Changing a Reef to a FO or Cichlid Tank

[Tarazed]

I upgraded to a 220 reef in feb of 2010 and was doing well for a while. But now I'm battling hair algae, have less time and the expense is starting to hurt these days.

$$$ salt, two part, halides, stocking the thing, keeping it cool, excessive moisture (open top and sump) $$$

I may need to scale down for a while, however the 220 is built into the wall so I want to keep it running. Any thoughts? should I swap it over to a FO? or go real low cost and maintence and change it over to an African Cichlid tank which ive had many times before. Awsome fish for fresh water.

Any input? Anyone been there done that??

thanks

 

[lfsmarineguy]

FO would probably be less expensive at this point ( since it's mostly there already) than doing a full swap over to Africans as you'll have to buy all the fish and depending on your taste it can get expensive the same way salt could. Dial it back to FO and downgrade the lighting and see where that leaves you. Really it's ultimately up to you though.

 

[Tarazed]

I was thinking I could sell halides, skimmer and fish to start the cichlid tank. Maybe cook the rocks and sand in bleach? Cichlids are much easier to maintain no?

 

[howze01]

The problem with African Cichlids is their aggression. You would have to pack that 220 pretty full to keep it in check. Other than that they are pretty low maintenance and some of them are very nice, almost as nice as saltwater fish.

 

[Tarazed]

Ive had several African cichlid tanks up to 125 gal. 220 could be cool. But I would miss my blue face angel.

 

[TRIGGERMAN]

I'm curious if you made a decision yet. It's really up to you. FO is always cool because you can have so many fish that you can't w/ a reef like Eels,Triggers,Puffers, Angels etc. Africans are great too,they can definitely get aggressive but any fish can. I always mixed up africans w/ south americans. Green Severums and Gold Severums are gorgeous,the geophagus are also really cool. As far as africans I always kept the Leilupi, Aulonocara (Peacocks), Tropheus, Julichromis,Calvus, various Mbuna and Kenyi, Yellow Labs, Duboisi,Neo Brichardi. There is sooo many of them, Enantiopus Melanogenys Namansi is also a really cool looking fish I haven't had one of them yet though.

 

[Reef Reaper]

After doing reef tanks, I don't think I could go back to freshwater. I would just cut down on the lighting and do a minimum maintenance until you get the urge again!

 

[FMF0331]

I would stay with saltwater, just like the guy above me said ^^^^, you might have an urge again one day to go back into reef. May the force be with you.

 

[lylbxplaya4lyfe]

i went to fresh to reef to fresh to reef .. just set up reef tank today and im not going back ..finally learned my lesson

 

[brunoboarder2444]

maybe slide in a tank divider and make it half reef half FO and downgrade the lighting on half the tank. Best of
Both worlds:biggrin: