Fed up with salt water

tonester2221 · 02-20-2008, 03:02 PM

Hi Folks,

I have a 90g salt water tank which I'm considering converting to either an African Cichlid or South American setup. Can I utilize the sand bottom currently in place (thus maintaining some bacteria for cycling) or do I need to perform a complete tear down?

michael_cb_125 · 02-20-2008, 03:04 PM

I would totally swap it out. Just to be safe. I doent take too long to build up bacteria in a new tank. Plus it will be totally fresh..
~Micahel

wonderloss · 02-20-2008, 03:11 PM

The denitrifying bacteria in salt water are not the same as those in fresh water, so there would be no benefit from trying to keep them.

Octoman · 02-20-2008, 03:21 PM

If you do SA cichlids, the sand could cause some trouble with maintaining a lower pH. Personally, I would much rather have some kind of gravel over sand with a FW tank because it is much easier to keep clean. I say dump it and start over.

zy112 · 02-20-2008, 03:24 PM

I would swap it. Sorry to hear your getting out of the hobby

Dentoid · 02-20-2008, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonester2221

Hi Folks,

I have a 90g salt water tank which I'm considering converting to either an African Cichlid or South American setup. Can I utilize the sand bottom currently in place (thus maintaining some bacteria for cycling) or do I need to perform a complete tear down?

"Considering" is the key word. What can we do to help you have a kinder, cleaner and more healthy saltwater tank?

tonester2221 · 02-20-2008, 04:37 PM

Thanks for the suggestions!
Between the cyano and the problems keeping sw fish alive it's become a chore rather than something I've come to enjoy...

Dentoid · 02-20-2008, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonester2221

Thanks for the suggestions!
Between the cyano and the problems keeping sw fish alive it's become a chore rather than something I've come to enjoy...

We can help you master the art of reefing if you are still interested!

teresa · 02-20-2008, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonester2221

Hi Folks,

I have a 90g salt water tank which I'm considering converting to either an African Cichlid or South American setup. Can I utilize the sand bottom currently in place (thus maintaining some bacteria for cycling) or do I need to perform a complete tear down?

Welcome to the Cichlid group. I love them and it is so much easier to maintain a cichlid tank then a salt water tank. That is my opinion but Sas will not agree with me I am sure.
When Sas gave me his salt water tank to convert to a Cichlid tank, we threw away the gravel and basically start from scratch. We were lucky because we have a koi pond and we took the gravel from the pond for cycling.

PEMfish · 02-20-2008, 05:49 PM

SW bacteria is different from FW. So dump the sand. And theres nasties in there anyway. Also, the darker the sand, the better the colors of your fish will look. Chichlids prefer sand, so medium to dark brown or even black sand will be good. Don't go to fine or you'll vacuum it up. Also, watch out for sharp pebbles. You'll also want a lower kelvin light bulbs. And totally new filtration. A Eheim Pro will do you good.

JoJo · 02-20-2008, 06:07 PM

i would think about that heavily before making the change. I did that when we moved into the new house, after 2 months i was so mad with myself, bored with the set up & trying to figure out a way to tell my wife i wanted to buy the equipment to go back to SW.

Please take to heart the offer of help from the RS family, i annoy so many people on this thread but they keep advising me on what to do. i would hate for you to go through what i did.

ReefGuy69 · 02-20-2008, 06:13 PM

Dont go... this hobby has its ups and downs. Take me for example in the last few weeks my tank was full of bryopsis and a bit of green hair algae, a few bits of bubble algae. And i thought i was doing everything right. RO water, weekly water changes, all 75lbs of live rock, plenty of flow, limited feeding, low light cycle, and still algae. i was frustrated. i stepped back for a moment and asked myself if i tore down the tank or put FW in it would i be happy... the answer was no. i want to succeed at this. So i got back to it. Did research asked plenty of questions here and i seem to be back on track. I know i will have more hurdles. I may have one as im typing this (Alk problem) but everyone here will help me through it and they will do the same for you. Sometimes the problems arent fixed overnight, or even in a weeks time, but eventually it all works out. Please just give it one more thought through before you throw in the towel.

