Dumb question? Can a tank used for saltwater be used for freshwater afterwards?

[Lo Ki Gorgeous]

Yeah.. I don't know if this question is extremely dumb.. but.. I just want to make sure.

Can a tank used for saltwater be used for freshwater afterwards?
I mean does it leave a chemical change in the glass or something?

I read that some stuff can sink into the glass and alter the chemistry of it if you will. Was it copper or something? Just something about copper in a tank that makes it uninhabitable for shrimp or snails, even after thorough cleaning.
So I just wondered if saltwater does a similar thing..

Again.. it's probably not a thing, but it's late and my foggy brain needs to know XD

Thank you

 

[Alice B]

except for the razor scratches from removing coraline algae, my oceanic 55 did fine for freshwater after holding salt for more than 10 years

 

[Back in the fold]

Certainly can.

 

[Lo Ki Gorgeous]

Thank you so much guys

 

[connorlindeman]

Yes definitely.

 

[Colin_T]

As others have said, yes you can use a saltwater aquarium for freshwater. You can also use the heater, pump, filter, light and powerheads to circulate water, if you have fish that like fast flowing water.

Just rinse the tank out with freshwater and set it up. You don't need to do anything special because diseases from saltwater won't live in freshwater and vice versa (Fish TB being an exception).

 

[jaylach]

I have also done this and all was fine.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I mean does it leave a chemical change in the glass or something?

Definitely not. Only difference in freshwater and saltwater is, of course, the salt. It won’t alter the glass at all.

Of course once you drain the saltwater out of it, there will be calcium and salt residue.

 

[jaylach]

You can even use the same substrate but I'd suggest that it be rinsed well to remove salt... Ahhhhh actually rinse 2/3 of the substrate and use the other 1/3 as a starter. Drain that 1/3 but don't rinse. Much of the good bacteria in the original substrate will die but some will survive giving a head start on cycling the new tank.

The above is quite old school but I have done this with success. Still, as I said, this is old school. If others do not agree listen to their advice as they all know more about 'today stuff' than I remember about 'old stuff'.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

You can even use the same substrate but I'd suggest that it be rinsed well to remove salt... Ahhhhh actually rinse 2/3 of the substrate and use the other 1/3 as a starter. Drain that 1/3 but don't rinse. Much of the good bacteria in the original substrate will die but some will survive giving a head start on cycling the new tank.

The above is quite old school but I have done this with success. Still, as I said, this is old school. If others do not agree listen to their advice as they all know more about 'today stuff' than I remember about 'old stuff'.

Might have missed what the substrate is. If it’s sand, I don’t suggest you use it. If it’s gravel, then it’s fine.