Saltwater Aquarium vs Freshwater Aquarium

An aquarium is basically an underwater environment that has at least one see-through side where marine life and plants live. Watching fish swim in your aquarium will help reduce stress and lower your blood pressure. The two most common types that are found in people’s homes are freshwater and saltwater aquariums. While they have a few similarities, they have quite a few differences that you should be aware of before deciding which is best for you. Freshwater aquarium fish are less expensive, require less maintenance, and the supplies are much cheaper.

Freshwater aquariums house freshwater fish. Freshwater fish are fish that naturally live in rivers, lakes, and streams. Saltwater fish are fish that inhabit the seas and oceans. You do not want to put a saltwater fish in freshwater or vice versa.

Saltwater fish are more expensive to purchase because they are caught in the wild and shipped.  Freshwater fish are bred in captivity. Most people enjoy the brighter and more exotic colors of saltwater fish; however, there are some colorful freshwater fish too.  Due to the cost of the fish, do your research before taking on a saltwater tank.

Freshwater aquariums require less maintenance than saltwater aquariums. It is more critical for saltwater fish to have a stable environment than freshwater fish. You must monitor the salt and chemical levels of the water to make sure they have a healthy environment. You must also monitor the freshwater tank but the freshwater environment is more forgiving.

The supplies for a freshwater tank are less expensive due in part to the differences in the aquarium filtration system. A regular power filter is all that is required for a freshwater aquarium. A saltwater aquarium needs a protein skimmer to remove most dissolved wastes and needs live rocks. A live rock is not really alive. It is a piece of dead coral that has many marine organisms living in it. Those organisms do a lot to help keep the saltwater environment clean.

While both fresh and saltwater aquariums can be beautifully decorated with natural decoration products and will be fun to look at, but they require some maintenance. It has been proven, that keeping aquarium and fish at home improves one's mental health and also helps to reduce stress & anxiety. Freshwater fish and supplies are less expensive than those found in a saltwater aquarium. It is important to do research before you decide which is best for your home.