Skip fresh and start with salt water

[ILS-19R]

I know it is highly recommend doing fresh water first, but I would really like to start out in saltwater. I have no FW experience, other than a semi-large tank our family had when I was a kid. Recently I purchased a 72 gallon tank and I would really like to skip fresh water. Would love to hear advice, especially from anyone else who skipped FW.

First, I have done tons of reading and will continue to do so. I am willing to take it slowly and not rush into it. I think those two factors will be a big help. My tank is a 72 gallon bow front. Filter is a Rena XP3, but will add live rocks. No protein skimmer yet. Would like to start out simple and add coral, etc. down the road when I am comfortable.

So, am I nuts for wanting to skip fresh? Any encouragement or advice? Thanks for taking the time to respond. I have been reading the forums a lot, but this is my first post.

 

[scottdwh]

I dont think there will be any problem with skipping freshwater. The only experiance I had with fresh was a little tank when I was about 8 which housed a goldfish I won from the fair. The two most important pieces of advice I can give is stuff you already know. Be patient and read these forums. I use the search feature all the time on AQ to find answers to just about anything to you need to know.

 

[echoofformless]

It just comes down to doing it right.

I have found that plenty of people jump into freshwater tanks without the slightest bit of research or consideration. It's almost repugnant.

So I think that as long as you plan to read, research, discuss on forums, consider each individual species and their needs before purchasing, etc you can be perfectly successful.

I don't think freshwater fish keeping is any sort of a "primer" or training course if you are doing everything right the first time around with the marine tank. Go for it.

 

[vorlx]

While having setup a freshwater tank and being able to properly care for them is good I don't know that it ends up being all that productive if you are like me. I can setup 100 freshwater tanks and they will all bore me the same. IMO as long as you research properly, have the money to invest, and ask for advice before making to many rash decisions then you will be fine if not better off. Salt is much much much more enjoyable from my point of view.

You also need patience. =)

 

[Catpicklesdog]

I never did freshwater apart from having a basic pond in the back garden. I went to the shop to get some fish food and came out with an AR620!!! As long as if you do loads of reading along the way and ask questions I can't see you have any problems.

 

[FishPassion]

Very sound advice allready given but your keywords tell me you will make it and the main keywords are research reading and patience. I have found to many people only posting a question on a forum and taking that advice which is dangerous reason being I belong to several other forums one of them a small local one where a sw trend recently started. Needless to say a huge amount of new hobbiests giving out advice can be dangerous.

Good luck in your new venture...

 

[jayghmi]

I enjoyed my FW water experience. I think FW tanks can be amazing and not at all boring. Try growing exotic live plants with a discuss.

The biggest thing FW can teach you IMO is patience and basic husbandry. Also you can have a nice FW tank on a budget - SW is at least 3 times as much money and mistakes are costly. I have almost $3,000 in my 46 bow and I don't even have a sump yet!

You definitely don't need FW experience, but I believe you miss much of the journey in skipping it. IMO Jay

 

[archer772]

With the advancements made over the last few years I dont think SW is that much more work than FW just can cost more to set up and more if a problem arises. I think 70-75 gallon tanks are nice first tanks as they are more forgiving and most things are still fairly reasonable price wise. The best thing you can do is try to come up with an idea on what you want lets say a year down the road as far as corals go then make all your purchases for that as in lights, flow and skimmer. I would skip the cannister except for running carbon or some other chemical filtration in it, I would run a fuge from the start if it was me.

Scott

 

[Grins]

I do believe that a successful FW keeper makes a good SW canidate, but not because they did FW first but because they're obviously willing to do the research and maintenance or have learned to. From your post you are willing to as well. Personally I thought I'd start with FW and start very small, but after 4 weeks I knew it wasn't what I really wanted and made the move to not just a SW tank but a reef. It is possible.

 

[vorlx]

I enjoyed my FW water experience. I think FW tanks can be amazing and not at all boring. Try growing exotic live plants with a discuss.

The biggest thing FW can teach you IMO is patience and basic husbandry. Also you can have a nice FW tank on a budget - SW is at least 3 times as much money and mistakes are costly. I have almost $3,000 in my 46 bow and I don't even have a sump yet!

You definitely don't need FW experience, but I believe you miss much of the journey in skipping it. IMO Jay

To each their own. The FW thing just isn't for me. I'm not much of a plant person either. I respect your likings but I just can't get into it.