Salt To Freshwater

[Soaup]

Can you take a tank that was previously used for a saltwater tank be transferred to be used for a freshwater fish.. Just clean it out well and should all work fine??

 

[fishing4exotics]

Should be fine. Some equipment used for marine tanks are not useful for freshwater application. Protein skimmers and refugium to name a few.

 

[Cichlidkeeper]

I'm actually doing that right now. I'm converting my 50 gal reef tank to a community tank. Just make sure you change the water

 

[BabySealClubber]

Should be fine. Some equipment used for marine tanks are not useful for freshwater application. Protein skimmers and refugium to name a few.

Refugiums are still useful for freshwater. In them you can grow fast-growing plants like hornwort for nutrient reduction.

 

[_Cal_]

Very true which would mean less alage.

 

[fishing4exotics]

An Aquaclear of Emperor Hang on the back type filter would be more effecient than a refugium. It is more practical to have a regular filter.

 

[andywg]

An Aquaclear of Emperor Hang on the back type filter would be more effecient than a refugium. It is more practical to have a regular filter.

A properly set up refugium will be far more efficient than any normal filter as the plants or algae will take ammmonia straight out of the water leaving no nitrite or (more importantly) nitrate meaning you can reduce the frequency of water changes.

 

[fishing4exotics]

Surface are on filters can't compare to the same size refugium. It would be more practical to keep the plants IN THE TANK.

 

[andywg]

More practical as in easier to set up, but harder to cultivate. The main tank will usually be more crowded, whrereas the fuge won't be and will have a lot less inhabitants. Especially if using algae.

 

[fishing4exotics]

Like you ever had a freshwater refugium? I tried them and they are not as efficient as regular filters. You need the area of the whole tank or bigger to have an effective fugium.

 

[Matty]

well, im sure every little bit helps. i never really understood the purpose of the refugium...and i heard a skimmer could work in freshwater, its just you would need a really really high end one for it to do anything...

 

[andywg]

Like you ever had a freshwater refugium

I have had a FW fuge and it worked out pretty good (and how dare you post something like that).

I stated that they are far more efficient when properly set up. I didn't say that whatever you tried in the past was better.

And for even better fuges, look into Algae turf scrubbers. A filtration method so good that when used in Marine it negates the need for protein skimmers and live rock. It can also be used equally successfully on a FW tank. The only downside is the splashing noise.