# From tropical to marine with mollies?



## willieturnip (Aug 30, 2009)

Is it possible to start with a standard tropical set up with an internal filter and gradually rise the salinity until it is a marine climate and keep mollies in the tank throughout the process?

I know that they can live in both a tropical and reef setting. 3 days acclimatization is apparently plenty, so the 3+ month period I have planned should be far more than adequate. 

I would add a skimmer, algae scrubber, sump etc as I can afford to. I would take the internal filter out after the live rock has established itself in the tank.

Live sand would also be added when the correct salinity has been archived. 

I just see that this would be an easy going way into marine, without the painstaking wait to set up a marine tank.


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## NC Frank (Aug 24, 2009)

willieturnip said:


> Is it possible to start with a standard tropical set up with an internal filter and gradually rise the salinity until it is a marine climate and keep mollies in the tank throughout the process?
> 
> I know that they can live in both a tropical and reef setting. 3 days acclimatization is apparently plenty, so the 3+ month period I have planned should be far more than adequate.
> 
> ...


Not sure if it would work or not as I am just trying to get started in reef tanks but it is a very interesting concept.

I always get a kick out of seeing a molly in a marine tank.


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## Pasfur (Mar 29, 2008)

This would not serve any benefit at all. You would be much better off to break the tank down, start at full marine salinity, and use Mollies as your starter fish until you have upgraded the system.

Freshwater and saltwater bacteria are completely different strains. This is the primary flaw with your idea. Additionally, controlling the pH and alkalinity levels at the lower salinity levels will prove difficult by marine standards. It just serves no purpose to approach a new marine system in this way.


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## willieturnip (Aug 30, 2009)

Ah I'm just anxious to get fish in the tank. 

What do you mean by break the tank down? It's completely empty at the moment.


Pasfur - are you suggesting setting up the tank as I would a tropical tank (internal filter, heater, sand bed) just at marine salinity?

If that's so, I would probably start with a 6 inch bed of live sand too.


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## wake49 (Jul 2, 2008)

willieturnip said:


> Pasfur - are you suggesting setting up the tank as I would a tropical tank (internal filter, heater, sand bed) just at marine salinity?
> 
> If that's so, I would probably start with a 6 inch bed of live sand too.


He is suggesting you start a marine tank. No internal filter. The 4"-6" Sand Bed would be good, along with a good amount of Live Rock and a Skimmer.


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

NC Frank said:


> I always get a kick out of seeing a molly in a marine tank.


I remember doing that. Meant to feed my a couple of black mollies to a lionfish since my mollies kept proliferating but the mollies survived until I quitted SW.


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## Pasfur (Mar 29, 2008)

Lupin said:


> I remember doing that. Meant to feed my a couple of black mollies to a lionfish since my mollies kept proliferating but the mollies survived until I quitted SW.


They are actually rather effective hair algae eaters. 8)


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