Your channel is perfect for beginners, you’re able to explain these things in simple language that almost anyone can understand, many times people who are passionate or know a lot about something they tend to speak with so many terms or speak about things you’ve never learned yet as a newbie to know what they mean and you can easily loose them, it’s very common and you’re able to bridge that information to beginners very well.
I watch a lot of your videos and I seriously think you can do a spin-off channel to tell funny stories to cure depression. You demeanor and way of talking is so relaxing and entertaining. I usually don't comment in RU-vid videos but I will make an exception here, you are the Mr Roger of saltwater tanks.
Great video Alex, the way you have been creating the content catering to the wider audience is much appreciated. Way to go, I have a smile whenever I see the notification pop on my screen from your channel. Cool one this
honestly, I can tell the people that never did freshwater first, within a minute of talking to them. For them it's more about tech, and trends, then it is about sound practices. Those reefers, will be more likely to show you pictures of pumps and tubes, then their fish and corals. Personally, I've found that in both freshwater and saltwater, that low-tech, biological solutions to problems are always the most stable in the long-term. I was a freshwater aquarist for 40 years before getting into reefing. I've bred too many species of fish to count. Honestly, I don't think there's really too many differences between marine and salt aquarium keeping, at all. I've brought tons of things from the freshwater aquarium world, to my saltwater aquarium keeping. For instance, I feed grindal worms, and white worms, to both my marine fish and my corals. I setup a reef tank with two freshwater aquascaping lights, a sponge filter, with a powerhead on top of it, and a heater. That's it. Including the aquarium, it was less than $100 worth of aquarium equipment. Macroalgaes are an integral part of my setup. I've got deep, find substrate, to set up a nitrogen reactor bed, just like I would for a freshwater aquascape. I've got Montis and Acros thriving in there. Freshwater aquascaping is VERY similar to reefkeeping.
Thanks for another informational video man. These last few videos you’ve put out are great to allow new people to understand just how the salt aquarium life can unfold. Not to mention man you’ve got a one of a kind type of way of talking about things which make for a very easy understanding. Thanks again.. look forward to this weeks live!!!
Regarding myth #1, I set up a 10 gallon QT a year ago with a few PVC pipes and a HOB filter. I ended up keeping it running the entire time because my clownfish pair ended up fighting so it is now the home for the bully. I just removed the copper via water changes and Cuprisorb. It’s been incredibly easy to maintain and the sponge filter and rock in there is easily able to handle the tiny bioload of one clownfish. Never had an ugly phase either despite being by the window. My main 25 gallon DT has had one version or another of the ugly phase for the past 9 months. It really can be incredibly simple.
Thanks, M8...those are straight facts!! Been in the Freshwater game for over 20yrs. Started 1st saltwater aquarium in March last year...many ups and downs, but tank is settling in nicely now, even growing SPS corals now...I reaserched hundreds of videos, web posts etc...thought I knew it all, but just letting the tank do its business has been the best thing!!
i don't get why people say to start with a freshwater tank. I think much better advice is if you want to just dip your toes in, just keep a fowlr tank with some hardy fish
I always tell people that salt water is just as hard as freshwater depending on what you want. With either of them you can really make it as easy as you want so long as you know your stocking
Don’t let this video fool you, saltwater is way harder and expensive than freshwater. I have kept high tech / low tech freshwater full planted for 15 years. And tried saltwater, it was so much work, getting the water params correct alone is 10x more work than freshwater (which is basically just dump in tap water with some dechlorinator). Saltwater you need ro water, salt mix to correct salinity and all sorts of crap. Then there is all the extra equipments like protein skimmer, expensive power heads etc.. not to mention the nonstop salt creep (dried salt all over the tank and equipment) that you have to clean, and the constant worry to keep salinity and dozen other water params stable, ie how much ro water to top off vs how much salt to add from the salt creep loss. And we haven’t even got to the fauna and corals, it’s a god damn nightmare. With freshwater planted, once setup, there isn’t anything to do other than the once a while trimming of overgrown plants and 5 min top off / nutrient dosing (if not automated) everything else takes care of it self and you have a beautiful planted green aquarium with large schools of fish to enjoy, a real sense of tranquility. Saltwater…forget it, it’s just nonstop work and spend $$. Never again….I am staying with freshwater planted.
