Converting Marine To Tropical

[Enori99]

We have a 200ltr marine tank that is about 7 yrs old, just got it second hand. We were going to have it as a marine tank but decided sticking with tropical and putting our community from the smaller tank upstairs into it when it's ready.

We have an external fluval 205 filter - should we clean it thoroughly, then run it through a clean bucket of freshwater to clear out the remnants of salt? We were thinking of buying new filter sponges but can we reuse the old ones if they're cleaned thoroughly - they look reasonably new.

To help with clearing out the salt, is there any chemical we can use?

How can we test the salt level once we have it all set up and has been in a fish less cycle for say a week or two? Would we even need to bother doing this?

Also, there was some Biomax and a bag or something that looks like little pebbles inside the filter, are they necessary? Would it be ok to reuse it even though its been in a marine tank?

Hope we can find the answer to some of these questions, thank you

~enori99

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Good questions. I don't know the answers to all of them, but I would suggest that you not add salt-sensitive fish to the tank until you are sure that it is saltless. You could certainly add some salt-hardy fish though.


Cories and most scaleless fish are salt-sensitive.

Mollies can handle and even thrive in hard water (including some higher level of salt).



One way to check the saltiness of your water is the specific gravity. Freshwater should have a density of 1.00000 g/ml. The salt water in your tank will be higher than that somewhere near 1.025 g/ml.

 

[Enori99]

Thank you,

We have these fish we were thinking of putting in the new tank:

Parrot cichlid x1
Pangasius x1
Angel x1
Pink kissers x2
Mickey Mouse platys x5
Panda platys x3
Ancistrus x1
Albino corys x2
Dalmatian mollies x3

Went to the fish shop and they said after cleaning it out so much the minuscule salt left in the tank will not show up on a test and wouldn't affect the fish. If we put the hardy ones in for a while, how long would it be before the water would be ok for the others?

 

[sadguppy]

That is an interesting mix of fish and no mistake!

A word of warning though - 200litres is far, far too small for a pangasius - they grow over three foot long, so you're talking a minimum 300 GALLON tank to house them, and they will outgrow your tank very very quickly! I would see if you can rehome if before you find yourself in a sticky situation.

 

[Enori99]

How long is not long? We've had him since aug 2012 and he hasn't grown. He's about 3 inches at the moment.

 

[sadguppy]

I am afraid I don't know exactly, they are notoriously shy eaters so it depends how much food they are getting and the size of the tank they are in which will stunt their size and their lifespan.

Here is a wild pangasius!

 

[Enori99]

Woah awesome lol well we shall try to rehome him at some point



Right, another question:

Our new second hand hood is broken. We are going to buy a new one.

Our tank is a jewel 200 but when we look for a replacement hood online we find jewel rekord 800. Is this right? Any tips on where to get the best deals?

 

[Enori99]

Also, we have cleaned the marine sponges out so much and water runs clear through them. I don't think they smell salty but would they be ok to put in the new tropical tank? There are 2 fine blue , 2 coarse blue and one black sponge from the marine. We have one coarse, one fine blue and the thin woollen white sponges that are brand new.

Would any ill affecting bacteria be living in those old marine sponges even now?

 

[sadguppy]

They are probably fine but can you stick them in the dishwasher (without tablets of course!) to be sure.

 

[Tuxyu3]

Cory's should be in a group of six (minimum), all the same species. Kissing Gourami's grow far too large for a tank of that size and can be aggressive. I wouldn't bother with the Parrot due to the fact it may fight with the Angel (moral reasons aside)

 

[Enori99]

They've been in a rekord 96 tank together since September and the parrot and agel don't really bother each other.

Our corys seem ok. Why do they have to be in groups of 6 at least?

Any suggestions on what to do with our hood? anyone?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B-YCMGy4HI

Here's a bit of the reason for corys in numbers. They are shoaling fish and kept in too small a number they will feel isolated from the group and be stressed.

 

[Enori99]

Those aren't the corys we have. They are albinos and suck along the substrate

 

[eaglesaquarium]

All cories work the same way... with the exception of C. pygmaeus, which spends at least as much time in the mid-water than on the substrate.

The reason you see them moving up so much is that have to swim over obstacles in the water to stay together as a group. The thing I was trying to show you was the number of them that are together, not where they swim. They are highly social fish and need a large group to feel comfortable/secure.

 

[Flute]

They're schooling behaviour will still be the same, no matter what species. They are a very gregarious fish, and don't do well in small numbers. The more you keep in a group the more confident and active they will become, which is why it is always advised to have 6 or more of the same species.

I know others have already touched on the pangasius issue, but I really cannot stress enough how difficult it will be for you to rehome it once it grows. Unfortunately they're one of several species that just should not be kept in aquariums or made available to the public.