Saltwater to Freshwater

[Frop]

I’m thinking of changing from saltwater to fresh. I’d see if my coworker (with a salted tank) may want my livestock which isn’t a whole lot. That or I may (but not likely) put my saltwater stuff into a 20gallon tank. I essentially have all the gear already to do that.

Is there anything I need to know? How important is it to clean the leftover algae and stuff?

My plan is to convert it to a planted tank and move my cichlids in from another tank (essentially I’m combining two of my other fish tanks together into one). I don’t know how bad but I imagine my cichlids will be little punks and rip my plants up. I’ve seen them grab plants like foot ball players and run accross the tank with them.

Probably keep the chiller, computer, gyre, sump, and light system from the saltwater tank but use it for the planted. The lights are adjustable so I can set it at 6700K.

 

[Waters]

I have went back and forth multiple times without any issues. I would just clean the equipment in a vinegar solution....you aren't going to want to start a new freshwater tank with a dirty, algae covered tank anyways :)

 

[riche]

Depending on what cichlids u are keeping I wouldn’t put them in a planted tank. Dwarf South American chiclids will be ok but if you are doing Africans or larger new world they will just uproot all the plants. I used to be heavy into freshwater and a nice planted tank is eye candy and u get into some of the nice tetras and other community style fish they are a great looking tank

 

[aslmx]

Freshwater is so complicated to me. I have a fluval spec v but it never has thrived.

 

[Frop]

We have an Oscar I know he chargers through the fake plants. And a black convic cichlid. Currently he digs in the fake substrate of his current take to make a dug out of his own.

 

[Waters]

Freshwater is so complicated to me. I have a fluval spec v but it never has thrived.

I have kept both planted tanks and fish only freshwater tanks......the high tech planted tanks are just as complicated, if not more than reef tanks lol. Currently I have a small tetra tank in addition to my reef. Here is a pic of my high tech planted tank which I have posted on this site before.......