Converting Salt to Fresh

[nereef]

i service a tank that is a 180 salt. to make a long story short, the people moved and the new resident wants to change the tank to a freshwater cichlid tank. the current sw tank has about 200lbs of rock, about 2" of sand, a bunch of powerheads, 2 magnum 350s, and a wet dry sump.
i plan on pulling the fish, live rock, and draining the sw. i will fill it up with freshwater and leave the filters as they are. can i just leave the sand in, or should i pull it too? i know people use CaCO3 based sand in cichlid tanks to keep the pH high, but will it make a mess from all the dieoff?

 

[ophiura]

What kind of cichlids? Not all cichlids like the hard water. If it is a real fine sand, I would personally replace it, as cichlids can really stir it up a lot. JMO though.
I also don't think the die off would be a great thing. I would just start new on that.

 

[nereef]

probably malawi/tanganyika cichlids. that's the easiest to take care of ime. the sand isn't too fine, probably 2-3mm per grain. i didn't think about them making a mess, but i should probably should consider that.
so you think the dieoff would be messy enough to dirty up the tank past the cycle?

 

[hefner413]

I've heard in past that you can go fresh to salt but not the reverse. But that's just what I've heard.

 

[nereef]

you wouldn't want to go fresh to salt if you had used Cu, but i don't know why you couldn't go salt to fresh.

 

[hefner413]

And of course, I'm one to say - once you go salt, you'll never go back! I certainly won't. But I guess if I did, cichlids would be the was I would go.

 

[dupreyjaq]

replace the sand, the nitratie spikes are killer, the filters are fine, just don't need all those power heads. I've done this twice, the first time was no good, second everyone was happy.

 

[goingpoor]

so what happening to the saltwater live stock????? you going to be selling it,let me know.

 

[zeke92]

yeah i wouldn't mind buying some liv erock >_>
but i'd make sure to clean the filters and the tank well. cause if there is much salt in the tank, any inverts you put in it will probably die. thats why i would take the sand out, there will be alot of salt in the sand.

 

[nereef]

sailfin tang, foxface, vermiculated angel, porcupine puffer will be taken back to the shop and sold. why would i not use the powerheads?

 

[pbienkiewi]

now why can't he use the live rock?? Put the rock into another container filled with freshwater. Let the organisms die off and use the rock in the freshwater. Making sure the die off is done. I don't think this will effect the PH. The cichlids would love the rock work.
As for the sand. Why can't he rince it off several times over a time span and let the die off begin. Then re-use it?

 

[zeke92]

it's up to him not me. i'm just saying, inverts are usually really sensative to tihngs like salt. and he would make the store money if he sold the live rock as is. he could get really cheap already dead rock for the cichlid tank if he wante.d thats the smartest move.

 

[pbienkiewi]

True, The profit rate would be higher. But is it worth The time and effort of lugging 200lbs of live rock to the nearest LFS then lugging 200lbs of base rock back.
How many LFS have the room to house 200lbs of live rock also?

 

[goingpoor]

Originally Posted by pbienkiewi
True, The profit rate would be higher. But is it worth The time and effort of lugging 200lbs of live rock to the nearest LFS then lugging 200lbs of base rock back.
How many LFS have the room to house 200lbs of live rock also?
JUST TRADE IN ALONE WOULD BE WORTH IT YOU COULD ORDER BASE ROCK OFF LINE...WOULD HATE TO SEE YA LOOSE OUT YOU KNOW HOW MUCH LIVE ROCK GOES FOR