what you think is more easy? A planted tank (high tech) or a reef tank?

[Brian20]

I bet 1,000,000 that a High tech planted tank is more dificult to mantain and to appear nice to view versus reef tank. water changes? water parameter? High tech you need to do all that, plus add ferts, CO2, lots of light and a trimming is a plus.

What you think?

 

[shoggoth43]

I would bet the other way. If my water parameters are off for a few days it's less likely I will trigger the massive die offs that can happen with a reef. Once that cycle starts you have precious little time. If this happens in a planted tank, I may kill my critters and fish but my plants will likely survive. Not so much with the corals. They're probably goners at that point.

I would also say that it's far more likely that I'm willing to mess around with a tank that contains a couple hundred dollars worth of plants and fish vs a tank containing potentially thousands of dollars of livestock. It seems like that would be rather stressful and add to the difficulty of it.

Having not kept salt water that's strictly my opinion based on conversations had with other reefers. Take with a grain of, well um, salt.

-
S

I bet 1,000,000 that a High tech planted tank is more dificult to mantain and to appear nice to view versus reef tank. water changes? water parameter? High tech you need to do all that, plus add ferts, CO2, lots of light and a trimming is a plus.

What you think?

 

[jonny_ftm]

Thanks to EI, a high tech tank is so easy to maintain compared to a reef. The only thing a high tach would bother me is trimming. But, as you were told, plants will often survive even the worst scenario, corals won't do it

 

[flexbs]

I had a reef tank and now a high tech planted. Reef tanks (corals and fish) are more difficult to maintain and way more expensive. I could write forever talking about equipment and water parameters. FYI reef use Co2 for a calcium reactor. Both types are awesome in their own way. I do miss my reef tank but in my opinion you will enjoy your planted more because its simplicity.

 

[GTR]

As a slowly get rid of the fast growing weeds it's getting easier. The FW tank is much more relaxing to me. I did SW for over 20 years and called it quits in Feb 08 mainly because of the power consumption.

SteveU

 

[shoggoth43]

Not exactly applicable, but an amusing anecdote I've seen a couple of times.

15,000$ worth of reef and animals and the tank that got the most reaction was the planted tank....

-
S

 

[Tom Barr]

Reef= money pit.
Anything goes wrong= death of lots of $$$$ critters.

Planted tanks can be done for peanuts, you can go higher tech and spend lots on planted, but it does tend to be cheaper, water changes are cheaper, marine water changes cost you the salt mixes.

But smaller tanks, it's easy to do large water changes on say a 15 gal mini reef, some softies etc.
I like them both a lot.

I'm on a more sustainability kick and reduced power draw for my home, maybe when I get my own home, add solar cells, I'll be able to rationalize a reef and use MH's and T5's etc, maybe LED.
Till then, till I plan on not moving for a few years, I'm not going to risk it.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Biollante]

Sorry, No Checks

I bet 1,000,000 that a High tech planted tank is more dificult to mantain and to appear nice to view versus reef tank. water changes? water parameter? High tech you need to do all that, plus add ferts, CO2, lots of light and a trimming is a plus.

What you think?

Hi Brian,

Will that be a wire transfer or credit card you will be paying me with, sorry no checks.

Biollante

 

[Brian20]

Still, this not happend here in Pueto Rico, People still changes from planted tanks to salt water. They says that they plants never survive, still have success with Salt water. I know that Fresh Water Planted tank is more easy I only say that because local situation in Puerto Rico. Almost all here are a guru status compared to the knowledge of tipical Puerto Rican Aquarist. I learn a lot in USA and latino forums, also from books, But tipical aquarist learns from Local pet shop (BAD IDEA!!!) Still here a lot of people knows about salt water, also like to spend thousands to salt water still not like to spend $10 in a fert for his/her planted tank. Why? Because Salt water are so beautifull, Planted tanks only is beautiful if have a nice aquascaping and this is true: Aquascaping is veryyy dificult to most people and more were I live. So mantaining water parameter are very easy still trimming and creating a good looking tank not. I dont want to enter in money, here we have corals all around the island so, is easy to pay a diver to get some corals, inlegally of course but most people never mind. Also here we have a lot of corlas but very few planted tanks, maybe 3 or 4 species of aquatic plants in all the island!!! Maybe this bet not apply to people here but apply to normal "puertorisencis aquarist"

 

[Tom Barr]

Thanks to EI, a high tech tank is so easy to maintain compared to a reef. The only thing a high tach would bother me is trimming. But, as you were told, plants will often survive even the worst scenario, corals won't do it

You can use EI for a reef tank also, well, the general concept, eg, doing weekly large water changes, dose a little till the next water chanegs etc, just cost for the salt mixes, not practical for larger tanks.
But does work the same.

That does not change, what does change is the amount of prunign and cleaning.
Reefs can get outta hand and need scrubbing and cleaning as well, but not like a plant tank's trimming.

In general, I'd say more care and worry is involved with reefs, temps etc are more critical, more power is used to maintain and run them, they are money pits.

You can go with marine plants, they are a lot more similar to the trade offs and the fish are pretty.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Brian20]

I saw macro algae aquariums nd are very pretty and similar to planted tanks. Most friend of the salt side says that trimming each week and acomodating plants to looks good is dificult, instead corals you only glue them to rock and no special prunning or trim are needed (In most cases). Also a lot of equipment helps mantain in general good conditions. Not everybody but several friends of salt side not need to clean a lot the tank, only w/c occacional scrape, vey similar to planted tank. Yeah I know they are expensive, munch more than planted tanks, but there are always people with cash or credit card to spend. In my case I need to trim weekly or 2 times a week, so not is easy task, and more when you have a busy week or two, the plants grows to the tank surface, get out of the tank and kidnap you with their vines wanting more fertilizer and punishing you.

PS: The final gets somehow hyperbolically fictional. LOL

 

[Tom Barr]

Yes, but they are pretty and nice, so they are worthwhile nonetheless if you have time/$$.

I like to get something out of my tank,some $$, some harvesting, some livestock, some plants I can sell.
Tanks that pay for themselves...........Never seen a Reef do that, some owe rtech mushroom tanks have, but not much.

Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Brian20]

Thats true

 

[Brian20]

Another Friend who change salt water today. And still Salt water is more difficult?? He has beautiful salt water tanks before the planted tanks, he makes pretty planted tanks, still have a lot of problems, with algae and not so healthy plants. And now he changes again.