Getting back to basics//// Switchover Question

[Eyebedam]

Hello fellow fish heads. I've been keeping a tank or 3 for the last 20 years. The last 10 have been salt/reef only & have lot all love for the hobby. I'm wanting to get back into freshwater, revisit what gave me the love for fish keeping. I've always enjoyed larger more aggressive fish & this is what I'm gonna do again. Here's the question. My current tank is a 180 wide reef ready with dual corner overflows. Would I be better off selling this tank when I sell off all my reef equipment & live rock & just buy a new tank without overflows? I plan on staying with the 180 size & I'm tired of the overflows anyway. Just curious on you Al's thought since so many things have changed in the world of freshwater over the past 10 years.

Feel free to post your thoughts & any questions & ill do my best to answer them.. I'm in e planning stages now so I'm open to all suggestions.

Thanks
jason

 

[guano]

Are you planing not to run a sump anymore?

 

[Eyebedam]

Negative on the sump. I have a sump room in my basement that originally feed the reef tank, pumping up 16ft. However I think I'm done with sumps. I has thinking a couple of the bigger heavy duty canister style filters this time around.

Like I said. Just trying to plan it out ATM.

 

[guano]

I would keep the 180 unless you can get a good price for it. If I was in your position, I would remove the overflows weirs and use the existing holes for the intakes and return for canisters, assuming your going to do two. This could free up space for the soon to be monsters. If you don't like the look of pvc on the corners you can hide them behind a 3d background but this would take up more room. You could keep the weirs but I would worry about evaporation and running your canisters dry. What kind of fish did you have in mind?

 

[Eyebedam]

Well the bulkheads are 2in. Kinda large. As far as fish,,, kinda open here. Here are what I'm thinking ATM. However I know final list will change because of diff needs but thinking of a few diff set-ups.

Stingrays
Discus
Red Tail Catfish <<< if this happens it'll move to a pond.

Electric blue Jack Dempseys < possibly to breed. That's fun IMO.

Red Devils, green Terrors, convicts, possibly Oscar or 2.

Def want movement & semi aggressive. These are just a few that come to mind ATM.

 

[Eyebedam]

So let me ask this. Here's a gen description as. MY tank is set up as saltwater. 180 gallon tank upstairs. The sump is in my basement 16 ft below. It's about a 50 gallon sump which then falls into a 200 gallon Rubbermaid tube. After all that it pumps back up to my tank. Here is my question. I have 2 overflows which are bottom drilled, could I just empty everything out, clean it well & use it all the exact same way for freshwater drain wise as salt? Of course I have power heads throughout the tank for extra circulation.