Marine Conversion To Freshwater

[scudmissile]

Hi everyone,
I am just in the process of selling off all my marine livestock and corals with the thought of going back to freshwater fish. Anyway my question is, can i convert my tank for freshwater as I have a sump on this. I used to have an Eheim thermofilter in the past and thought I could probably save myself a few hundred quid and convert this tank. So if this is possible then would there be any diagrams that would show me what to do.
Secondly I have a 150watt metal halide light with blue actinics and wondered if this could be used or would be too bright? I am going to setup either a community tank which would be the firt time ever in 20 years of fishkeeping or to keep Malawi cichlids as I have done very succesfully for many years although I am tempted with the community tank with nice plants etc....

Many thanks in advance for any advice offered and this is my first posting from a new member

 

[STD]

Hi everyone,
I am just in the process of selling off all my marine livestock and corals with the thought of going back to freshwater fish. Anyway my question is, can i convert my tank for freshwater as I have a sump on this. I used to have an Eheim thermofilter in the past and thought I could probably save myself a few hundred quid and convert this tank. So if this is possible then would there be any diagrams that would show me what to do.
Secondly I have a 150watt metal halide light with blue actinics and wondered if this could be used or would be too bright? I am going to setup either a community tank which would be the firt time ever in 20 years of fishkeeping or to keep Malawi cichlids as I have done very succesfully for many years although I am tempted with the community tank with nice plants etc....

Many thanks in advance for any advice offered and this is my first posting from a new member

I converted one of my tanks back from marine to freshwater

I just rinsed it out thoroughly

I use the sump as a large external filter by filling it with ceramic media designed for fishpond filters

 

[8inary]

just out of interest you two, what made you swap from marine to fw?

 

[scudmissile]

just out of interest you two, what made you swap from marine to fw?

I find its a constant cleaning and water changes with testing and dosing, algae scraping etc........ Where as when I had FW it was a case of 90% enjoyment and 10% maintenance, with marine its the other way round!!

 

[STD]

just out of interest you two, what made you swap from marine to fw?

I had 2 marine tanks

my 2nd v2 skimmer had died & while waiting to see if it was going to be replaced the water conditions were plummeting

I decided to combine the 2 tanks and try freshwater again

I have really enjoyed having the freshwater tank again and after a long time where the marine tank was neglected am enjoying the marines as well

 

[scudmissile]

Thanks for the advice and will look into it, can you give me a make please of media to use? and any idea about the light? is this ok for freshwater use

 

[STD]

Thanks for the advice and will look into it, can you give me a make please of media to use? and any idea about the light? is this ok for freshwater use

I can't remember the make but ask in a fish shop thats sells pond filters and I'm sure you can find something suitable - I bought it because it was a lot cheaper than the media for an external filter and I have a 70 litre sump

As to the halides they should be good for plant growth

 

[scudmissile]

Thanks for the advice and will look into it, can you give me a make please of media to use? and any idea about the light? is this ok for freshwater use

I can't remember the make but ask in a fish shop thats sells pond filters and I'm sure you can find something suitable - I bought it because it was a lot cheaper than the media for an external filter and I have a 70 litre sump

As to the halides they should be good for plant growth

Cheers mike,
I was thinking the same about the lights too, I'm going to do some research and thanks for the advice

 

[gecko2606]

Hi. I shut down my marine tank 2-3 week ago. I too started a Tropical Tank.

From my marine tank I am using almost all the Equipment, Pumps, Heaters, UV, Just give all a real good wash

I washed the tank & sump out like 4 times just too make sure that it woz done.

If you do diside to go fresh water all you really need to do is give everything a real good wash .

Anyhow 2-3 weeks on my tank is taking shap, I am keeping a photo diary an will put them up at some point.

Oh there is 1 thing to remember an that is too wacth the PH leval, My local Fish store says that it is because that of, it was a marine tank in a PH of 8.2 an you need it to go done to like 6.5 ish depending on the fish that you may want to keep an they say the it is the seals of the tank.

Anyhow good luke an keep us all posted on how you get on

 

[8inary]

to be honest, when people ask me why i dont keep a marine tank, i tell them because i dont have the time to keep one.
my tropical tank is easy to look after - even with powerful t5 lights i only scrape once every two weeks, and due to the size of the
tank, i use a hose pipe from outside....prime it, then allow the tanks water to backflow out, then i just top it up, lot easier than whats needed with a marine tank.

that said, i love the look of a marine tank, which is why i styled my tropical tank on that..

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLGa8d9L1SY...re=channel_page