Someone talk some sense into me!!!

I have always tossed around the idea of doing a freshwater tank, and always talk myself out of it. People think salt is hard to care for, but freshwater is harder i think. They stink, are dirty etc.

With that said, one day I would like to do a discus tank.

You could do something different like an angler or a rhino. Neither one are cheap to get or to care for, but is really cool!

 

Thx for all the replies! If I do a seahorse tank, I'll start up a brine and ghost shrimp hatchery or go all frozen! Keep the ideas coming, I'm still open! Picking up my wrasses tomorow

 

A captive bred and already eating frozen food, is absolutely recommended for a horse. BBS isn't a food item for adult horses besides dwarfs and it is quit difficult to grow both brine shrimp and ghost shrimp to a useful size for adult horses. Way more time, effort and money than one would think.

I'm not trying to discourage you at all, but seahorse tanks are specialized tanks and are anything but easy or cheap. These past few months are the first time since I started in the hobby 15+ years ago that I haven't had seahorses. They were my very first saltwater fish and I've had them ever since until recently. And let me tell you..... life is much easier now.

You could get some awesome scorps or lions

I would like to have a tank with a commerson frogfish. I saw this adult dinner plate size one and I couldn't tear my eyes away. I have no idea how it wouldn't jack up a tank, though. I certainly wouldn't put dead rock in there. Other frogs aren't as massive as this one, and would be more appropriate, but I still want one.

 

Now Renee that's a great idea! Mini predator tank!! 2 dwarfs and an eel????

 

Muhahahahahahaha!

And you can even go on vacation with this guys.

 

Sell it and make a awesome Biocube build!!!

 

+1 to Renee. Was about to mention similar points....

 

cmpleatly agree here, not boring if planted but alot more work than SW IME.

if cheep is the name of the game a low tide tank, FOWLR bare bottom tank, sell it for money (by far the cheepest), maxi tank is another really cool idea, predator tank is cool with a snowflake eel or lions, just some thoughts

 

Thinking a maxi mini tank with dwarf lions and an eel! Thx for tearing this idea apart 3reef! I will accept nothing less thx corrailline and renee!

 

Let me comment on many above posts. FW is CHEAP but planted tanks, not so much. I always find myself spending way more money in this hobby than I plan on, its funny how I always double or triple my budget
"Hey hun we can do a small 20gal SW tank wont cost us more than a couple hundred!"
"OK sounds good dear if you want to try one go ahead"
"Hey I got us a 46gallon tank with stand but still need a heater, filter, skimmer, lights, rock, testkits, powerheads, sand, on and on and on"
Thank goodness for some saved up money from before marriage!! Spent well over a grand to date

Anyways, I had a FW planted tank and after going SW I find myself neglecting my FW tank no matter how hard I want to pay attention and bring it back into its glory days. My SW is just so much more interesting. Also people always said it is harder to do SW, more expensive YES harder NO WAY!! FW tanks stink and require constant maintenance.

Now if you do want to do it cichlid and plants CAN mix if you get the right ones. anubias, java ferns and mosses, and even many swords or hygros do well in harder alkaline water and are robust and taste terrible enough to be left alone. Also if you get a 1 foot frontosa there is nothing you can do to save your plants but peacocks, cyps, and many others will leave them completely alone.

Up to you but I do not plan on really setting up a large FW tank anymore now that I have nose dived headfirst into the SW world. I vote for a cheap low maintenance SW tank, a blue ribbon eel would be cool!