Change From Marine To Fresh Water

[PBrindle]

Hello.

Ihave had freshwater before though recently changedto marine.

This has been an expensive mistake and am now looking to return to freshwater.

Can i use the sand fromthe marine tank and are there any other precautions (othere than a proper wash out) that I need to take.

many thanks

 

[emmzer]

Hello.

Ihave had freshwater before though recently changedto marine.

This has been an expensive mistake and am now looking to return to freshwater.

Can i use the sand fromthe marine tank and are there any other precautions (othere than a proper wash out) that I need to take.

many thanks

i am new and have just gone to sand in my tank...BUT i think i could be right in saying NO dont use the sand from ya marine tank...it has had salt in it and i believe u will never get the salt from the sand...ppl feel free to correct me if wrong

 

[PBrindle]

Thought this might b thecase. Thanks.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

you should have live sand, or crushed coral in your marine tank.... neither of which is suitable for FW. Sling it out and get play sand.

 

[mr.dark-saint]

PBrindle - Been there and done that and have pictures . I reused 100% of everything from my Modified H.A.N.D.Y. Reef tank (125 US Gallons with sump). I wanted to go with an Amazon Biotope but I would have to re-invest monies (substraight, rocks, lighting, etc). But I always wanted to get back in to Synodontis Angelicus (had them a dozen years ago before the reef) and with what I had on hand (crushed aragonite, calcium based rock) it made the swap a cinch . I did sell about 100 pounds of live Fiji rock on the bases of them being solid, colorful (and would be a shame to just kill off all the coraline algae) and I had way too much rock for the tank. I also kept the 5 - 6 inches of crushed aragonite as is on top of the "Plenum", I kept the "plenum" in place since I feel it will be of use in my African set up.

After I restacked the rock I pythoned the tank of it's marine water. Filled it and re-pythoned it once more to make sure I got a good amount of the salt out of the tank. I didn't feel 100% of the salt had to go since most Rift Lakes have salt in it. I then let the tank cycle with the freshwater kill of any and all marine organisms. Three weeks or so later I pythoned the substraight to 50% water removal and waited another week.

Got 9 N. Brichardi, 14 Congo Tetras as Test fish. Lost two Congos over the next two days (got replacements) and didn't loose anymore after that. I chalked it up as weak fish since it was a day after delivery day. The week or two after that, I added 3 N. Helianthus, 6 N. Pulcher "Daffodils", 5 Christmas Fulus, 2 Paralabidochromis Sp. "Rock Kribensis" and one sold as Pundamilia Nyererei (some how he's lacking orange top). Still looking for the S. Angelicus but it's working out very well . My N. Brichardi's on their second clutch of young, lost a female N. Helianthus (her guts looked like it was pooped out but the old boy took to the second female and he is in the process of "franchising" and still looking over his two broods (a responsible father).

Now as Miss Wiggle stated this can be true if you're going to keep Neutral or low pH watered fish. This really depends on what you wish to keep. If you want say Neons or Discus, I'd just wash the marine substraight let it dry and then store it for later use (I don't see why you need to "Sling it out" useable substraight) who knows you might want to do a African tank later. This is all about pH and aesthetics to authenticity. "Play Sand" or silica sand is fine for inert application (it does not desolve nor release to raise the pH like curshed aragonite or coral can) so Neons would do fine with it.

Emmzer - you can wash salt out of rocks and gravel with enough water. It's not like packing grease or antifreeze.

 

[emmzer]

PBrindle - Been there and done that and have pictures . I reused 100% of everything from my Modified H.A.N.D.Y. Reef tank (125 US Gallons with sump). I wanted to go with an Amazon Biotope but I would have to re-invest monies (substraight, rocks, lighting, etc). But I always wanted to get back in to Synodontis Angelicus (had them a dozen years ago before the reef) and with what I had on hand (crushed aragonite, calcium based rock) it made the swap a cinch . I did sell about 100 pounds of live Fiji rock on the bases of them being solid, colorful (and would be a shame to just kill off all the coraline algae) and I had way too much rock for the tank. I also kept the 5 - 6 inches of crushed aragonite as is on top of the "Plenum", I kept the "plenum" in place since I feel it will be of use in my African set up.

After I restacked the rock I pythoned the tank of it's marine water. Filled it and re-pythoned it once more to make sure I got a good amount of the salt out of the tank. I didn't feel 100% of the salt had to go since most Rift Lakes have salt in it. I then let the tank cycle with the freshwater kill of any and all marine organisms. Three weeks or so later I pythoned the substraight to 50% water removal and waited another week.

Got 9 N. Brichardi, 14 Congo Tetras as Test fish. Lost two Congos over the next two days (got replacements) and didn't loose anymore after that. I chalked it up as weak fish since it was a day after delivery day. The week or two after that, I added 3 N. Helianthus, 6 N. Pulcher "Daffodils", 5 Christmas Fulus, 2 Paralabidochromis Sp. "Rock Kribensis" and one sold as Pundamilia Nyererei (some how he's lacking orange top). Still looking for the S. Angelicus but it's working out very well . My N. Brichardi's on their second clutch of young, lost a female N. Helianthus (her guts looked like it was pooped out but the old boy took to the second female and he is in the process of "franchising" and still looking over his two broods (a responsible father).

