We understand that you might be wondering a lot.
“Would I have any problem converting my saltwater tank to freshwater?” “Can I reuse my filter system and pump?” “What is the best cleaning method for the tank to prep for freshwater?”.
Rest assured, you’ll get the best answers to those questions, by following this article. Here is how to convert a saltwater tank to freshwater.
Drain Out Saltwater From Your Tank
After moving all living creatures out of your saltwater tank, turn off all the electric-powered accessories, such as aquarium powerheads, lights, and filter systems.
Drain the tank of all saltwater by hooking up a pump and hose and reaching from your tank to a nearby drain or sink.
You can buy a kit including one pump and hose on Amazon or at any aquarium shop. It is a worthy investment because this kit will help you a lot in freshwater changes weekly later. Plus, it’s cheap and easy to use.
With smaller tanks, you can use a pail and scoop the saltwater out.
Remove Inappropriate Objects And Accessories
Now, remove coral sand and filter pads. The fact that coral sand can’t be used on freshwater tanks because it will increase the pH levels of the water, which is harmful to fish.
However, if you intend to feed mollies and guppies, it is okay to keep the sand because these fish species love to live in freshwater with high pH levels.
If you have saltwater plants, give them away. Same with artificial plants since they can’t be sterilized completely. Same with those hard-to-clean accessories.
Change The Filter System
Exchange the filter medium with new charcoal and sponges. They work decently in purifying the freshwater in your tank, making it low-maintenance.
If your tank still has some space left, combine with beneficial bacteria or bio-balls for better performance.
Scrub And Wipe Down Your Tank
You will need:
- One bucket
- One cup of vinegar
- One gallon of water
- One sponge
Pour water into a bucket, then add vinegar. Soak a sponge into this mixture, squeeze to remove excess liquid, and start scrubbing your fish tank inside out.
Remember to wear rubber gloves and put on appropriate clothes because the odors of vinegar are hard to remove from your hand skin. The biggest bonus of this cleaning liquid is 100% natural and eco-friendly.
Rinse the tank thoroughly to clean off the liquid.
Let it dry at room temperature.
Clean The Accessories
With those accessories that you want to keep in, scrub them in the vinegar liquid, then rinse with clean water. The final step is to sterilize them.
You’ll need:
- One bucket
- A diluted bleach solution (or blend 1 cup of bleach solution with 1 gallon of freshwater)
Pour the diluted bleach solution into a bucket, then soak your saltwater tank accessories in there. Set it aside for one hour before rinsing these accessories with running tap water.
Finally, let them air dry 18-24 hours.
Set Up Your Freshwater Tank
Add Padding
Consider adding pads between the stand and your tank, especially if it is in a large size. Or replace the old padding since they tend to be compressed after a while of use, which reduces its absorption capabilities.
Replace The Filter System
If you used a protein skimmer for your saltwater tank, discard it and use a new filtering system for freshwater. There are eight popular options:
Type of filter system | Construction | Pros | Cons |
Under-gravel filters | Include an air pump to pull the water through the substrate. Under this substrate layer is a plate filter | Low-maintenance Easy to install Cheap | Prone to clog, which is not recommended to freshwater tanks with live plants |
Wet/dry filters | Feature a container of floss, strands, or plastic balls Aquarium water will drip through this container, letting it expose to the air to hence nurture beneficial bacteria | Easy to use Low-maintenance | Expensive Prone to clog (can be fixed by using a mechanical pre-filter) |
Sponge filters | Attach to a tube from an air pump or a powerhead Aquarium water will be led through this tube, encourage beneficial bacteria to grow | Good for a hospital isolation tank or tanks with fry Fairly affordable | Easily clogged if there’s excess debris Require frequent maintenance |
Hang-on filters | It includes biological, chemical, and mechanical filtration Hung on the back of a freshwater tank and draw water through a siphon tube | Offer the best water-filtering performance | Expensive |
Fluidized Bed Filters | Use silica chips and sand to filter the water Hang on the back of a freshwater tank and draw water through a tube to the filter medium. | Good at cleaning the water mechanically | Not include water pumps, you’ll have to buy them separately Very expensive |
Diatomic Filters | Use very fine particles to clean the water | Best to remove algae in a tank | A bit pricey |
Canister Filters | Include high-quality biological, chemical, and mechanical filtration. Hung on the back of a tank | Offer the strongest mechanical water filtering performance, which suits medium to large tanks | Expensive Difficult to get primed and restarted afterward Hard to detach for hygiene or replacement |
Corner Filters | Push the water up by using a stream of bubbles. Water will run through the top, sides, and bottom vents of the filter, then pass through filter media | Suitable for small fish tanks under 20 gallons Cheap Compatible with various filter media Perfect for breeding tanks with tiny fry or a hospital isolation tank | Require an airline and air pump to work |
The final step is to add a new substrate to your tank and fill it with fresh water.
Add fish later once the water is settled down. But if you’re in a hurry, use a biological enhancer and charcoal filter to clean your aquarium water faster. Note: This method is just a temporary fix.
Conclusion
See? It’s pretty easy to convert a saltwater tank to freshwater as long as you follow our guide above. Thanks for reading and don’t forget to follow our blog to learn more tips about aquarium tanks.
Eugene WilliamsHi, my name is Eugene, the ultimate home enthusiast! I write buying guides and ideas on how to create a warm and welcoming home. Join me on my journey to make everyday in your house a staycation in the comfort of your own space!
