Old freshwater to saltwater tank?

[Fish Outta Water]

Can I convert an old freshwater tank into a saltwater tank? I am going to buy new filters and everything I was just curious about how I should clean the actual tank so that I can use it for saltwater. I am a high school aquatic science teacher and I'm on a very low budget. I'm taking my animals home over the summer and I cannot take home the tank they are currently in. I was thinking about doing a dsb and I already have live rock. I would be going from a 25 gallon aquarium to a 35 one. I am EXTREMELY new to the saltwater world. Thanks for your help!

 

[SPS FREAK]

Just make sure you have never medicated the aquarium before, and do a vinager bath to help clean it and you should be good to go. if you need any odds or ends i have a ton of extra equipment lying around just let me know

 

[Fish Outta Water]

Well the tank was given to me..... Hopefully they didn't medicate the tank! I guess I'll find out. :/

I need LOTS of odds and ends unfortunately! I literally have the 35 gallon aquarium, a stand, and a lid that doesn't fit very well. I want to get some kind of H.O.T. skimmer and a power-head. (At least that is what I think I need.) I don't even know what flow rate I need for it. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Lance]

Well to start off I would say the best thing you can do is read, read, and read more if you are new and take your time. Do not rush it as it is a lot different than FW. Welcome to the boards also. [smilie=clapping.gif]

 

[Lance]

@Fish Outta Water wrote:

Are you goin gto make it a reef tank or fish only?

 

[Fish Outta Water]

@Lance6270 wrote:

Thanks! I have been - constantly, and it is very overwhelming. [smilie=surprised.gif] I'm not rushing in at this point... Not really anyway. I'm trying to "save" my animals for the summer. Many see my animals as "disposable" and I don't! My tank has been up and running for about 5 months now. @Lance6270 wrote:

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My tank is actually kind of confusing. What originally started out as a "saltwater touch tank" is no longer that. It's a very shallow 25 gallon tank with a crushed corral bed. My animals are a sea cucumber (very plain jane), 3 hermit crabs, 2 horseshoe crabs, a sea urchin, a brittle star, and an arrow crab (a recent purchase). My nitrates sky rocketed so I bought about 10 lbs of live rock, because my tank is so shallow that is all I could put in there. It's no longer a touch tank because the live rock has TONS of bristle worms among other things that are growing on it.

The tank has no light on it because there is no where to place a light hood and I can't afford one because I would have to purchase it out of my own pocket. I know I'm doing some right because my live rock is flourishing and growing all kinds of creatures. We recently noticed lots of those tiny starfish popping out everywhere and now my bristle worms are kept at bay because of my arrow crab. I have no skimmer so I have been doing weekly water changes. (I buy my salt water from Fishtomorow.) The tank came with a filter that normally comes with a freshwater tank so it's only really acting like a powerhead.

Sorry to be so long winded its just that school is almost out and I'm starting to panic. I'm willing to buy a skimmer and powerhead out of my pocket in case these animals become permanent residents at my house.