Switching to Marine tank question...

[Bassithound]

I currently have a 12 gallon planted molly tank that I may want to switch to
a marine tank. Assuming I can find homes for the mollies, can I convert
this based on my current set up:
I have an eclipse 1 hood and flourite substrate. Can I simply remove the
plants and freshwater fish and then add salt and cycle a marine tank. I
want no more than a couple of clown fish and maybe some live rock. Can I
use flourite in a marine tank? Will adding salt kill all the existing
bacteria? Any comments appreciated as I am in the early planning stages.
dave in NJ

[James Folsom]

Keep the mollies, you can use them to cycle the marine tank. Just bring the
salt up in stages or you'll shock them. If nothing else its pretty ironic to
see mollies swimming around marine water. Also you might want to switch the
fluorite to crushed coral.

"Bassithound

[Laren Miracle]

I am into plants too.

I have tried many times in the past to start a marine aquarium only to
have it become covered in algae.

There are no plecos for salt water.

I usually take them apart after three or four months and then try
again after six months or so.

This time I started a reef with live rock and lots of macro algae.
Sort of like a marine, planted tank.

http://www.users.qwest.net/~laren/myreef.html

It's been up now for five months and I'm amazed at how much easier it
is to take care of than any of my planted tanks.
This time I used the berlin method.

All I've had to do is clean the glass.

I think the live rock made the difference.
The macro algae probably helps a lot too.

You should consider using "live sand" for your substrate.
It can only make any situation better.

I really don't know about the fluorite.
Marine fish and organisms are very sensitive to any toxins or heavy
metals in the water.
I believe fluorite is very rich in iron.

You are going to have to let your tank recycle I'm afraid.
Best to add a few small fish and give it a month.

Mollies a very easy to acclimate to marine conditions, and are often
used to cycle tanks because of their higher tolerance to toxins during
the cycle period (ammonia, nitrite, etc.).

You could keep the mollies in a bucket for a few days while you change
out the tank, and then fill the tank with fresh water and add them
back.
You could then raise the salinity slowly by adding a little salt each
day till the water becomes salt water.

A 12 gallon tank is probably too small for a reef, although I've seen
many "micro" reefs set up successful.

You will only be able to keep one or two small damsel fish in a tank
that small.

Salt water fish have almost no tolerance to toxins (ammonia, nitrite)
and their numbers must be kept VERY low compared to freshwater fish.

Larry