Now as Miss Wiggle stated this can be true if you're going to keep Neutral or low pH watered fish. This really depends on what you wish to keep. If you want say Neons or Discus, I'd just wash the marine substraight let it dry and then store it for later use (I don't see why you need to "Sling it out" useable substraight) who knows you might want to do a African tank later. This is all about pH and aesthetics to authenticity. "Play Sand" or silica sand is fine for inert application (it does not desolve nor release to raise the pH like curshed aragonite or coral can) so Neons would do fine with it.

Emmzer - you can wash salt out of rocks and gravel with enough water. It's not like packing grease or antifreeze.
[/quote



hi ...just thought i saw a link on here somewhere that said u will never really get the salt out of it....but i guess some fish dont mind a bit of salt

 

[PBrindle]

PBrindle - Been there and done that and have pictures . I reused 100% of everything from my Modified H.A.N.D.Y. Reef tank (125 US Gallons with sump). I wanted to go with an Amazon Biotope but I would have to re-invest monies (substraight, rocks, lighting, etc). But I always wanted to get back in to Synodontis Angelicus (had them a dozen years ago before the reef) and with what I had on hand (crushed aragonite, calcium based rock) it made the swap a cinch . I did sell about 100 pounds of live Fiji rock on the bases of them being solid, colorful (and would be a shame to just kill off all the coraline algae) and I had way too much rock for the tank. I also kept the 5 - 6 inches of crushed aragonite as is on top of the "Plenum", I kept the "plenum" in place since I feel it will be of use in my African set up.

After I restacked the rock I pythoned the tank of it's marine water. Filled it and re-pythoned it once more to make sure I got a good amount of the salt out of the tank. I didn't feel 100% of the salt had to go since most Rift Lakes have salt in it. I then let the tank cycle with the freshwater kill of any and all marine organisms. Three weeks or so later I pythoned the substraight to 50% water removal and waited another week.

Got 9 N. Brichardi, 14 Congo Tetras as Test fish. Lost two Congos over the next two days (got replacements) and didn't loose anymore after that. I chalked it up as weak fish since it was a day after delivery day. The week or two after that, I added 3 N. Helianthus, 6 N. Pulcher "Daffodils", 5 Christmas Fulus, 2 Paralabidochromis Sp. "Rock Kribensis" and one sold as Pundamilia Nyererei (some how he's lacking orange top). Still looking for the S. Angelicus but it's working out very well . My N. Brichardi's on their second clutch of young, lost a female N. Helianthus (her guts looked like it was pooped out but the old boy took to the second female and he is in the process of "franchising" and still looking over his two broods (a responsible father).

Now as Miss Wiggle stated this can be true if you're going to keep Neutral or low pH watered fish. This really depends on what you wish to keep. If you want say Neons or Discus, I'd just wash the marine substraight let it dry and then store it for later use (I don't see why you need to "Sling it out" useable substraight) who knows you might want to do a African tank later. This is all about pH and aesthetics to authenticity. "Play Sand" or silica sand is fine for inert application (it does not desolve nor release to raise the pH like curshed aragonite or coral can) so Neons would do fine with it.

Emmzer - you can wash salt out of rocks and gravel with enough water. It's not like packing grease or antifreeze.

Thank you very much for your help.
The cost of the live rock was imense so will probably try to sell or just clean and re-use.
Am looking for a Chilid tank so could you see any problems with what I am looking to do.
Would there be any problems with the filter. A canister filter with filter balls and ceramic?

 

[mr.dark-saint]

When I sold off the 100 pounds I got $200.00 (US), wholesale runs about 4.00/5.00 bucks a pound sold in 40 Kilo boxes sight unseen (just like a box of chocolates, never know what you're gonna get ) the thing was I sold the excess. The guy wanted to buy my whole lot at 2.00 bucks a pound (I wasn't going to have that ) and I recon the ones I kept I did well by doing so. Since I doubt I can find Calcium base rock at that price.

PBrindle - I know the feeling. On some I know paid a premo price like $8.00 a pound. Then again I got some rocks when my friends got out of the reef for cheap and then there was the time my friend closed up his LFS and got some for free so all in all I must've broken even? But I'm cheap and I know it and I'll be dammed if the guy gets a deal from me . This is what my tank looks like (more or less since the fish has been digging and breeding)

emmzer - Not all things read are true on line (if it were there is a pill to fix it all ). Salt's easy to remove just need to do loads of water change (least of worries to remove out of a tank). Try catching a fish with 200 some pounds of rock (all my fish are lifers, no probation, no release for good behavior). I know I can add a big fish to eat them and fish him out with bait and hook (did that with a Purple Tang once ). Just remember good advices and poor ones are out there so you'll need to deside for yourself . I may go on but that's how I explain things (I give back ground, application and result. I throw it out there with best intentions).

I have a left over bucket of Reef Crystals I'll be substituting for cichlid salt (waste not right?). If and when I start growing Java Moss I'll use the chems I have left from my Reef tank like Strontium, Iron, Iodide. I may have hard time going through the stuff for Coraline Algae growth .