DrHank · 02-20-2008, 08:19 PM

We all understand your frustration. There are probably many of us that have had the same problems that you are having now. We can also probably help you succeed if you want to. I would take what Jo Jo has said to heart. Don't make a snap decision, give it some real thought.

Do you want to give up because you are frustrated? If so, I suggest regrouping telling us as much as you can about the problems you are having and let us try to help. You might even want to read Melanie's chronicle.

BoomerD · 02-20-2008, 08:31 PM

As many readers have already told you, the bacteria in the tank won't be of much help if you switch to freshwater, BUT, if you rinse it well, the sand should be fine to use in an African Cichlid tank. Lots of cichlid keepers used to use fine crushed coral in their tanks as a buffer, pumping up the pH and carbonate hardness for their little beauties...
Definitely check into that further, as the practice MAY have gone by the wayside along with undergravel filters...
Cichlid-Forum ::

SubRosa · 02-20-2008, 11:39 PM

Sand can be problematic with some Africans, but is imo essential for keeping others.Large Mbuna and Frontosa for instance can wreak havoc on filters by stirring sand into solution.But keeping stuff like Furcifers and Enantiopus and other mound builders without sand is missing the most interesting part of their behavior.As long as the sand is well cleaned it's fine as far as water quality is concerned.

02-20-2008, 03:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
tonester2221 Tunicate Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 24 View Gallery Karma Komment	Fed up with salt water Hi Folks, I have a 90g salt water tank which I'm considering converting to either an African Cichlid or South American setup. Can I utilize the sand bottom currently in place (thus maintaining some bacteria for cycling) or do I need to perform a complete tear down?

02-20-2008, 03:04 PM	#2 (permalink)
michael_cb_125 Manta Ray Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Charlotte,NC Posts: 3,075 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Fed up with salt water I would totally swap it out. Just to be safe. I doent take too long to build up bacteria in a new tank. Plus it will be totally fresh.. ~Micahel __________________ 240 Gallon MIXED REEF SUPER TANK Well at least thats what I want it to be 240 Gallon Custom Made Starphire Tank Life Reef Custom Sump,Life Reef Skimmer, Little Giant Return, 2 1200gph Koralias, 2 1580 GPH Tunze Turbelles, 1 Vortec, 72" Solaris I series, PM Kalk Reactor, Custom Made Fug, way to many more things to list Jose say hello to your NEW LITTLE FRIEND!!!!!!!!

02-20-2008, 03:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
Octoman Elegance coral Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Savannah, GA Posts: 1,045 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Fed up with salt water If you do SA cichlids, the sand could cause some trouble with maintaining a lower pH. Personally, I would much rather have some kind of gravel over sand with a FW tank because it is much easier to keep clean. I say dump it and start over. __________________ Mark "If you were traveling through outer space, I mean like you're going real fast, like the speed of light, you know... hoooohhhhh... and all of a sudden you started screaming... aaaahhhhh aaaaahhhhh... Do you think your brain would blow up?" My tank thread... http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-euphoria.html Tank build... http://55reef.blogspot.com/

02-20-2008, 03:24 PM	#5 (permalink)
zy112 Harlequin Tuskfish Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: IN Posts: 981 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Fed up with salt water I would swap it. Sorry to hear your getting out of the hobby __________________ Zach

02-20-2008, 04:37 PM	#7 (permalink)
tonester2221 Tunicate Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 24 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Fed up with salt water Thanks for the suggestions! Between the cyano and the problems keeping sw fish alive it's become a chore rather than something I've come to enjoy...

