Will fltr media adapt to salt?

[mpgt]

I'm converting a 65 gal African cichlid tank over to salt water.
1. Do I have to change or thoroughly clean the (Eheim 2217) filter media?
2. There's a lot of talk about deep sand beds. Is that the best way to go? I'm not sure I'm headed towards a reef tank...maybe fish instead. Thanks!!

 

[mpgt]

I should also mention my tank's dimensions: 60x15x15" In a 15" high tank, I can't imagine 4-6" of sand. It has about 1-1/2" of crushed coral at the moment, which I'm starting to believe ought to be removed. Help!

 

[fshhub]

welcome aboard
1. not sure, but i would not change it, lots a garbage in it, cnt hurt for your cycle, but in the long run, i would considere a skimmer and lr/ls instead
2. IMO, the only way to go
i would, remove teh cc now, yes, espe if you are thinking it now, b/c if you do so later, you will wish you had done it now(right now, you just take it out, later it is more work,a dn riskier)

 

[pstanley]

I recently switched a tank from freshwater to saltwater using the same biological filter and my saltwater tank did not need to cycle again...the bacteria was able to adapt. I also had live rock in the tank so I am sure that helped also.

 

[mpgt]

Thanks to all. Pstanley, did you replace all the water? I think I will. I'll have to de-chlorinate it first so it won't kill the bacteria. Then I'll add the salt. I'll rinse the media in tank water first.
Can you still buy live bacteria in bottles? I once used Fritz-Zyme and set the tank up with all new water and sand, and stocked it with large Wrasses and a lion fish in the same day...No problems with cycling.

 

[richard rendos]

Well, contrary to what you have just heard, salt water bacteria and fresh water bacteria are two completely different critters. Marine bacteria will not live in fresh water and vice versa. Not sure why his tank didn't cycle but not because of his fresh water bacteria living in salt water. I would not only rinse it but think about replacing it with new media. Have you used any medications on your tank while this filter was running? If so, especially if it was a copper based medication, you may cause real problems in your salt water conversion. As far as the sand bed...I have not used a DSB until my most recent tank and it hasn't been up long enough to tell. That I will have to leave up to you or someone who has a little more experience with DSB's.

 

[jakob4001]

NUMBER ONE RULE!!!!
1) BE PATIANT...TAKE YOUR TIME
there is NO SHORTCUT despite the 1 in 20 or so peops that say otherwise...it will take anywhere from a month to 2 months to cycle your tank properly...
one safe pratical way to do so would be to place 1 or 2 uncooked shrimp from your grocer into the tank & let them decompose...they will help to cycle your tank w/o risking life of other fish just to cycle your tank
I would also get rid of the CC stuff also...some people say about 1-2 pounds of LR per gallon w/ 4" sand bed will be fine...adding all or most of your LR in the beginning will also help to cycle your tank & avoid causing spike when you have livestock added already

 

[mpgt]

A well known authority says in a book that the bacteria are the same, and he says you can use a hand full of gravel from a freshwater tank to help seed the substrate.

 

[jakob4001]

what book please & what page? how old is the information? I guess anything is worth a try, but why not just do it the sure way that HAS worked for most other people...putting 2 small uncooked shrimp, adding LR, & aquiring small amount of sand from an existing salt water tank does not sound like a lot of effort to me at least

 

[mpgt]

That might be copywright infringement. I'm sure you're right anyway, folks should go with the majority on this one as long as care is taken not to introduce any undesirable organisms. Taking shortcuts can be risky and in the end, costly. I really don't advocate shortcuts, but was trying to proceed cautiously with my tank. (Asking questions)Thanks.