Saltwater/freshwater: which is better?

[memeaquarist]

Hi! I am an owner of a freshwater tank, with tropical fish. At first, when I decided to get into the hobbie, I wanted a saltwater tank. It seems so cool! When I got to the store, they told me to start off with freshwater, since I was totally new, and they said that keeping it was way easier. I would love to have a saltwater tank in the feauture. I want to ask you guys to share you experience just to get information from people who know about it. Many people tell me that freshwater is better, easier, that it is a really hard job to keep a saltwater tank, etc. Is this really true?

 

[coralbandit]

Salt is easy if you know what you are doing and have the right equipment..
That being said freshwater is more fun IMO.
I have kept fish for over 35 years and have had a 'reef tank' since 1988 aprox.
I still have one reef tank ,but my interest is in my other 43 tanks.....
Breeding fish is soooo much more fun then watching species that are meant to live possibly decades or even centuries basic all die overnight....I have marine fish that are over 4 years old ,but IMO that is still a baby...

 

[dragonrider420]

Personally I have three tanks, 2 planted tanks and a reef. I have been keeping fish in general for 8 years. I have found that the knowledge you gain from freshwater is a good help, but don't rely on it. Saltwater is harder in the sense that there are way more steps, the fish are more sensitive and salt water is much for expensive. On the other hand, it's much prettier and way more rewarding imo. My saltwater tank is about 12 gallons of viewing space and 1.5 for a sump.