Converting reef tank a freshwater tank

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
C

Cassius.

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 3, 2012
120
1
0
Westchester, NY
Hey guys, I just bought a used 92 gallon bowfront corner tank previously used in a reef setup, that I'd like to use for cichlids instead.

I knew I needed to plug the extra holes in the bottom of the tank, but I didn't consider that I also have to remove the black plastic barrier at the rear of the tank. This thing is fixed to the tank with black silicone. I want to remove it but I'm worried about ruining the tank by scratching it. Anybody have any good and easy way to take that silicone off?

On another note, I'm guessing saltwater setups are more desirable than freshwater tanks. In a perfect world, someone would trade me a freshwater tank for my saltwater, and I wouldn't have to worry about messing this sucker up.

Any help?


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My suggestion is to use the setup as is w a sump on your fw tank. Any particular reason you don't want to?
 
have you though about using the tank the way it is. the plastic barrier is an overflow for a sump. lots of freshwater tanks use sumps. it gives you a place to put your heaters and also adds water volume and keeps the water height in the tank constant.

if you must remove it a razor blade will be your friend. if the tank is glass the blade will not scratch it
 
I'm unfamiliar with sumps. My thought was to plug the holes and remove the plastic because I was unaware of people using sumps for fw. I guess I could leave it there - the heater would work from back there? Anything else I could hide back there? Would it make more sense to use the existing pipes/holes rather than plug them?


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do a search in the diy filtration section and you will find lots of info on fw sumps. the basic idea is that you put your pump into the sump to return the water back to the display tank. then the water flows over the barirer and then drops into the sump where it goes through mechanical filtration then into your biological filter media then back to the pump. you can do either a full wet sump where all the media is submerged or you can do a wet dry sump where most of the media is out of the water and the water trickles through it. it all depends on how much room you have and what you want to do
 
Sump will be the way to go especially if you're overstocking. Adds water volume and a ton of bio filtration
 
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