Do you consider SW and FW to be different hobbies?

[MaxTremors]

I read a post recently that got me thinking about whether reef keeping and FW aquaria are or should be considered the same hobby. The post I read said ‘I’m new to reef tanks, but I’ve been in the hobby for years’, so do you consider SW and FW to be different hobbies, or do they both fall under the umbrella of Aquaria?

 

[SDK]

I've been doing both since the 1970's and consider it one hobby. Reefs can be more complicated, but then where do you make the distinction?

A FW planted Dutch style aquarium is also complicated, and a SW nano with a clownfish is not. Too many grey areas for me to separate. If it swims and/or respires underwater and lives in a clear container, it falls under the umbrella of the aquarium hobby as far as I am concerned...

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

They're the same, we're all keeping aquatic life in glass (or acrylic) boxes whether there's salt in the water or not.

 

[Cell]

I think the bigger distinction is between reef keeping ie corals and fishkeeping.

It's all Aquaria though.

 

[attiland]

I voted other as it is different in some areas but ultimately the same. I find it much more work than any of my freshwater tanks in the last almost 40 years. Involves mor technology too to keep it running. While I could achieve self maintenance on freshwater in salt it seems to be impossible.
it is like the difference between the walk in clinic and the intensive care.

 

[Astro]

I think you can group it or not depending on the context. I have only been interested in reef tanks, and know literally nothing about fw or planted tanks. (other than their fish look whack) So I'd say in that sense, no. But in contrast to snowboarding or skiing as 'hobbies', there is a lot of similarity.

 

[lanceinhuntsville]

their fish look whack

Actually the number one reason I chose a reef tank instead of FW. Browns and greens get boring

 

[joshwaggs]

Freshwater is the gateway hobby. Saltwater is the more serious stuff that ends in addiction. Like the Hotel California.

 

[HeyLookItsCaps]

I voted other as it is different in some areas but ultimately the same. I find it much more work than any of my freshwater tanks in the last almost 40 years. Involves mor technology too to keep it running. While I could achieve self maintenance on freshwater in salt it seems to be impossible.
it is like the difference between the walk in clinic and the intensive care.

I will say this, I’ve been in the koi pond/reef tank hobby for 14 years, and the automation in 2021 is something I couldn’t have even dreamed of in 07 for reefs. I have a pretty nice setup for the pond between copper, a giant mechanical filter, and a UV sterilizer, but the technology in SW has really gone a long way. Of course investment is always a factor, but with my setup how it is currently my only maintenance is mixing 50gal of R/0 to 35ppm in the garage and filling my 2 part doser once a month.

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

Actually the number one reason I chose a reef tank instead of FW. Browns and greens get boring

While the salty fish are definitely the prettier ones, FW has a ton of good looking fish. And if you don't like greens, don't look at too many corals haha

 

[lanceinhuntsville]

And if you don't like greens, don't look at too many corals

No, that is a totally different green! Haha!

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

I vote apples and oranges, sure you can eat em both, but one is better in a pie!

 

[anit77]

I agree it's under the same umbrella but it's different at the same time.

To me it's like RC hobbies (<-- plural) Car, Boat, Plane, Heli and now Drone. All under the same RC umbrella but quite different.

 

[kittenbritches]

I had freshwater tanks all growing up (and wound up with my mom's after she died). I do *not* consider them the same. Other than water is wet and fish gotta swim, I find them incredibly different.

 

[uhgster1]

I started with freshwater, moving through the different stages of fish keeping (guppies, angelfish, oscars), and moved to the big leagues with discus (at the time). Salt water fish keeping was a natural progression in the hobby as far as I was concerned, and kept some nice fish, queen angel, lion fish, triggers. And then I took a break. When I jumped back in I was headed for reef keeping. While I still think that it was a natural progression, the intricacies and level of involvement required of a reef tank put it in a different level that almost makes it a different hobby. I had to literally unlearned almost of my freshwater habits and ways of thinking. I’m sorry, to me they are two different hobbies.

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

I had freshwater tanks all growing up (and wound up with my mom's after she died). I do *not* consider them the same. Other than water is wet and fish gotta swim, I find them incredibly different.

Sure they're different, but I think the OP is asking if they should be classified as completely different hobbies. It's all part of the aquarium hobby, FW and SW are just subsets of it

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

And then SW breaks down to FOWLR or Reef, FW breaks down to planted or cichlid. And then you have the red-headed step-child: brackish aquariums

 

[James_O]

I think as far as the word "hobby" itself is concerned, yes, they are the same, as they are both "fishkeeping".

Obviously freshwater fishkeeping and saltwater fishkeeping is very different, but that wasn't the question. I've been keeping freshwater tanks for around 6 years now, but I've only been reefing for 6 months. Even in that short time, I can name a TON of things that are different.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Freshwater is the gateway hobby. Saltwater is the more serious stuff that ends in addiction. Like the Hotel California.

freshwater is a gateway drug, to a more severe addiction... lol

 

[SDK]

Some of you here must not be familiar with my other passion. African Annual Killifish....