Need 180g HELP

RUNNOFT

Reefing newb
First of all this is and awesome site,

I am now entertaining the thought of switching a 180g tank from freshwater to saltwater. I have kept cichlids for over a decade and I have great knowledge of them and all there is to know about equipment, chemicals, etc, however, when it comes to saltwater I am definitely clueless .

I would like to know what I need to do to switch it over. I know I will need to get a skimmer and new lighting, but when I do the water change, can I keep some of the water and the filter pads in, to use for the bacteria to help the cycling, or is saltwater bacteria different? Or is it best to just clean the entire tank of all algae and start from zero?I also realize that the rocks and gravel need to be changed to live rock and live sand. BTW, i do not plan to have much coral at all, if at all.

My tank is a 180 with built in overflows in the corner, and a about a 30 or 40 gallon sump. I have two pumps which combine for about 1100-1200 gph.

My final question, I originally thought about doing this because I wanted bigger, "cooler" fish such as a shark of some kind. However in my research over the last day or two, i cannot find a shark that will stay small enough for a 180. My wife would also prefer salt water over freshwater, but the fish she has shown me are smaller than what I want. I want some groupers and she wants Tangs and butterflies which I have been told cannot be put together, can any of you expierenced folks give me some advise.
 
Hi & Welcome!

I too have nearly a decade's worth of experience in keeping cichlids. I made the jump into saltwater not knowing much about it and if I knew then what I know now, I would have gone saltwater a long time ago. Aside from the additional expense and maintenance that goes along with saltwater, I enjoy it far more than I ever did my cichlid set ups. I only grazed the surface of biology while keeping freshwater, but I have learned so much about the science behind the ocean and I am constantly amazed at how every piece is alive and plays a role in the system. You may change your mind about the corals if that sort of thing intrigues you the way it does me.

You are right about the sharks, your system is too small. There are plenty of awesome fish that you could keep though with the set up you have. your system is not small by any means and if you dig through the forum a bit, you will see that quite a few of us have made wonderful things out of smaller tanks than yours.

We have a great compatibility guide here:
https://www.livingreefs.com/forums/miscellaneous/493-saltwater-fish-compatibility-guide.html
You should also know that the order you introduce each fish, establishes dominance, so even though two fish may be compatible, if you place a passive fish into a system where an aggressive fish has already become established, the dominant fish will kill the new fish. Do your homework and you will be alright. Remember don't add more than 1 fish each month. This hobby is all about timing and you can't rush it.
 
Hi and welcome! Glad you found us.

You should clean everything and start from scratch. Saltwater and freshwater bacteria are different, so trying to preserve the old bacteria won't help.

First line of business should be to buy a protein skimmer. It's good that you already have a reef ready tank and sump. You can definitely keep your old pumps/powerheads to reuse. I recommend Octopus brand skimmers because they are extremely affordable and work very well.

Next, since you have a big tank, you'll probably want to buy an RODI unit to make your own water. Tap water is a huge no no in saltwater tanks. You can get a decent RODI unit for around $100. I got mine from www.purewaterclub.com. Lots of people on this site bought theirs from Pure Water Club too. Another site I see recommended a lot is www.thefilterguys.com.

When cleaning your tank and equipment, don't use anything but a vinegar-water solution. It's the safest stuff you can use to clean, and it works.

You will only need new lighting if you want to keep photosynthetic inverts, such as corals, clams and anemones. If you are planning to keep fish only for now, then there's no need to spend money on new lights.

Tangs and butterflies can be put together. They'll be just fine in the same tank. Butterflies are not reef safe, and will eat your inverts, but if you are not planning a reef tank, that's fine. Check out our fish database link up at the top. It's incomplete, but several of the fish types at the beginning of the alphabet are done.
 
Souds like you are looking at an aggressive setup I have a 150 and if you are playing with ideas I have a clown grouper aka leaf lip, snowflake eel, zebra eel, lunare warsse, and a volitan lionfish. I like them all, but the wrasse is very aggressive and is always moving during the day. The grouper also moves around quite a bit, but after buying him I learned that it can emit toxin killing tankmates if stressed. Luckily no problems. The eels are usually hidden in the rock with their head sticking out and come out during feeding. The LionFish comes out at night and is in the rock during the day. Just thought id tell you how some of them behave to get an idea. I too came from freshwater, but had caribe piranhas.
 
Thanks for the help guys (and girls).

Bifferwine,

Do I need a RODI unit if I have well water? And I know this sounds stupid, but how does a RODI unit work? Is it and instant thing or does it take time to clean the water?
 
I am going to sound stupid, but how does an RODI unit work, Is it instant like a brita filter, or does it take a long time? and do I even need one since I use well water?

Also, since I know nothing about SW fish, what fish is the neatest to have as far as personality, being seen, color, and size. I am trying what figure which route I will take with my tank.:question:
 
Well water will still have heavy metals, phosphates and nitrates in it. You should either get an RODI unit, or buy RODI water from the grocery store or Walmart. RODI units work instantly. Turn it on, and clean water comes out of one end.
 
Seems to me you like the bigger fish and your wife likes the more colorful fish.
So you might want to look at some of the bigger angelfish like the Queenangel,the Koran angel.
Not for the reef tank,but big and colorfull.
 
Definitely look into an ro/di solution. its better to make sure your safe and happy than in a constant struggle. Marine life is much more sensitive to water quality than your freshwater tanks. like said before those fill your own water machines at supermarkets are all ro/di machines. Welcome to the forum hoefully the conversion goes over well.
 
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