Saltwater to Freshwater steps?

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Savannah_Lion

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Dec 4, 2016
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I have a 120-140 gallon saltwater tank that had a massive, massive aiptasia infestation. I emptied and drained the tank, filled it with boiling water, drained it again, etc. Now I just have sand and an inch of water in it. I let it sit for a week, hoping to freeze/starve anything lingering. Instead of putting it back together for salt, I'm considering using it for fresh and moving a catfish from one of my other tanks.

The issue: It's got an overflow, 20 gallon sump, etc. It would be impossible to scrub every inch, including places my hands can't fit. It's a very old tank, with salt deposits on dry surfaces. Is it possible (via water changes) to fill and drain the tank repeatedly to get the salinity down to acceptable levels for fresh water, or are there other factors I might not be considering?
 

Squawkbert

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Oct 3, 2006
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I think you're already in the "overkill" zone. Give everything else that you can reach a good rinse w/ warm fresh water, then get it going for your FW fish. Using an overflow/sump combo will limit your options with respect to live plants but can otherwise make for a good, easy to maintain tank. A wee bit of salt here or there will not bother your FW fish. Think about the SG of saltwater - at a minimum, there's 20g of salt per liter of water. Even w /a large setup, I don;t think the accumulated surface crust would amount to more than a couple of grams. Don;t sweat it.
 

Savannah_Lion

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Dec 4, 2016
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Thank you, I appreciate that. What about salinity levels, is there a "rule of thumb" for where I should target with my hydrometer before adding freshwater fish and plants? I realize some salt will remain, I just want it "fresh enough."
 

myswtsins

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Jun 15, 2008
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You're probably fresh enough. :) What reading are you getting right now? As far as a rule of thumb, I don't have a number exactly. As close to zero as possible would be a common answer. Any areas you can't reach just try spraying with a vinegar solution and rinse. But really any deposits left behind will dissolve very slowly and with regular water changes I don't see it accumulating fast enough to cause any issues.
 
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