Ok so here is the deal I need to choose between a saltwater tank and a planted Discus tank?

Question

I am getting a bowfront aquarium between 46-80 gallons and I want one or the other. I've done freshwater for about 8 years and have had great luck with all types of Cichlids mainly Firemouth and Red Devils. I would like to have Discus, but I have never had a planted tank. A good friend of mine wants me to start a saltwater tank, but I've never done that either. Which one is easier to maintain and which one will be more cost efficient. Money isn't the most important thing, but it does play a factor.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

I have had several saltwater tanks over the years, including a reef tank and have also kept and bred discus. One point I think needs to factor strongly into your choice is your current tap water. For the saltwater tank it's not as critical as the various salt mixes do good job of adjusting water chemistry and if you are talking about a fish only salt tank then you will probably have no problems. However, with discus soft, acidic water is critical for them to thrive. If your tap water is otherwise and it probably is, then you will need to invest in a Reverse Osmosis (RO) unit to even consider discus. Not to say it wouldn't be a good idea for salt as well, just that for a salt tank it may be less critical to have RO water as a starting point.

Discus do not require a planted tank at all, but seem to do better with natural plants. If you want to keep and not breed, I would suggest the live plants. Which of course brings in not only special water condition requirements, but substrate considerations as well as lighting considerations.

To sum it up, either one would present you with a real learning curve, needs for special equipment for the water, needs for special expendables (such as water chemistry materials, foods, salt mix, plant fertilizers, etc) and special lighting considerations. Not to mention the knowledge to bring it all together successfully. Both are a high initial investment and both require additional on going expenditures which are probably about equal in cost (assuming a fish only or a FOWLR salt tank). Reef tanks are of course a whole other dimension of cost, both in initial set up and maintenance items.

I would add one final note. With either set up you should factor in the space and cost of a 20 gallon or so quarantine / hospital tank.

Personally, I would go with discus, but that's only my personal preference.

MM

Answer 2

Both are moderatly advanced setups, but not crazy expensive or difficult to maintian as long as you have some experience. The problem with discus and planted tanks is that plants require slightly different parameters to the fish, so it's a balancing act. Discus need low nitrates and high oxygen. Plants prefer higher nitrates and CO2. You should be able to keep a happy medium, but I would stick to the easy to grow plants, and maintain the water quality for the Discus. If you are getting a R/O filter and have a good power filter, adding a protien skimmer and another power head or 2 will have you setup for basic marine. The marine needs a little more monitoring and adjusting, you cant just do big water changes to maintain water quality like you can with the Discus. But it wont be horribly more expensive. Personally I would go with the Discus but thats because I know freshwater and have very clean tap water, so keeping up the water quality is just a matter of lots of water changes. Ian

Answer 3

I managed a fish store for 2 years, and I gotta tell you, once set up and running smoothly, a salt water tank is a lot easier to maintain. Now, for a 46-80 gallon tank, I would probably go with the Discus, and shoot for the 80 gallon. Planted tanks are awesome, I set up an Amazon only tank at my house, 55 gallon, and it looks great. I also have a 220 gallon saltwater tank with sharks, and my salt tank, even with sharks, is easier to maintain than my freshwater
As far as price goes, fresh is cheaper

Answer 4

If money plays a factor, go with the freshwater discus. Everything to do with saltwater is more expensive, from the supplies to the fish. I think the maintanence would probably be the same for either. Saltwater tanks, of course, require a lot of fiddling with water chemistry, but so do discus tanks as discus are fragile about such things.

Answer 5

Both a discus and saltwater tank can be very costly. A discus a tank is easier to setup. A saltwater tank takes longer to set up and get to cycled. Other wise they are both fairly easy to maintain. I would suggest that you set up brackish tank. Doing so might give you a better ideal what it would be like to have a saltwater tank. I suggest this because a brackish water tank is a cross between a freshwater tank and a saltwater tank.

Answer 6

Firstly you should not listen to anyone who has never had a salt water tank, since they have nothing to base their advice on.

I have had both for many years and I agree with the post above me. If you have the patience to SET up the salt correctly, salt is much easier to care for and has a larger selection of fish, plants, and animals.

Cost efficient, I loose less salt fish than I do fresh due to salt fish get sick less often. Also, water changes are less with salt there you are not only saving money but time. Not all salt fish are EXPENSIVE it is a matter of preference. The costs are about the same with a few simple differences.

Once a salt tank is up and running and matured, much easer with less fish loss and problems than there are with fresh water fish. Do a search on yahoo answers to see which fish get sick more often! Usually when someone looses salt fish, it is because they placed them into the tank way too early.

It is a matter of what YOU want. Where your heart is and what do you want to care for. Salt is always cool, but Fresh can be the same with the new decorations.

Answer 7

I just spent a month researching this exact situation. A fw 90 gal complete setup was going to be $ 1,700 (including $ 400 bugdeted for fish) and a sw reef quality complete set up was passing $ 3k with no fish or any animals or corals yet. A populated tank would be $ 4k+. Notice the "+"! So, I concluded that sw was at least 3 times fw. I'm going with fw.

Answer 8

Saltwater is going to be alot more expensive hard. I think discus would be awesome

Answer 9

i heard salt water ( once established) is easier.. however, it is expensive to get it going.. discus fish are expensive to... so basically i think it is up to you - and depends on which type of fish you want.... both equally appealing if you ask me,,, seems you may have to get two tanks,,,, UGH i couldn't decide.... sorry