Freshwater Canister Filter to Saltwater?

[Hoshiaki]

I currently have a 45 gallon freshwater tank with a canister filter that’s been growing beneficial bacteria for around 2 years. I’m starting a 2.5 pico reef tank but to be cautious I also wanted to start a bigger 45 gallon saltwater tank for my first one (for more stability). Is there anything I can do about the beneficial bacteria? I’m guessing it would die switching from fresh to salt...

Any suggestions?

tldr: I’m wondering if i can switch 2 years of beneficial bacteria from a freshwater canister filter to a saltwater environment.

 

[Azedenkae]

I currently have a 45 gallon freshwater tank with a canister filter that’s been growing beneficial bacteria for around 2 years. I’m starting a 2.5 pico reef tank but to be cautious I also wanted to start a bigger 45 gallon saltwater tank for my first one (for more stability). Is there anything I can do about the beneficial bacteria? I’m guessing it would die switching from fresh to salt...

Any suggestions?

tldr: I’m wondering if i can switch 2 years of beneficial bacteria from a freshwater canister filter to a saltwater environment.

Probably not. I mean there are some microbes that are adapted to a wide range of salinities, but I don't recall any nitrifying species (that we know of/generally find) in our aquariums that are so, and even then they tend to exhibit different nitrification rates.

Quick question - are you planning to transition the freshwater tank to a saltwater tank, or planning to set up a separate 45 gallon saltwater tank?

 

[Jekyl]

I wouldn't use anything living transferred from fresh to salt. Most likely just end up with a huge nutrient spike. Canister filters get a bad wrap even when brand new anyway

 

[Hoshiaki]

Probably not. I mean there are some microbes that are adapted to a wide range of salinities, but I don't recall any nitrifying species (that we know of/generally find) in our aquariums that are so, and even then they tend to exhibit different nitrification rates.

Quick question - are you planning to transition the freshwater tank to a saltwater tank, or planning to set up a separate 45 gallon saltwater tank?

Thanks for the info! And yeah, i was planning on transitioning the fresh water 45 to a salt.

 

[Hoshiaki]

I wouldn't use anything living transferred from fresh to salt. Most likely just end up with a huge nutrient spike. Canister filters get a bad wrap even when brand new anyway

Ah alright, thanks for telling me!

 

[Azedenkae]

Thanks for the info! And yeah, i was planning on transitioning the fresh water 45 to a salt.

Coolio, what you could always do is do the transition and let nature take its course during the cycle. ^_^ That's what I'd do. If it works, it works, and cool that's great to know. Othewise you can always add bottled bac later on, no worries.

 

[Hoshiaki]

Coolio, what you could always do is do the transition and let nature take its course during the cycle. ^_^ That's what I'd do. If it works, it works, and cool that's great to know. Othewise you can always add bottled bac later on, no worries.

Yeah, I think I’ll let it transition and yup you’re right with the bac just in case! Thanks a lot!

 

[Jekyl]

If using the same tank I would throw everything freshwater away. Clean the tank thoroughly and start it properly.

 

[Hoshiaki]

If using the same tank I would throw everything freshwater away. Clean the tank thoroughly and start it properly.

If i cleaned the canister filter well, could i repurpose it for saltwater? I don’t know if it’s just for freshwater or can be both. Thanks for the info!

 

[Azedenkae]

If i cleaned the canister filter well, could i repurpose it for saltwater? I don’t know if it’s just for freshwater or can be both. Thanks for the info!

I mean if you want a recommendation on filtration, I would recommend ditching the canister lol. I hate canisters.

But to each their own, and if you opt to use your canister filter, then there is nothing really that needs to be changed. It's the same filtration whether it's a freshwater or saltwater system, so yes you can clean it and repurpose it for saltwater. Or you can just straight up hook it onto a saltwater system and go on. I don't really see a need for cleaning it.

But a lot of people will suggest starting fresh with as much as possible. I guess because you don't want anything to transfer over and die off and all that? To me it's not very consequential, at the end of the day the cycle will take care of it all.

 

[Jekyl]

If i cleaned the canister filter well, could i repurpose it for saltwater? I don’t know if it’s just for freshwater or can be both. Thanks for the info!

Plenty of people use canisters and have success. They just need to be cleaned once a week minimum from what I know. What are your plans for the tank? Fish only or reef tank? On a strict budget? Where you want to take things will dictate how it should be set up.

 

[Hoshiaki]

I mean if you want a recommendation on filtration, I would recommend ditching the canister lol. I hate canisters.

But to each their own, and if you opt to use your canister filter, then there is nothing really that needs to be changed. It's the same filtration whether it's a freshwater or saltwater system, so yes you can clean it and repurpose it for saltwater. Or you can just straight up hook it onto a saltwater system and go on. I don't really see a need for cleaning it.

