Ex-saltwater tank....?

[Chipps-h2o]

Hi all. A complete newbie here hoping for some advice. I’ve committed to setting up a Discus tank and I have found a used aquarium for sale that I really like. It is just the right size for my living room, is modern and in really good condition at a reasonable price. However, it has previously been used for keeping saltwater fish. With the right cleaning and flushing, will it still be suitable for keeping freshwater fish or is this an absolute no no? Please excuse my lack of knowledge. Hopefully somebody with more experience can point me in the right direction. The last thing I want to do is purchase my discus only for them to come to a swift end due to my ignorance. Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Filip]

Hi chips and welcome to this forum.
Offcourse you can reuse any used tank as long as its not leaking or damaged somehow.
Regardless of what have been previously used for ,as long as you do a proper sterilization of tank and equipment with PP(potasium permanganate) or a bleach solution , you are good to go .

I also reccomend you do a good read of the stickies in the begginer section and watch Al's + 1hour long video presentation on discus , before you take the plunge .
Good luck with your decision and start.

[Chipps-h2o]

Hi all. A complete newbie here hoping for some advice. I’ve committed to setting up a Discus tank and I have found a used aquarium for sale that I really like. It is just the right size for my living room, is modern and in really good condition at a reasonable price. However, it has previously been used for keeping saltwater fish. With the right cleaning and flushing, will it still be suitable for keeping freshwater fish or is this an absolute no no? Please excuse my lack of knowledge. Hopefully somebody with more experience can point me in the right direction. The last thing I want to do is purchase my discus only for them to come to a swift end due to my ignorance. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Hi chips and welcome to this forum.
Offcourse you can reuse any used tank as long as its not leaking or damaged somehow.
Regardless of what have been previously used for ,as long as you do a proper sterilization of tank and equipment with PP(potasium permanganate) or a bleach solution , you are good to go .

I also reccomend you do a good read of the stickies in the begginer section and watch Al's + 1hour long video presentation on discus , before you take the plunge .
Good luck with your decision and start.

Thanks for the clarification and warm welcome Filip.

[TexMoHoosier]

Hi chips and welcome to this forum.
Offcourse you can reuse any used tank as long as its not leaking or damaged somehow.
Regardless of what have been previously used for ,as long as you do a proper sterilization of tank and equipment with PP(potasium permanganate) or a bleach solution , you are good to go .

+1.

I always reseal any used aquarium or one that's been out of use for a while. I give the silicone a few days to completely cure and then leak check it (fill with water in a garage, porch, etc.) for about 4 days.

[Phillydubs]

Welcome and good on you for doing the research and getting yourself some info before you dive in!

You have already been given great advice and I double down on all said.

You are one of the lucky ones, who come here before they are in trouble. Really lean on and use this as a valuable resource.

And spend the extra $ and get good quality healthy discus!!!

Check out the sponsors here

[Filip]

Thanks for the clarification and warm welcome Filip.

You are welcome Chipps .
Don't hesitate to ask anything here .
There are many experienced folks willing to help you.

[gators111]

I bought a used saltwater tank about 6 months ago and converted it over for discus. You shouldn't have a problem. Just make sure you have a lot of elbow grease handy. First, wipe it down with white vinegar to loosen up any salt creep and barnacles. Then grab a razor (on a glass tank) and scrape off any remaining calcium deposits. Then disinfect it with bleach or PP. I noticed my TDS and ph was a little high the first month or so, but after enough water changes it settled right in and my fish were doing so well they started spawning.

[Chipps-h2o]

Thanks for all the advice folks. I'll definitely be back for more. Cheers.