Saltwater and Freshwater tanks Whats the diff?

[mikes68charger]

What is the diffrance between a saltwater tank and a fresh water tank? Glass? Filters?

I have a 150gallon tank, that Im thinking about converting to Saltwater.

Thanks Mike

[fishlady]

for saltwater unlike freshwater tanks it is not a good idea to run canister filters on them. you would need a wet/dry and a skimmer, depending on what your planning on putting in the salt tank will you have to consider high dollar lighting and other equiptment.

[myjohnson]

What is the diffrance between a saltwater tank and a fresh water tank? Glass? Filters?

There is no differences in glassed used between a SW and FW tank. The filtering system however is another story.

1) Wet/dry sump from FW are used refugium in SW tanks. Basically the same thing but you remove the bioballs and use a filter sock. And you add sand and live rock in the sump part of it. People grow macroalgae to help with keeping water conditions better. You will have to add a small CF light to the sump for help the marcos grow.

2) Canisters from FW work bascially the same as in SW. Most don't use cansiter on their SW tanks but it can be done. Intead of using the normal FW media you want to fill the cansiter with live rock. LR is the filter media in a SW tank. I have seen people use cansiter with a lot of success but you got to keep up with keeping them clean.

2) HOB from a FW tank becomes a refurgium in a SW tank. With a few mods you can make normal HOB become very effect reguriums on a SW tank.

I have a 150gallon tank, that Im thinking about converting to Saltwater.

Thanks Mike

Please try to narrow your questions down so better adive can be given.

Hope the info I provided helps.

[tang-chaser]

Your going to have to have a protein skimmer 50$-400$ (wouldn't go to cheap on this part), Better lights for coral (100-1500$ depends on type of lighting cf,t5,t12ho,led,mh), You can start with as little as a hang on back filter but upgrading to a sump/fuge would be better.

as for maintenance difference. your still checking ph, nitrates and such, but add on salinity, calcium, alk, for basic testing.