along, and you should succeed at establishing your own little slice of ocean life.