02-20-2008, 05:49 PM	#10 (permalink)
PEMfish Reef Lobster Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kane Co. Il. Posts: 1,634 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Fed up with salt water SW bacteria is different from FW. So dump the sand. And theres nasties in there anyway. Also, the darker the sand, the better the colors of your fish will look. Chichlids prefer sand, so medium to dark brown or even black sand will be good. Don't go to fine or you'll vacuum it up. Also, watch out for sharp pebbles. You'll also want a lower kelvin light bulbs. And totally new filtration. A Eheim Pro will do you good. __________________ Paul `EM My cichlid tank plans, or Piranhas...; See how it all came to be; http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...g-catchup.html http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ets-ready.html Make it idiot-proof and someone will make a better idiot. I'll make the whole damn world jealous if given the money to do so. Don't make mistakes and learn from them, read and learn how to avoid mistakes.

02-20-2008, 06:13 PM	#12 (permalink)
ReefGuy69 Plate Coral Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 746 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Fed up with salt water Dont go... this hobby has its ups and downs. Take me for example in the last few weeks my tank was full of bryopsis and a bit of green hair algae, a few bits of bubble algae. And i thought i was doing everything right. RO water, weekly water changes, all 75lbs of live rock, plenty of flow, limited feeding, low light cycle, and still algae. i was frustrated. i stepped back for a moment and asked myself if i tore down the tank or put FW in it would i be happy... the answer was no. i want to succeed at this. So i got back to it. Did research asked plenty of questions here and i seem to be back on track. I know i will have more hurdles. I may have one as im typing this (Alk problem) but everyone here will help me through it and they will do the same for you. Sometimes the problems arent fixed overnight, or even in a weeks time, but eventually it all works out. Please just give it one more thought through before you throw in the towel. __________________ Dennis ________ http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...journal-3.html 55gal AGA w/ built in overflow 15 gal acrylic DIY sump/fuge 75lbs Fiji Live Rock 45lbs of Live Sand 1-1/2inch (1) 96 watt Super Blue Actinic Power Compact (2) 96 Watt 10,000k Power Compacts (2) Ebo Jager 200 watt heaters Seaclone 150 Skimmer (2) Hagen 50's Power Heads for flow (1) Hagen 70 Return Pump DIY ATO system (5 Gal) Mini Aqua Lights for fuge (10k/Actinic03) TLF 150 Phosban Reactor 12X turnover rate 2 Ocellaris Clownfish, 1 Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp, 1 Peppermint Shrimp, Neon Green Hairy Mushrooms, Red Zoanthus Polyps.

02-20-2008, 08:19 PM	#13 (permalink)
DrHank Golden Moray Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Crestview, FL Posts: 2,249 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Fed up with salt water We all understand your frustration. There are probably many of us that have had the same problems that you are having now. We can also probably help you succeed if you want to. I would take what Jo Jo has said to heart. Don't make a snap decision, give it some real thought. Do you want to give up because you are frustrated? If so, I suggest regrouping telling us as much as you can about the problems you are having and let us try to help. You might even want to read Melanie's chronicle. __________________ Jim Dr Hank's 210 Build: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...nks-tanks.html Dr Hank's 155 Bowfront:http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-bowfront.html

02-20-2008, 08:31 PM	#14 (permalink)
BoomerD Reef Shark Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 5,234 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Fed up with salt water As many readers have already told you, the bacteria in the tank won't be of much help if you switch to freshwater, BUT, if you rinse it well, the sand should be fine to use in an African Cichlid tank. Lots of cichlid keepers used to use fine crushed coral in their tanks as a buffer, pumping up the pH and carbonate hardness for their little beauties... Definitely check into that further, as the practice MAY have gone by the wayside along with undergravel filters... Cichlid-Forum :: __________________ Intelligence is not knowing all the answers, but knowing where and how to find them! www.google.com

02-20-2008, 11:39 PM	#15 (permalink)
SubRosa Serpent Star Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 226 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Fed up with salt water Sand can be problematic with some Africans, but is imo essential for keeping others.Large Mbuna and Frontosa for instance can wreak havoc on filters by stirring sand into solution.But keeping stuff like Furcifers and Enantiopus and other mound builders without sand is missing the most interesting part of their behavior.As long as the sand is well cleaned it's fine as far as water quality is concerned. __________________ An aquarium is like a seesaw.On one side is your time and patience.On the other is your money.

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