Very true about skimmers and filtration. If you’re prepared to do a lot of water changes then you can get away with the bare minimum. I ran a heavily stocked 500 litre FOWLR predator tank with only two canisters and a UV steriliser for 20 years back in the 90’s. I did a 25% water change every month and never had a problem with it.
I get the first question ALL THE TIME at the fish store where I work. I always tell them a fish only tank isn't really any harder...it's just that the fish cost 10x as much. lol
Video idea: You buy an already established disaster tank with corals and fish in it second hand and then rehabilitate it into a healthy tank. It could become a series called "Reef Rescue"
Only thing I have an argument with is the skimmer I would always Recommend one to anyone I had to luck without one and yes the tank at abyss doesn’t have one but how many staff do they have cleaning it everyday and they have unlimited salt water at all times to keep it going as many people don’t want to be making/buying salt water every week but great video mate love watching your videos
Hi I have been watching you videos on reef/marine fish. I have a 57l fluval evo that crashed on me last year. Have you got any advice on lighting that won't break the bank. Regards Andrew
I was an expert fresh water aquarist. My tanks were planted and I kept expert fish. The biggest mistake I made when I jumped into salt water, was getting over my ego. Learning how to reef is a different animal and I had a lot to learn. I made the mistake of purchasing very expensive corals when I was learning how to maintain a saltwater tank. Needless to say, I lost most of my initial purchase learning how to keep a reef stable. Knowing how to do fresh water had no bearing on me learning how to grow corals. Except I knew I had to feed the fish and water quality is important. They are different animals. So, if you want salt, go salt. Just don't try to be an expert when you are a novice
Probably the actual biggest difference between fresh- and saltwater is that the latter will require you to always mix the right amount of salt in the osmosis water - Unless what comes out your tap is absolutely terrible in quality (unfortunately, that's my case... Which is why I must run my freshwater tank on more than half osmotic water), you can always find some species of fish which can live in it. This makes saltwater intrinsically a bit more difficult than freshwater, marine organisms usually requires more stable water parameters. I can otherwise confirm some challenges remain the same - I have some plants which are dying out because I've mixed too much fast-growing ones, which has deprived the water from all of the nutrients they needed. In this way, mixing plants or mixing corals isn't that different. I'm not even an aquascaper, it's just that you have to get the right mix of plants like it's for corals. Also, keeping low your nitric compounds (Nitrates, Nitrites, Ammonia) is crucial in both: freshwater might be a bit more forgiving, but do not use it as an excuse to miss on your maintenance.
Certainly true. I say a lot of the expensive equipment is more of an investment. Like I bought a RODI unit which was expensive but it saves in the long run because less trips to my LFS and it solved all my algae problems from reducing my TDS from about 10 from store bought RO to making my own 0 TDS water. Best advice I always gave beginners is don't rely on 1 source of information and always take books with a pinch of salt as they become outdated fast. I have fishkeeping books saying use tap water and undergravel filter for marine. I also had a pet store say I should use tap water with pH buffer for marine because they sold marine fish...back in the 1970s then stopped due to lack of sales lol. I did look at skimmers for my 200L tank but Ocean Project store advised me to go for a refugium (no room for a decent skimmer for my tank), certainly favourite store now. They had a what I think was a Trochus snail that was about the size of a cricket ball, didn't think they got that big.
I would say its the WORST time to start this hobby atm due to the ridiculous prices these days. (Here in the UK) Point is valid on information though, that does help with not making a lot of mistakes.
Gotta disagree slightly with the last point. As someone who's kept freshwater for decades, the saltwater on its own is very expensive. Yeah you can do it on a budget kind of, but every water change costs money so it's always quite a bit more expensive than freshwater no matter what kind of setup you have
Completely disagree about the first point. Generally speaking long term success with saltwater is more difficult. By long term success I mean a really nice aquarium long term which sadly is quite rare. The cost of not doing things well and knowing when things are going wrong will cost you a TON of money in saltwater. In freshwater that's certainly not as true. You're managing water chemistry much much more with saltwater imo. I have a small rimless freshwater planted tank in my office and it's been on complete autopilot. Barley any nutrients and things are thriving with excellent color. The light is even a super cheap old fluval. C02 is like a small taste of saltwater imo and even that is not difficult if you buy a kit.
i agree with with all of these except for it doesn’t have to be expensive. spending more is definitely worthwhile. the more you spend the easier it becomes. spending 10k on a tank that’s 80% automated is a lot easier then spending 2k on a tank that sucks up 10 hours of maintenance a week
