Tropical Fish Keeping banner

250 gal salt to fresh

2K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  caferacermike 
#1 ·
Hi there,

we have a 250 gal saltwater tank that has been sitting for a couple of years. it is completely empty.

we are now looking to convert it to a freshwater tank. as i said we are starting from scratch. any and all information would be much appreciated. questions we have are as follows. what size pump/filters do we need? do we need to change the silicone sealing the glass? do we need to treat the tank with something first? anything that we havent thought of will be much appreciated

thanks!
 
#2 ·
First you should make sure it's even usable and doesn't leak. Fill it up 1/3, and put some newspapers or something underneath, wait a couple days, check for leaks. Then fill it up 2/3, waiting a few more days, check for leaks. And finally fill it up all the way, waiting and checking for leaks. If no leaks you're good to go, after a good rinsing of course...

For good filtration you'll want your water to be completely turned over at least 3 times per hour, but I'd aim for 5-7 times. So I'd say you should have a combination of at least 1000gph with your filters. (Even on my 75 gallon I have slightly over 1000gph) Power-heads would be a good addition for overall water movement, which helps with oxidation.

What kind of fish are you going to be keeping?
 
#3 ·
You'll need to do nothing more than rinse it out a few times. Set the tank up in a garage or on a patio fill with water and watch that it does not leak as was mentioned. You don't even want to know the process for resealing a tank like that. If the tank is reef ready you can still run sumps in a freshwater, I do on my 125g. I have a wet/dry with "algae" refugium. I keep only plecos in it, they wipe out any food sources so I grow extra under the tank. I run only large Eheim canister filters because they are so quiet and dependable.

Setting it up is like any other tank. First decide what you want in it, then decide the appropriate habitat.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top