But a lot of people will suggest starting fresh with as much as possible. I guess because you don't want anything to transfer over and die off and all that? To me it's not very consequential, at the end of the day the cycle will take care of it all.

Alright thanks

Plenty of people use canisters and have success. They just need to be cleaned once a week minimum from what I know. What are your plans for the tank? Fish only or reef tank? On a strict budget? Where you want to take things will dictate how it should be set up.

I was thinking a reef tank with some fish, and yeah i’m just a student so i’m pretty tight on cash. I don’t want it to be too complex or anything but i’m definitely up for learning and caring for saltwater tanks

 

[stevewright1]

If it were mine, I would do as follows

remove any filter pad material and discard that - replace with new
remove and discard any plastic balls (Bio Balls or any other form of spiky plastic balls)
add new crushed coral or sintered glass media into the baskets
clean it weekly at water change time using the water you remove from the tank for rinsing the foam/ material pad and also rinsing the trays with the crushed coral or sintered glass ring type product

you can also as needed add things in mesh pouches, such as chemical filter media you find a need like Granular activated carbon or PO4 removers etc, etc

 

[Hoshiaki]

If it were mine, I would do as follows

remove any filter pad material and discard that - replace with new
remove and discard any plastic balls (Bio Balls or any other form of spiky plastic balls)
add new crushed coral or sintered glass media into the baskets
clean it weekly at water change time using the water you remove from the tank for rinsing the foam/ material pad and also rinsing the trays with the crushed coral or sintered glass ring type product

you can also as needed add things in mesh pouches, such as chemical filter media you find a need like Granular activated carbon or PO4 removers etc, etc

Thanks! that helps a lot!

 

[blasterman]

Cannisters should have nothing in them other than filtration media, and personally I prefer to just stuff them full of filter floss and yank the worthless trays out.

Not sure why you would put crushed coral in them.

I agree you want to clean them regularly. You do not want any type of biological filter setting up in a cannister.

 

[Red_Beard]

I did the same thing. Freshwater bac do not transition well and you will get some crazy stuff untill it balances out. I was running seachem matrix, carbon, and filter sponges in mine. Worked well, but i was lazy and only cleaned it every other week, nutrients were not too crazy for the neglect either. .1po4, 30ppm no3. But, it took a good year for it to settle down, had some nasty algea after the 6 month mark. Tank was up 2 years and was healthy, but i upgraded to a 75 w sump.

 

[motitoa]

I currently have a 45 gallon freshwater tank with a canister filter that’s been growing beneficial bacteria for around 2 years. I’m starting a 2.5 pico reef tank but to be cautious I also wanted to start a bigger 45 gallon saltwater tank for my first one (for more stability). Is there anything I can do about the beneficial bacteria? I’m guessing it would die switching from fresh to salt...

Any suggestions?

tldr: I’m wondering if i can switch 2 years of beneficial bacteria from a freshwater canister filter to a saltwater environment.

I currently have a 45 gallon freshwater tank with a canister filter that’s been growing beneficial bacteria for around 2 years. I’m starting a 2.5 pico reef tank but to be cautious I also wanted to start a bigger 45 gallon saltwater tank for my first one (for more stability). Is there anything I can do about the beneficial bacteria? I’m guessing it would die switching from fresh to salt...

I’m running a 55 with two oase 250 thermo canister one was running 2 years in fresh the other 2 months in a 20 long saltwater, took down the 20 , took down the 55 and made it saltwater ,, Nature will find its ways !! And so it did. No problems here … try to do yourself not per suit other !!!

Any suggestions?

tldr: I’m wondering if i can switch 2 years of beneficial bacteria from a freshwater canister filter to a saltwater environment.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Cannisters should have nothing in them other than filtration media, and personally I prefer to just stuff them full of filter floss and yank the worthless trays out.

Not sure why you would put crushed coral in them.

I agree you want to clean them regularly. You do not want any type of biological filter setting up in a cannister.

Just reading this post and I have a legit curiosity question. Why do you say no biological filer in a canister? This is an honest question as I currently have exactly that. But it is all new, only been set up a couple months. I have a magnum 350 canister set up with nothing but ceramic balls in it. Am I wasting my time with that. Tank also has a protein skimmer, a HOB filter with carbon and bio-wheels, and a UV STERILIZER.

 

[Idech]

If i cleaned the canister filter well, could i repurpose it for saltwater? I don’t know if it’s just for freshwater or can be both. Thanks for the info!

Yes, you can use you canister filter. Just know that it will need cleaning a lot more often than for fresh water, and that your micro-organisms will not live in your canister, but in your rock (make sure you have enough).

Then your canister is just used for mechanical filtration. The rocks do the biological filtration.